How Long Is an LDS Mission? Length by Type and Age
Young men serve 24-month missions and young women serve 18 months for the LDS Church. Here are the lengths, ages, and timeline by missionary type.
For The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, young men (elders) serve full-time missions of 24 months and young women (sisters) serve 18 months. Senior missionaries serve from 6 to 23 months depending on their assignment. Elders may begin serving at age 18, and sisters can now serve at age 18 as well; every missionary first spends one to several weeks at a Missionary Training Center before arriving in the field.
For The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a full-time mission lasts 24 months for young men (elders) and 18 months for young women (sisters). Senior missionaries serve shorter, more flexible terms typically ranging from 6 to 23 months. These lengths include the one to several weeks every missionary spends at a Missionary Training Center (MTC) before entering the field.
In This Article
Mission Lengths by Type
Missionary Type | Minimum Age | Standard Length |
|---|---|---|
Elder (young man) | 18 | 24 months |
Sister (young woman) | 18 | 18 months |
Senior missionary (couple or single) | Retirement age | 6 to 23 months |
The vast majority of full-time missionaries are young single adults serving the standard 24- or 18-month terms.
When Can Someone Start a Mission?
Young men may begin serving at age 18, typically after graduating from high school, and young women may now also begin at age 18. Both must meet worthiness, health, and readiness standards and submit mission papers through their local bishop and stake president. The age a person leaves shapes the whole family's timeline, which is why so many families begin preparing and packing months in advance.
How the MTC Fits Into the Timeline
Before arriving in the field, every missionary does some at-home MTC training, and then trains at a Missionary Training Center. Missionaries serving English-speaking, same-language missions usually spend about one to two weeks at the MTC, while those learning a new language stay considerably longer — often six weeks or more. This training time is part of the mission but is in addition to the months spent serving in the field. Our guide on what to expect at the MTC covers this stage in detail.
Why Are the Lengths Different?
Young women have served 18-month missions for decades, while young men serve 24 months. The difference reflects long-standing Church policy rather than a difference in the importance of the service. Sisters and elders teach the same gospel, follow the same daily standards, and contribute equally to the work.
Can a Mission Be Shorter or Longer?
Yes. A mission can end earlier than planned for health, family, or other personal reasons, and an early return is not a failure. If your missionary returns home before the standard term, our guide on family adjustment after a mission can help. In rarer cases, missionaries may be asked to serve slightly longer to meet a specific need. The standard 24- and 18-month terms remain the norm.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do LDS missionaries serve?
Elders serve 24 months and sisters serve 18 months. Senior missionaries serve 6 to 23 months.
How old do you have to be to serve a mission?
Young men can begin at 18, and young women can now start serving at age 18 as well.
Does the MTC count toward the mission length?
The MTC is part of the mission experience and counts towards the overall service time.
Why do sisters serve shorter missions than elders?
It is long-standing Church policy. Both perform the same work and follow the same standards.
Make Every Month Count
Eighteen or twenty-four months sounds long when a missionary leaves and impossibly short once they return. The weekly emails they send during that time are the clearest record of their growth. Start your missionary's keepsake book so every month of the mission is preserved in print, not lost in a deleted inbox.
Key takeaway: Elders serve 24 months and sisters serve 18, plus MTC training time and, however long it lasts, the mission is worth documenting from the first week to the last.