Church Lowers Minimum Missionary Age for Women to 18

This morning, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints announced that young women may now begin full-time missionary service at age 18 — the same minimum age as young men

This decision carries significant potential: by providing additional options for young women to serve missions right after high school (or its equivalent), the worldwide full-time missionary force may grow in scale and diversity. It opens a new season of opportunity for women who desire to serve, whether before pursuing further education, entering the workforce, or undertaking other life ventures. While missionary service remains optional for young women, the change reflects a continued evolution in how the Church supports individual choice, preparation, and contribution with its proselytism efforts Effective immediately, young women graduating this year and going forward will be eligible to submit mission applications starting at age 18. Moreover, the recent announcement to create 55 new missions in 2026 will provide additional support to accommodate potentially large influxes in young women serving missions in the next 12 months.

I will provide additional analysis of today's announcement in the coming days.  

Analysis of 55 New Missions to be Created in July 2026

Click here to access my analysis of the 55 new missions to be organized in July 2026 on cumorah.com. See below for the figures if you have trouble viewing these on the site when using a mobile device. A PDF of the article can be downloaded or viewed here.

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