---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 574"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "574"
heading: "Warrant officer active-duty lists; competitive categories; number to be recommended for promotion; promotion zones"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/574"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 33A — Appointment, Promotion, and Involuntary Separation and Retirement for Members on the Warrant Officer Active-Duty List"
---

# §574. Warrant officer active-duty lists; competitive categories; number to be recommended for promotion; promotion zones

- (a) The [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) shall maintain for each armed force under the jurisdiction of that [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) a single list of all [warrant officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3) (other than [warrant officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3) described in [section 582 of this title](/usc/10/582.md)) who are on [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1).
- (b) The [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) may establish competitive categories for promotion. [Warrant officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3) in the same competitive category shall compete among themselves for promotion.
- (c) Before convening a selection board under [section 573 of this title](/usc/10/573.md), the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) shall determine for each [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) (or [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) and competitive category) to be considered by the board the following:
  - (1) The maximum number of [warrant officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3) to be recommended for promotion.
  - (2) A [promotion zone](/usc/10/583.md?p=1) for [warrant officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3) on the [warrant officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3) [active-duty list](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-13).
- (d) The position of a [warrant officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3) on the [warrant officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3) [active-duty list](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-13) shall be determined as follows:
  - (1) [Warrant officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3) shall be carried in the order of seniority of the [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) in which they are serving on [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1).
  - (2) [Warrant officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3) serving in the same [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) shall be carried in the order of their [rank](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-8) in that [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7).
  - (3) A [warrant officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3) on the [warrant officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3) [active-duty list](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-13) who receives a temporary appointment or a temporary assignment in a [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) other than a [warrant officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3) [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) or chief [warrant officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3) [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) shall retain his position on the [warrant officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3) [active-duty list](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-13) while so serving.
- (e) A chief [warrant officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-3) may not be considered for promotion to the next higher [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) under this chapter until the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) has completed two years of service on [active duty](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1) in the [grade](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-7) in which the [officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1) is serving.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 102–190, div. A, title XI, § 1112(a), Dec. 5, 1991, 105 Stat. 1494; amended Pub. L. 102–484, div. A, title X, § 1052(3), Oct. 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 2499; Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title V, § 541(b)(2), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2764; Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title V, § 506(a), Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2512.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1996—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 104–201 substituted “two years of service” for “three years of service”.

1994—Subsecs. (a), (b). Pub. L. 103–337 substituted “Secretary concerned” for “Secretary of each military department”.

1992—Subsec. (d)(3). Pub. L. 102–484 substituted “active-duty list” for “active duty list” before “while”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1994 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 103–337 effective on the first day of the fourth month beginning after Oct. 5, 1994, see section 541(h) of Pub. L. 103–337, set out as a note under section 571 of this title.

### Effective Date

Section effective Feb. 1, 1992, see section 1132 of Pub. L. 102–190, set out as an Effective Date of 1991 Amendment note under section 521 of this title.