---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 886"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "886"
heading: "Art. 86. Absence without leave"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/886"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 47 — Uniform Code of Military Justice"
  - "Subchapter X — Punitive Articles"
---

# §886. Art. 86. Absence without leave


Any member of the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) who, without authority—

- (1) fails to go to his appointed place of duty at the time prescribed;
- (2) goes from that place; or
- (3) absents himself or remains absent from his unit, organization, or place of duty at which he is required to be at the time prescribed;

shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.


## Source credit

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 67.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 886 | 50:680. | May 5, 1950, ch. 169, § 1 (Art. 86), 64 Stat. 135. |

The words “proper” and “other” are omitted as surplusage.