Beginning in December, eligible young men in the United States will be automatically registered with the Selective Service System, as part of a measure included in the annual defense policy bill passed by Congress last year.
Automatic Registration Explained
Men between the ages of 18 and 26 are already required to register with the Selective Service in case a draft is needed. The last time a draft occurred was in February 1973, during the Vietnam War.
Currently, automatic registration is in place in 46 states and territories, according to the 2024 report from the Selective Service System (SSS). The SSS submitted a proposed rule to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs late last month to implement the practice nationwide.
The national measure is unrelated to the ongoing conflict with Iran and was approved with bipartisan support months before the current conflict. However, the Trump administration has not ruled out the possibility of deploying U.S. Military personnel to Iranian territory, and the war has renewed attention to draft policy.
Who Must Register?
According to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), signed into law by President Donald Trump in December, automatic registration will apply to male U.S. Citizens and “all other male persons” in the country between 18 and 26 years of age.
Mandatory registration applies to permanent resident card holders, refugees, asylum seekers, and undocumented men. Those with non-immigrant visas are exempt.
Currently, in states that have not adopted automatic registration, men must register “within 30 days of (their) 18th birthday,” according to the SSS website. The agency “accepts late registrations up to” the 26th birthday.
Failure to register with the Selective Service is a felony and can result in the loss of certain benefits, such as some student loans and federal jobs. It is also a violation of the Military Selective Service Act, which could carry a penalty of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Some locations, such as Arizona, Delaware, and the city of Washington, automatically register eligible men when they apply for a driver’s license or other state identification. In New York, the driver’s license application includes a section allowing eligible men to register with the Selective Service.
According to the 2023 SSS report, more than 60 percent of registrations came from state motor vehicle departments.
In a statement, Houlahan emphasized that the measure has bipartisan support. The NDAA was approved with bipartisan votes in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
What Happens Next?
Congress would have to approve a draft before one occurs. And not all registered men would be called to serve. There would be a lottery in which birth dates and numbers would be randomly selected.
Those who turn 20 in the year of the draft would be the first to receive induction orders, followed, in this order, by the following age groups: 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 19, and those who have turned 18 more than six months ago.
Those selected could apply for an exemption or deferment. Then, all remaining men would undergo a “physical, mental, and moral evaluation,” and those found fit would be selected for service, according to the SSS.
Frequently Asked Questions
What age group is affected by this change?
The automatic registration applies to male U.S. Citizens and “all other male persons” between the ages of 18 and 26.
Is this a prelude to a draft?
The measure itself is not related to a current draft. Congress would have to approve a draft before one occurs.
What are the penalties for not registering?
Failure to register is a felony and can result in the loss of certain benefits, as well as a potential prison sentence of up to five years and a fine of up to $250,000.
As the Selective Service System transitions to automatic registration, how might this shift impact the preparedness of the U.S. Military in the face of evolving global challenges?
