US to Automatically Register Men for Military Draft Starting December 2026
Key Takeaways
- Automatic draft registration for eligible U.S. men will begin by December 2026.
- Authorized by Congress in the NDAA and enacted into law.
- System shifts to automated data collection, moving from self-registration to centralized automated enrollment.
Automatic Draft Registration
Starting in December 2026, eligible American men will be automatically registered for military draft eligibility.
“WASHINGTON -- Young, eligible men will be automatically registered for the military draft pool starting in December as part of a measure tucked into the annual defense policy bill Congress signed into law late last year”
The Selective Service System submitted a proposed rule to implement the change mandated by Congress.
The change transfers responsibility for registration from individual men to SSS through integration with other federal data sources.
Currently, most men between 18 and 25 are required to register, but compliance fell to 81% in 2024.
Failure to register is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The last US military draft took place in 1973.
Scope and Exemptions
The automatic registration will apply to male US citizens and every other male person in the country between 18 and 26.
This includes green-card holders, refugees, asylum seekers, and undocumented men.
Those on nonimmigrant visas are exempt.
Women remain exempt and are not required to register.
The change was approved with bipartisan support.
Representative Chrissy Houlahan said the move would allow the government to rededicate resources towards readiness and mobilization.
No Active Draft
There is no active military draft despite the automatic registration.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said bringing back the draft is not part of the current plan right now.
Returning to an active draft would require Congress to amend the Military Selective Service Act.
Not all registered men would be called to serve.
The agency would randomly draw from a lottery of birthdays and numbers.
People selected would be allowed to request exemption or deferment.
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