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2mo ago

U.S. to Start Automatic Selective Service Registration in December 2026

The update streamlines draft registration through federal data matching without reviving conscription.

Members of the U.S. army listen as President Donald Trump speaks at Fort Bragg, North Carolina on February 13, 2026.
DONGDUCHEON, REPUBLIC OF KOREA: US army 2nd Infantry Division, soon to be relocated from South Korea to Iraq, march during a ceremony to mark an end to their mission here at a US military base at Dongducheon, 40 kilometers north of Seoul, 02 August 2004.The United States plans to send a brigade of 3,600 troops from the division for a yearlong deployment to Iraq. US cargo ships carrying key combat equipment to be used by the brigade have already left for the Middle East. AFP PHOTO/ KIM JAE-HWAN (Photo credit should read KIM JAE-HWAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Overview

  • The Selective Service plans to begin automatic enrollment by December 2026 for most men ages 18 to 25.
  • Mandated by the 2026 defense law signed in December 2025, the agency’s proposed rule was filed March 30 with the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs for review.
  • The system will pull federal records to register male citizens and other males in the U.S., including green‑card holders and undocumented men, while women remain exempt under current law.
  • The change does not bring back a draft, which would require new approval by Congress and the President and would use a birthday lottery by age if ever activated.
  • Officials say the shift will cut costs and fix missed registrations, noting compliance fell to 81% in 2024 from 84% in 2023 and that failing to register can block loans, federal jobs, or citizenship.