The Selective Service System has moved forward with plans to automatically enroll draft-eligible men using federal data, replacing the current requirement that most men register themselves around their 18th birthday. The change was mandated by the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act and is under federal regulatory review, with officials indicating implementation is targeted for December 2026.
The Selective Service System (SSS) is seeking to change how draft registration is handled, shifting the burden from individual action to automatic enrollment by the government.
Under the proposal, most men who are required to register would no longer need to sign up themselves within 30 days of turning 18. Instead, SSS would register eligible men by integrating information from existing federal data sources, according to the agency and news reports on the proposed rule’s submission for review.
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., who backed the change, has said the goal is to reduce spending on outreach and education campaigns and redirect resources toward readiness and mobilization.
SSS has told Congress that registration compliance has slipped in recent years. In its annual report covering calendar year 2024, the agency reported that the registration rate for men ages 18 to 25 was 81%, down slightly from 2023, while the registration rate for 18-year-olds rose from 39% in 2023 to 42% in 2024.
Federal law generally requires male U.S. citizens and certain male immigrants living in the United States, ages 18 through 25, to register with SSS. The agency says failing to register can carry significant consequences, including loss of eligibility for certain federal and state benefits tied to registration.
The United States last used conscription in 1973 during the Vietnam War era. Draft registration itself resumed in 1980, when President Jimmy Carter reactivated the registration requirement.
The move to automatic registration does not by itself reinstate a draft. SSS has said that bringing back conscription would require separate legislation, because inductions into military service would still need explicit authorization by Congress and the president.
In separate comments that have circulated in recent coverage, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said a draft was “not part of the current plan right now,” while adding that the president “wisely keeps his options on the table.”
Women remain outside the federal registration requirement under current law, despite periodic congressional efforts to expand eligibility.
