The US government will begin automatically registering eligible men into the military draft pool by December 2026, streamlining a process that has traditionally relied on self-registration.
Most American men aged 18 to 25 are already required to register with the Selective Service System, which maintains a database of men who can be called up in a national emergency.
Under the new system, responsibility for registration will shift from individuals to the agency, which will integrate federal data sources to simplify compliance.
The change comes amid heightened tensions over the war in Iran, although lawmakers emphasised that the automatic registration was mandated by national defence legislation passed last December. Officials noted that the reform is intended to save taxpayers’ money and reduce bureaucracy.
Currently, men must register within 30 days of their 18th birthday, with late registration accepted until age 26. Failure to register is considered a felony and can affect eligibility for student loans, federal employment, and U.S. citizenship for immigrants.
The Selective Service System explains that in a crisis, men would be called up according to a lottery system based on their year of birth and lottery number. Registrants would undergo mental, physical, and moral fitness evaluations before being drafted or receiving exemptions or deferments.
Although the United States has not implemented a military draft since the Vietnam War in the 1970s, almost all male citizens and immigrants aged 18 to 25 remain legally obligated to register. In 2024, roughly 81% of eligible men complied. During his 2024 campaign, former President Donald Trump opposed the idea of reinstating a draft.
The automatic registration system is expected to take effect by December 2026, marking a significant modernisation of the Selective Service System and potentially reducing administrative errors and noncompliance.
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