Automatic Draft Registration to Begin for U.S. Men in 2026

Starting in December 2026, eligible men in the United States will be automatically registered for the military draft pool by the federal government - no form required. The change was embedded in the National Defense Authorization Act signed into law in December 2025 and drew renewed attention on April 9, 2026, when the Selective Service System submitted the implementing rule to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, according to CNN.

The automatic registration requirement applies to male U.S. citizens and all other male residents between the ages of 18 and 26, including green-card holders, refugees, asylum seekers, and undocumented men. Men on nonimmigrant visas are exempt, according to CNN. Currently, men in states without automatic registration must sign up within 30 days of their 18th birthday and can register up until age 26.

Why the Change Was Made

The measure was passed with bipartisan support and has no connection to the ongoing U.S. conflict with Iran, which began after the NDAA was signed, according to CNN. Its primary purpose is compliance. According to the Selective Service System’s 2024 annual report, automatic registration is already in place in 46 states and territories - meaning the federal rule extends a practice that most states have already adopted.

Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, the Pennsylvania Democrat who sponsored the automatic registration language, told CNN the change “saves taxpayer dollars by eliminating the need to advertise” and prevents young men from being unknowingly penalized for failing to register. Under current law, failing to register is a felony that can result in the loss of certain federal student loans, disqualification from federal employment, and potential imprisonment of up to five years and a fine of up to $250,000, according to CNN.

Who Gets Registered and How

Under the new system, registration will be linked to existing government data and processes rather than requiring a separate action by the individual. Currently in states that have already adopted automatic registration, eligible men are enrolled when they apply for a driver’s license or state identification. According to the SSS’s 2023 annual report, over 60% of registrations already come through state motor vehicle departments, according to CNN.

The rule does not mean a draft is imminent or planned. Congress would still need to separately vote to authorize an actual draft before any conscription could take place. If a draft were activated, a lottery based on birth dates would determine the order of induction, with 20-year-olds first in line, followed in sequence by ages 21 through 25, then 19-year-olds, and finally those over 18 by six months, according to CNN. All selected individuals would then go through physical, mental, and moral evaluation before any service obligation is assigned.

Context: Where the Requirement Stands

The last active U.S. military draft ended in February 1973, during the Vietnam War. Registration requirements were suspended by President Gerald Ford and later reinstated by President Jimmy Carter in 1980 following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The current requirement has applied only to men throughout that period, and separate debate over whether to extend registration requirements to women has not been resolved by Congress, according to prior reporting. The April 2026 rule does not address that question.

References: Automatic military draft registration takes effect in the US in December 2026. Here’s how it would work | Young American Men Will Be Automatically Registered for the Draft