Automatic U.S. military draft registration planned by December, filing shows

Key Points

• The Selective Service System plans to automatically register all eligible U.S. men aged 18-26 for the draft by December 2026.
• The change implements a Congressionally mandated requirement from the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act, signed into law in December 2025.
• Registration rates have declined, with only 81% of eligible men registered in 2024, prompting the shift from voluntary to automatic enrollment.
• No active draft has been in effect since 1973; this only updates the database used if a draft were ever authorized.
• The proposal was submitted to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs on March 30, 2025.

Full Details

The Selective Service System has proposed automatic registration for all U.S. men aged 18-26 by December 2026, implementing a Congressionally mandated change from the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act signed by President Trump in December 2025. Under the rule, eligible male citizens and lawful permanent residents will be entered into the draft database without self-registration, using data from other federal sources. This aims to address declining compliance, with registration rates falling to 81% in 2024. The proposal was submitted to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs on March 30, 2025. No draft has been active since 1973, but the database remains a contingency tool. The change is expected to free up agency resources for military readiness.