U.S. military draft registration goes automatic in major policy change: Here’s why

According to the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which was signed into law in December 2025, the US will transition to an automatic registration system. Eligible men will now be automatically entered into the military draft pool, replacing the previous system of manual self-registration. The Selective Service System (SSS) aims to have this streamlined process in place by December; the move is designed to simplify the registration process, increase efficiency and reduce government administrative costs.

The requirement for men between the ages of 18 and 25 to register with the Selection Service remains in effect, but automatic registration was mandated in December 2025 as part of the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act. According to the website, this significant change-meant to save money-transfers responsibility for registration from individual men to SSS through integration with federal data sources.” At present, the proposed law is under review by the regulatory affairs office and is awaiting finalization.

The new system replaces the long-standing manual self-registration system, using existing federal databases to identify and enroll eligible individuals. Despite recent legislative attempts to include women in the draft via annual defense bills, those provisions were removed before final votes. Conversely, women remain ineligible for registration. 

While the draft itself has been inactive since 1973, failure to register remains a federal crime. Violators face up to five years in prison and fines of up to $250,000. Unregistered men are ineligible for federal student aid, federal job training, and most government employment. Non-citizens who fail to register run a higher risk of losing their path to US citizenship. In this regard, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that while a draft is “not part of the current plan right now,” the administration is keeping its options open.

It is pertinent to note that Trump alone cannot reinstate the draft through executive action; Congress would need to pass legislation amending the Military Selective Service Act to authorize the president to conscript personnel. These changes come during a tenuous two-week ceasefire in the war between the US and Iran. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated in March 20206 that while a draft is not part of the current plan, the President is keeping his options open. As reported by The Hill, lawmakers have attempted over the past few years to attach provisions to the annual defense policy bill that would add women to the draft; however, these measures have ultimately been stripped from the final legislation.