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

The Selective Service System plans to automatically register eligible American men between ages 18 and 26 for a U.S. military draft by December, almost a half-century after compulsory registration for the draft by that group became law, a government filing shows.The SSS's proposal would implement a requirement passed by Congress in December in the National Defense Authorization Act to include automatic registration for "every male citizen of the United States" between those ages.There has not been a military draft since 1973, when U.S. involvement in the war in Vietnam was winding down. But in 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed a law requiring men between the ages of 18 to 25 to register for military conscription. Since then, the federal government has relied on voluntary compliance with that law, not automatic enrollment. Men who are 26 are allowed to enroll late to comply with the law.The SSS has said that in 2024, 81% of all eligible men registered, a three-percentage point drop from the previous year.The proposal by the SSS to automatically enroll men in the draft was submitted to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs on March 30. The proposal was made about a month after the U.S. and Israel began a war against Iran. A two-week ceasefire in that conflict took effect on Tuesday evening.There are currently no plans to reinstate a draft.But on March 8, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump "keeps his options on the table" when Fox News Sunday host Maria Bartiromo asked her about the possibility of the draft returning.Failure to comply with SSS registration is considered a felony punishable with a fine of up to $250,000 or up to 5 years in prison. Registration for the Selective Service is required for employment and student financial aid in some states.SSS registration previously was a requirement for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, but was removed as part of the 2020 FAFSA Simplification Act.Got a confidential news tip? We want to hear from you.Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inboxGet this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services.© 2026 Versant Media, LLC.

All Rights Reserved. A Versant Media Company. Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes. Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes, and Market Data and Analysis. Data also provided by