Automatic registration for US military draft-eligible men to begin in December
MILITARYTIMES.COM
'automatic'
SUMMARY

Starting in December 2026, eligible young men in the United States will be automatically registered for the military draft without any action or consent required on their part.

The Selective Service System will integrate directly with federal data sources to enroll males aged 18 through 25. This mandatory automatic registration was mandated by the fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act signed into law by President Donald Trump in December 2025.

The policy ends decades of self-registration. Previously, nearly all male U.S. citizens and immigrants had to register themselves within 30 days of turning 18.

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