Automatic registration for the US military draft will begin in December, The Hill reports, writes UNN.
Details
Draft-eligible men will be automatically registered in the US for the military draft reserve by December as part of an effort to simplify the previous self-registration process and save money.
The Selective Service System (SSS) — a US government agency that maintains a database of men who would be called to service in the event of a national emergency — submitted draft rules to the US Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) on March 30, according to the office's website.
Most men aged 18 to 25 in the US are already required to register with the Selective Service System, but automatic registration was introduced in December 2025 as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026.
The change, intended to save costs, "shifts the registration burden from individual men to the SSS through integration with federal data sources," according to the website.
The proposed rules are currently under review by the Office of Regulatory Affairs and await final approval.
Many have questioned whether a US military draft could occur during the war with Iran, which is currently in an unstable two-week ceasefire.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated in March that while a draft "is not part of the current plan right now," President Trump "wisely keeps his options on the table."
Trump cannot unilaterally reinstate the draft through executive action, as Congress would need to pass legislation amending the Selective Service Act to authorize the President to induct personnel into the military.
Nevertheless, failure to register for the draft is considered a felony and can prevent individuals from receiving state-funded financial aid and employment in many US states, lead to disqualification from many federal employment and training opportunities under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, and can result in a fine of up to $250,000 and imprisonment for up to five years.
In addition, immigrants who fail to register may lose their US citizenship.
Under the new rule, men will be automatically registered within 30 days of turning 18.
Women are still not subject to the draft, even though lawmakers have tried over the past few years to include provisions for women's inclusion in the draft as part of the annual defense policy bill. All these measures were canceled before the final vote on the legislation.
Addition
The US has not had a military draft since the Vietnam War, and military service became voluntary in 1973.
But former President Jimmy Carter reinstated selective service in 1980 in the event of a "national emergency," when the registry could be used to "provide personnel to the Department of War and alternative service for conscientious objectors, if authorized by the President and Congress."