New York : The US is moving to overhaul its military draft system for the first time in decades, with a new proposal to automatically register eligible men. Under a proposed rule, the Selective Service System (SSS) plans to begin automatic registration by December 2026, shifting the responsibility away from individuals, a New York Post report said.
The change follows approval by Congress in the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which mandates integrating federal data to enroll eligible men directly into the draft database. Currently, all men aged 18 to 25 are legally required to register with the Selective Service within 30 days of turning 18. Failure to do so is a felony, punishable by fines, imprisonment, and loss of access to government benefits and jobs.
Under the current system, almost all male US citizens and immigrants between the ages of 18 and 25 are legally required to register with the SSS within 30 days of their 18th birthday. Historically, this has required men to fill out forms at post offices, via the SSS website, or through state Motor Vehicle Agencies when applying for a driver’s license.
The new “automatic registration” rule, mandated by the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) signed last December, removes this burden from the individual. Instead, the SSS will integrate with other federal data sources—such as the Social Security Administration and the Department of Education—to identify and enroll eligible individuals automatically.
“This statutory change transfers responsibility for registration from individual men to the SSS through integration with federal data sources,” the agency stated in its latest strategic plan. “It will result in a streamlined process and corresponding workforce realignment.”
The SSS, which describes itself as “America’s insurance policy,” operates on a modest annual budget of roughly $27 million. Officials estimate that automating the database will save millions by eliminating the need for expensive public awareness campaigns and the manual processing of physical registration cards.
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