Overview
- The Selective Service submitted its automatic-registration rule to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs on March 30, and the agency says it will have the system in place by December 2026.
- Congress mandated the shift in the FY2026 defense law signed December 18, 2025, moving registration from self-signup to agency enrollment using existing federal data.
- This update does not bring back a draft, which would require new action by Congress and the president, and the White House has said a draft is not part of the current plan.
- Most men aged 18 to 25 must still register by law, with penalties on the books that include loss of some federal benefits, fines up to $250,000, and as much as five years in prison.
- Officials cite slipping compliance (81% in 2024 versus 84% in 2023) and say automation will reduce missed registrations, free money from outreach for readiness work, keep state DMV tie-ins, and leave women outside the system.