What men in SC should know about the automatic draft registration

• The federal government will begin automatically registering eligible men for the military draft in December 2026.
• This change is part of the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act signed into law by President Donald Trump.
• The new process will use federal data from sources like the DMV instead of requiring manual registration.
• The U.S. currently has an all-volunteer military, and the draft has not been used since the Vietnam War.

South Carolina residents could soon see a change in how the nation manages military enlistment, as the federal government moves to automatically register eligible men for the draft pool.

Federal data sources such as department of motor vehicle or Social Security Administration will be used beginning in December to register men ages 18-25, according to the Selective Service’s agency website.

The shift marks a departure from the previous requirement that eligible men manually register with the Selective Service within 30 days of turning 18 or face penalties for non-compliance.

The updated draft pool process marks the first significant change to Selective Service procedures in decades.

President Trump signs the 2026 NDAA

The revised registration process was enacted as part of the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which President Donald Trump signed into law in December.

Original military draft 1948

The original Military Selective Service Act, established in 1948, provides the legal framework for the draft.

It enables Congress to recruit eligible individuals into the armed forces while outlining provisions for exemptions, deferments, and religious objections.

The recent changes to the registration process aims to streamline the process.

Who is required to register for the draft?

As reported by the Selective Service website, all men are required to register for the draft within 30 days of turning 18.

This includes men who are “religiously or morally opposed to participating in war as religious or moral objectors,” according to the Selective Service System.

Undocumented men residing in the United States also must register.

Men with disabilities and medical conditions are also required to register “in most cases,” though they may be considered for exemptions or deferments based on individual circumstances.

Women can enlist to serve in the military but are not required to register for the draft.

Military draft exceptions

Military draft exceptions are granted under specific conditions, according to the Selective Service website.

For instance, if a man is institutionalized in a hospital, nursing home, or similar facility from before his 18th birthday until his 26th birthday without any breaks of 30 days or longer, he is exempt from registration.

Additionally, those confined to their homes who require medical assistance to leave are also exempt from the draft registration requirement.

Can you refuse to register for the military draft?

Refusing to register for the military draft is a serious offense under U.S. law.

According to the Selective Service, failing to register can result in a felony charge, punishable by fines up to $250,000 and imprisonment for up to five years.

Could the military draft return?

Currently, there is no active draft, as the United States relies on an all-volunteer military force.

The draft system remains in place as a contingency, allowing the government to reinstate it in case of national emergency or significant military conflicts.

According to historical archives, the last time the draft was used was in December 1972 during the Vietnam War, after which the U.S. transitioned to a volunteer-based military system.

Travis Jacque Rose is the trending news reporter for the Greenville News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at trose@gannett.com.