Almost all male U.S. citizens, and male aliens
living in the U.S., between the ages of 18 and 25, are required to register
with Selective Service. It's important to
know that even if you register, you will not automatically be inducted into
the military. In a crisis requiring a draft, men would be inducted in sequence
determined by random lottery number and year of birth. They would then be
examined for mental, physical and moral fitness by the military before being
deferred or exempted from military service or inducted into the Armed Forces.
If you are eligible to register with Selective Service and fail to do so
on time, you may receive a fine of up to $250,000 and/or five years in jail.
Registering with Selective Service is Federal law. It is also required to
stay eligible for many Federal and state benefits.
All young men living in the U.S., with very few exceptions, are required
to register within 30 days of turning 18.
Noncitizens and Dual Nationals
Noncitizens who are not required to register
with Selective Service include men who are in the U.S. on student or visitor
visas, and men who are part of a diplomatic or trade mission and their families.
Almost all other male noncitizens are required to register, including illegal
aliens, legal permanent residents, and refugees. Dual nationals of the U.S.
and another country are required to register, regardless of where they live,
because they are U.S. nationals.
The general rule is that if a male noncitizen takes up residency in the
U.S. before his 26th birthday, he must register with Selective Service.
For further details on alien and dual national registration, see this list
of exemptions. For a more detailed list of which noncitizens must register,
see this chart.
Hospitalized or Incarcerated Men
Young men in hospitals, mental institutions or prisons do not have to register
while they are committed. However, they must register within
30 days after being released if they have
not yet reached their 26th birthday.
Disabled Men
Disabled men who live at home must register with Selective Service if they
can reasonably leave their homes and move about independently. A friend
or relative may help a disabled man fill out the registration form if he
can't do it himself.
Men with disabilities that would disqualify them from military service still
must register with Selective Service. Selective Service does not presently
have authority to classify men, so even men with obvious handicaps must
register now, and if needed, classifications would be determined later.
Full-Time Military Exempted From Requirement
Young men serving in the military on full-time active duty do not have to
register. Those attending the service academies do not have to register.
If a young man leaves the military before turning 26, he must register.
National Guard and Reserves
Members of the Reserve and National Guard not on full-time active duty must
register.
Conscientious Objectors
If you want to be classified as a Conscientious Objector if you are drafted,
you must also register with Selective Service. If a draft begins and you
are called, you will have the opportunity to file a claim for exemption
from military service based upon religious or moral objection to war.
Women and Registration
Women are not required to register, as the Selective Service Law as it is
currently written refers specifically to "male persons" in stating
who must register and who would be drafted. For women to be required to
register with Selective Service, Congress would have to amend the law. The
DoD recognizes that policies regarding women need to be reviewed periodically
because the role of women in the military continues to expand. The Selective
Service System, if given the mission and additional funding, is capable
of registering and drafting women with its existing infrastructure.
