The federal government plans to automatically register eligible men for the military draft beginning in December, according to a proposed rule published last week.

The Selective Service System (SSS), the government agency that maintains the database of draft-eligible Americans, submitted the “automatic registration” rule change to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs on March 30. //

Congress approved automatic registration for the draft last December as part of the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, must-pass legislation that authorizes funding for military personnel and operations.

“This statutory change transfers responsibility for registration from individual men to SSS through integration with federal data sources,” the agency notes on its website. “SSS will implement the change by December 2026, resulting in a streamlined registration process and corresponding workforce realignment.” //

Currently, 46 states and territories have laws in place to automatically register eligible men when they apply for driver’s licenses or IDs, according to the Selective Service System.