A young man or woman may enlist in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Coast Guard at age 17 with parental consent, or at age 18 without parental consent.

The Selective Service System was created to automatically enlist people in the U.S. Armed Forces in the event of a national emergency.

Every male citizen who is a permanent resident in the United States and its territories must register within 30 days of their 18th birthday.

• As of 2021, women are not required to register with the Selective Service System

• There are several ways you can register for the draft:
  
  • Register online through the Selective Service website at www.sss.gov; 
  • Fill out a registration form [titled SSS Form 1M(UPO)] at any U.S. Post Office;
  • If you are a U.S. citizen living or visiting overseas at the time you turn 18, go to the nearest U.S. embassy or consular office where personnel will assist you in registering.
• When registering, you will be asked for your name, address, sex, birthday and Social Security number.
  

You will be mailed a “Registration Acknowledgment Card” showing the information recorded in your registration file, your Selective Service number, and a change of information form. You should keep the registration acknowledgment in a safe place as proof of your registration.

The fact that young men are required to register does not mean that they will be drafted. No one has been drafted since 1973. A draft would could still occur by an Act of Congress in the event of war or a national emergency. Registering with the Selective Service does not mean that you are joining the military.