Virtually all male U.S. citizens, regardless of where they live, and male immigrants, whether documented or undocumented, residing in the United States, who are 18 through 25, are required to register with Selective Service.

The law says men must register with Selective Service within 30 days before or after their 18th birthday.

Men who do not register with Selective Service within the 60-day window are technically in violation of the law and should register as soon as possible. Late registrations are accepted up to the 26th birthday.

It’s important to know that even though a man is registered, he will not automatically be inducted into the military. Registering with Selective Service does not mean you are joining the military.

In a crisis requiring a draft, men would be called in a sequence determined by random lottery number and year of birth. Then, they would 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.

There are several ways young men may register. If you have a valid social security number, you may register with Selective Service online at www.sss.gov.

The official Selective Service mail-back registration forms are available at any U.S. Post Office. A man can fill it out, sign, and date, affix postage, and mail to Selective Service without the involvement of the postal clerk. Men living overseas may register at any U.S. Embassy or consular office.

A young man may also register by filling out a reminder mail-back card received in the mail. The official Selective Service sends this card out to many men around the time they turn 18 years old. A man can fill out the card at home and mail it directly to the official Selective Service address.

A young man who fails to register with Selective Service may be ineligible for opportunities that may be important to his future. He must register to be eligible for federal student financial aid, state-funded student financial aid in many states, most federal employment, some state employment, security clearance for contractors, job training under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (formerly known as the Workforce Investment Act), and U.S. citizenship for immigrant men.

Men, born after December 31, 1959, who aren't registered with Selective Service won't qualify for federal student loans or grant programs. This includes Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG), Direct Stafford Loans/ Plus Loans, National Direct Student Loans, and College Work Study.

Selective Service wants young men to register. It does not want them to be prosecuted or denied benefits. If a draft is ever needed, it must be as fair as possible, and that fairness depends on having as many eligible men as possible registered. In the event of a draft, for every man who fails to register, another man would be required to take his place in service to his country.