Most Americans over the age of 30 remember the “draft card” which Selective Service issued to each man at the time he registered. For many years there were in fact two cards: the Registration Certificate and the Notice of Classification.

Most Americans born before 1990 remember the "draft card" which Selective Service issued to each man at the time he registered. For many years there were in fact two cards: the Registration Certificate and the Notice of Classification.

Registration cards are only printed once at the time of initial registration. A registration card replacement is in the form of a letter confirming your registration with Selective Service. Men born on or after January 1, 1960 can retrieve their registration acknowledgement letter below.

Online verification provides a quick way to access your Selective Service registration number and date of registration. You also can print a copy of your registration card that can be used as proof of registration. Learn More about Verification; Verify Now

Registration is a way our government keeps a list of names of men from which to draw in case of a national emergency requiring rapid expansion of our Armed Forces. By registering all young men, Selective Service System ensures that a future draft will be fair and just.

Men who would be classified as Conscientious Objectors if they were drafted must register with Selective Service. If a draft is authorized and they are called, they would have the opportunity to file a claim for exemption from military service based upon their religious or moral objection to war. Learn More

If Congress and the President were to reinstate a military draft, the Selective Service System would conduct a National Draft Lottery to determine the order in which young men would be drafted. The lottery would establish the priority of call based on the birth dates of registrants.

The last draft call was on December 7, 1972, and the authority to induct expired on June 30, 1973. The date of the last drawing for the lottery was on March 12, 1975. Registration with the Selective Service System was suspended on April 1, 1975, and registrant processing was suspended on January 27, 1976.

What Does the Law Say? Pursuant to federal law, a person required to register with Selective Service, but who failed to register, may not be denied any federal right or benefit if he can show by a preponderance of the evidence (e.g. more-likely-than-not) that his failure to register was not knowing and willful.See 50 U.S.C. 3811(g).. The final decision regarding a non-registrant’s ...

In the event of a national emergency which required a draft, the following sections provide information on the Sequence of Events, the different Classifications which have been used in the past, Postponements, Deferments, and Exemptions, and the peacetime Medical Draft.