50 U.S.C. § 3802 (WAR AND NATIONAL DEFENSE)
§ 3802. Registration
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter it shall be the duty of every male citizen of the United States, and every other male person residing in the United States, who, on the day or days fixed for the first or any subsequent registration, is between the ages of eighteen and twenty-six, to present himself for and submit to registration at such time or times and place or places, and in such manner, as shall be determined by proclamation of the President and by rules and regulations prescribed hereunder. The provisions of this section shall not be applicable to any alien lawfully admitted to the United States as a nonimmigrant under section 1101(a)(15) of title 8, for so long as he continues to maintain a lawful nonimmigrant status in the United States.
(b) Regulations prescribed pursuant to subsection (a) may require that persons presenting themselves for and submitting to registration under this section provide, as part of such registration, such identifying information (including date of birth, address, and social security account number) as such regulations may prescribe.
(June 24, 1948, ch. 625, title I, § 3, 62 Stat. 605; June 19, 1951, ch. 144, title I, § 1(c), 65 Stat. 76; Pub. L. 92–129, title I, § 101(a)(2), Sept. 28, 1971, 85 Stat. 348; Pub. L. 97–86, title IX, § 916(a), Dec. 1, 1981, 95 Stat. 1129.)
heading: Repeal and Reenactment of Section
text: Pub. L. 119–60, div. A, title V, § 535(a), (c), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 871, 872, provided that, effective one year after Dec. 18, 2025, this section is repealed and a new section 3802 is enacted to read as follows:
§ 3802. Automatic Registration
(a)(1) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, every male citizen of the United States, and every other male person residing in the United States, between the ages of eighteen and twenty-six, shall be automatically registered under this Act by the Director of the Selective Service System.
(2) This section shall not apply to any alien lawfully admitted to the United States as a nonimmigrant under section 1101(a)(15) of title 8 for so long as such alien continues to maintain a lawful nonimmigrant status in the United States.
(b) Regulations prescribed pursuant to this section (a) may require—
(1) a person subject to registration under this section to provide, to the Director, information (including date of birth, address, social security account number, phone number, and email address) regarding such person;
(2) a Federal entity to provide, to the Director, information described in paragraph (1) that the Director determines necessary to identify or register a person subject to registration under this section; and
(3) the Director to provide, to a person registered under this section, written notification that—
(A) such person has been so registered; and
(B) if such person is not required to be so registered, the procedure by which such person may correct such registration.
heading: Editorial Notes
heading: References in Text
text: This chapter, referred to in subsec. (a), was in the original “this title”, meaning title I of act June 24, 1948, ch. 625, 62 Stat. 604, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of title I to the Code, see Tables.
heading: Codification
text: Section was formerly classified to section 453 of the former Appendix to this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.
heading: Amendments
text: 1981—Pub. L. 97–86 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b).
1971—Pub. L. 92–129 substituted “male person residing in the United States” for “male person now or hereafter in the United States” and inserted provision making section inapplicable to aliens lawfully admitted to the United States as nonimmigrants under section 1101(a)(15) of Title 8 for so long as they maintain lawful nonimmigrant status in the United States.
1951—Act June 19, 1951, made all male persons now or hereafter in the United States subject to registration.
heading: Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
heading: Effective Date of Repeal
text: Pub. L. 119–60, div. A, title V, § 535(c), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 872, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [enacting this section, amending sections 3803, 3806, 3809, 3811, and 3813 of this title, and repealing this section] shall take effect one year after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 18, 2025].”
heading: Executive Documents
heading: Proc. No. 4360. Termination of Registration Procedures
text: Proc. No. 4360, Mar. 29, 1975, 40 F.R. 14567, 89 Stat. 1255, provided:
Under authority vested in the President by the Military Selective Service Act (62 Stat. 604), as amended [see References in Text note set out under section 3801 of this title], procedures have been established for the registration of male citizens of the United States and of other male persons who are subject to registration under section 3 of said act, as amended (85 Stat. 348) [50 U.S.C. 3802].
In order to evaluate an annual registration system, existing procedures are being terminated and will be replaced by new procedures which will provide for periodic registration.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GERALD R. FORD, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the statutes of the United States, including the Military Selective Service Act, as amended, do hereby revoke Proclamations No. 2799 of July 20, 1948, No. 2937 of August 16, 1951, No. 2938 of August 16, 1951, No. 2942 of August 30, 1951, No. 2972 of April 17, 1952, No. 3314 of September 14, 1959, and No. 4101 of January 13, 1972; thereby terminating the present procedures for registration under the Military Selective Service Act, as amended.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of March in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred seventy-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred ninety-ninth.
Gerald R. Ford.
heading: Proc. No. 4771. Registration Under the Selective Service Act
text: Proc. No. 4771, July 2, 1980, 45 F.R. 45247, 94 Stat. 3775, as amended by Proc. No. 7275, Feb. 22, 2000, 65 F.R. 9199, provided:
Section 3 of the Military Selective Service Act, as amended (50 U.S.C. App. 453) [now 50 U.S.C. 3802], provides that male citizens of the United States and other male persons residing in the United States who are between the ages of 18 and 26, except those exempted by Sections 3 and 6(a) of the Military Selective Service Act [50 U.S.C. 3802, 3806(a)], must present themselves for registration at such time or times and place or places, and in such manner as determined by the President. Section 6(k) [50 U.S.C. 3806(k)] provides that such exceptions shall not continue after the cause for the exemption ceases to exist.
The Congress of the United States has made available the funds (H.J. Res. 521, approved by me on June 27, 1980 [Pub. L. 96–282, June 27, 1980, 93 Stat. 552]), which are needed to initiate this registration, beginning with those born on or after January 1, 1960.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JIMMY CARTER, President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Military Selective Service Act, as amended (50 U.S.C. App. 451 et seq.) [now 50 U.S.C. 3801 et seq.], do hereby proclaim as follows:
heading: 1–1. Persons To Be Registered and Days of Registration
text: 1–101. Male citizens of the United States and other males residing in the United States, unless exempted by the Military Selective Service Act, as amended, who were born on or after January 1, 1960, and who have attained their eighteenth birthday, shall present themselves for registration in the manner and at the time and places as hereinafter provided.
1–102. Persons born in calendar year 1960 shall present themselves for registration on any of the six days beginning Monday, July 21, 1980.
1–103. Persons born in calendar year 1961 shall present themselves for registration on any of the six days beginning Monday, July 28, 1980.
1–104. Persons born in calendar year 1962 shall present themselves for registration on any of the six days beginning Monday, January 5, 1981.
1–105. Persons born on or after January 1, 1963, shall present themselves for registration on the day they attain the 18th anniversary of their birth or on any day within the period of 60 days beginning 30 days before such date; however, in no event shall such persons present themselves for registration prior to January 5, 1981.
1–106. Aliens who would be required to present themselves for registration pursuant to Sections 1–101 to 1–105, but who are in processing centers on the dates fixed for registration, shall present themselves for registration within 30 days after their release from such centers.
1–107. Aliens and noncitizen nationals of the United States who reside in the United States, but who are absent from the United States on the days fixed for their registration, shall present themselves for registration within 30 days after their return to the United States.
1–108. Aliens and noncitizen nationals of the United States who, on or after July 1, 1980, come into and reside in the United States shall present themselves for registration in accordance with Sections 1–101 to 1–105 or within 30 days after coming into the United States, whichever is later.
1–109. Persons who would have been required to present themselves for registration pursuant to Sections 1–101 to 1–108 but for an exemption pursuant to Section 3 or 6(a) of the Military Selective Service Act, as amended [50 U.S.C. 3802, 3806(a)], or but for some condition beyond their control such as hospitalization or incarceration, shall present themselves for registration within 30 days after the cause for their exempt status ceases to exist or within 30 days after the termination of the condition which was beyond their control.
heading: 1–2. Places and Times for Registration
text: 1–201. Persons who are required to be registered and who are in the United States shall register at the places and by the means designated by the Director of Selective Service. These places and means may include but are not limited to any classified United States Post Office, the Selective Service Internet web site, telephonic registration, registration on approved Government forms, registration through high school and college registrars, and the Selective Service reminder mailback card.
1–202. Citizens of the United States who are required to be registered and who are not in the United States, shall register via any of the places and methods authorized by the Director of Selective Service pursuant to paragraph 1–201 or present themselves at a United States Embassy or Consulate for registration before a diplomatic or consular officer of the United States or before a registrar duly appointed by a diplomatic or consular officer of the United States.
1–203. The hours for registration in United States Post Offices shall be the business hours during the days of operation of the particular United States Post Office. The hours for registration in United States Embassies and Consulates shall be those prescribed by the United States Embassies and Consulates.
heading: 1–3. Manner of Registration
text: 1–301. Persons who are required to be registered shall comply with the registration procedures and other rules and regulations prescribed by the Director of Selective Service.
1–302. When reporting for registration each person shall present for inspection reasonable evidence of his identity. After registration, each person shall keep the Selective Service System informed of his current address.
Having proclaimed these requirements for registration, I urge everyone, including employers in the private and public sectors, to cooperate with and assist those persons who are required to be registered in order to ensure a timely and complete registration. Also, I direct the heads of Executive agencies, when requested by the Director of Selective Service and to the extent permitted by law, to cooperate and assist in carrying out the purposes of this Proclamation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this second day of July, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fourth.
Jimmy Carter.