How to Register for Selective Service

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: February 27, 2023 References Approved

The Selective Service is an agency of the U.S. government that has a pool of all eligible males in the U.S. who could possibly be drafted for the military. You must register for the Selective Service if you are a male U.S. citizen, documented immigrant, or undocumented immigrant, and you are between the ages of 18-25. Register online if you have a Social Security Number, or use a hard copy form if you prefer or do not have a SSN.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Registering Online

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Go to the Selective Service website up to 30 days after you turn 18. To get to the form, visit https://www.sss.gov/Registration/Register-Now/Registration-Form. You have until your 25th birthday to register, but you should do this right after you turn 18, as it is the law. ^{[1]
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Complete the online form in its entirety. All you need to complete is your sex, full name, suffix, address, Social Security number, and date of birth. In addition, select an option from the drop-down list regarding the question “How did you first learn about registration?”^{[2]
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- Options from the drop-down include parent/relative, friend, classroom, guidance counselor, financial aid office, TV/radio, posters, news, direct mail, post office, internet, selective service rep, high school registrar, workforce invest act, farmers opportunity program, other, military rep, USCIS, drivers licensing, etc.
- You can register early if you are 17 years and 3 months old.^{[3]
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- Do this if you have a Social Security number and you are a male aged 18-25.
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Press “Submit Registration” when you are finished. Once you have completed all of the required information, you’re finished! This process should take you no more than 5 minutes. ^{[4]
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- If you click on the “Reset Form” button instead of “Submit Registration,” your responses will be deleted.
- After you submit your form, it should take only a few minutes for your information to enter the system.
- You can verify your registration by visiting https://www.sss.gov/Home/Verification. Click on “Verify Now,” and type in your last name, Social Security number, and date of birth.^{[5]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Completing and Mailing the Registration Form

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Visit the Selective Service website to download and print the form. To get the form, go to https://www.sss.gov/Portals/0/PDFs/regform_copyINT_1.pdf. Do this if you prefer to send a hard copy or if you do not have a Social Security number yet.^{[6]
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- Alternatively, if you don’t have access to the internet, visit your local post office and ask for a mail-back registration form. Post Offices always have these forms available.
2
Fill out the form with all required information. The form comes with instructions regarding how to complete the form, and it also includes information on privacy. Fill in your date of birth, sex, Social Security number (if you have one), name, mailing address, email address, and date. Don’t forget to sign the form!^{[7]
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- Use a pen when completing the form to clearly write your responses.
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Mail the form to the Selective Services. When you complete your form, place it into an envelope addressed to Selective Service System Registration Information Office, P.O. Box 94739, Palatine, IL 60094-4739. Include correct postage on your envelope, and write your return address in the top left corner. Then, drop your letter off at your local Post Office.^{[8]
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Call 847-688-6888 if you do not get your confirmation within 90 days. If you do not receive a registration acknowledgment via mail within 1-3 months, call the Selective Service number to request your documentation. This is sent to you in the mail after you sign up online or with a hard copy.
- You can also check your registration verification online by visiting https://www.sss.gov/Home/Verification. Do this 2-5 weeks after you mail in your card, as it may take time to process your information.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Using Other Registration Options

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Complete and return the mail-back card if you get one in the mail. Around the time of your 18th birthday, you may receive a mail-back form in the mail from the Selective Service. You can fill this out at home and mail it back to the Selective Service with proper postage.^{[9]
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- The card asks for your name, birthday, address, email, sex, and Social Security number.
2
Check the registration box if you are completing a FAFSA form. If you are getting ready to go to college and completing a federal student financial aid form, you can simply check the box on the application form designating your registration for the Selective Service. Make a checkmark next to “Register Me” on Box 22.^{[10]
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- The Department of Education then provides the Selective Service with your information to register you.
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Ask your school’s Selective Service Registrar if you are in High School. A Selective Service Registrar is a teacher or guidance counselor of a high school who helps register male students for the Selective Service. Ask you principal or guidance counselor who the Registrar is at your school, then ask them for assistance in signing up.^{[11]
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- The Registrar can help you complete the form, mail it away, and answer any questions.
- Most high schools across the U.S. offer this service.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Informing the Selective Service of Changes

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Inform the Selective Service within 10 days of any changes. Until your 26th birthday, you must update your information with the Selective Service, including changing your address, changing your name, getting a new SSN, or changing military status.^{[12]
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Change your address online for an effortless option. To do this, visit https://www.sss.gov/Home/Address-Change. Then, choose "Submit Address Change" if you currently live inside the United States, or "Submit Foreign Address Change" if you are living abroad. Type in your Selective Service number, Social Security number, name, date of birth, and address.^{[13]
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- When you are finished, click on "Submit Address Change."
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Call 847-688-6888 to change your information over the phone. If it is easier for you to update your information over the phone, use a nice and polite tone when chatting with an associate. Explain the reason for your call, and provide your change of address, name, or SSN, for instance.^{[14]
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- For example, you can say something like, "Hello there, I recently moved and need to update my address. Can you help, please?"
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Complete and mail back a form if you prefer a hard copy. Ask for either a Selective Service address change form from your Post Office if you recently moved. If you need to update your name or SSN, use the tear-off "Change of Information" form you received with your registration card. Complete the form, and mail it back to the Selective Service System, P.O. Box 94638, Palatine, IL 60094-4638.^{[15]
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- The form is very simple to complete, and it asks you for your old and updated information.

Community Q&A

Question

What happens when someone impersonates an Army sniper soldier?

Kevin Zhou

Community Answer

Unless a person received something because they had the uniform on, they have not done anything wrong as 18 USC § 912 states. If they had received something, had an insignia of any of the five branches of the military, or claimed to have received major military rewards; then they have violated the law.
Question

Can I register in person?

Community Answer

Yes, you can go to a base and stop by the visitor's center if you'd like to enroll in person.
Question

If I'm a women may I register? I know we are exempt, but can we volunteer?

Karley Snyder

Community Answer

Sadly, women cannot register. As part of the basic requirement, only men can join the Selective Service.

Warnings

If you do not register with the Selective Service by the time you are 25, your name will be referred to the Department of Justice for possible investigation. Failing to register is a felony offense which can result in a fine up to $250,000 or prison.

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If you are 26 and older and have not registered, you may be denied federal student financial aid, federal job training, or federal employment.

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