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What is my draft number?

With the United States currently not engaged in a military draft, most young men do not have an official draft number. However, the Selective Service System, the agency responsible for administering a potential draft, still requires all male U.S. citizens and immigrants between the ages of 18 and 25 to register. So while there is no active draft, men in that age group are still assigned draft numbers for administrative purposes.

Who needs to register for the draft?

According to the Selective Service System, all male U.S. citizens and male immigrants residing in the U.S., ages 18 through 25, are required to register for the draft. This includes citizens living abroad who hold a green card or dual citizenship. There are some exceptions, including:

  • Men currently in the armed services and on active duty (this exception ends when they leave active duty)
  • Men attending certain military academies or certain military prep schools
  • Certain students in officer procurement programs at The Citadel, North Georgia College and State University, Norwich University, Virginia Military Institute, Texas A&M University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
  • Men with disabilities that would disqualify them from military service
  • Transgender men (those who were assigned female at birth but identify as male)
  • Lawful non-immigrants on visas (although they must register if they take up residency in the U.S. before age 26)
  • Incarcerated or institutionalized men

Even if a man falls under one of these exceptions while he is between 18 and 25, he still must register within 30 days of no longer qualifying for the exception. For example, a man on active duty in the armed forces would need to register within 30 days of leaving active duty if he is still within the 18 to 25 age range at that point.

When do you register for the draft?

Men are required to register within 30 days of their 18th birthday. Registration is available online at SSS.gov or by completing a registration card at a U.S. post office. There is no cost associated with registration.

If a man misses the 30-day window after his 18th birthday, he can still register late, ideally as soon as possible, to avoid breaking the law. Not registering or registering late can make someone ineligible for important government benefits like federal student aid, federal job training, and U.S. citizenship for immigrants.

How is a draft number assigned?

When a man registers for the draft, the Selective Service System uses a lottery drawing to randomly generate his draft number. This lottery drawing uses birthdays to assign draft numbers each year to men turning 18 during that year. For example:

  • Men turning 18 in 2023 who register will be assigned draft numbers based on the lottery held on August 2, 2022.
  • The first birth date randomly selected was April 24, so men with that birthday turning 18 in 2023 were assigned the draft number 20.
  • The second date selected was June 8, so men with that birthday were assigned 21.
  • The drawing continued until all 365 days of the year were assigned draft numbers.

A man’s draft number stays the same for the rest of his life. It does not change each year like the draft numbers assigned to new 18-year-olds. So a man’s individual draft number is permanent, but the order of priority changes year to year based on the new lottery.

What is the current priority order for the draft?

The lottery drawing held on August 2, 2022 determined the draft priority order for all men turning 18 in 2023. Here are the birthdates and draft numbers for the first 25 in order of priority for being called up if a draft takes place in 2023:

Draft Number Birth Date
1 September 18
2 December 30
3 August 27
4 January 3
5 February 14
6 August 16
7 July 31
8 May 9
9 March 29
10 November 23
11 April 5
12 May 29
13 September 11
14 April 28
15 June 30
16 September 29
17 February 9
18 March 19
19 June 12
20 April 24
21 June 8
22 March 6
23 July 22
24 May 13
25 October 28

The full order of 365 draft numbers for 2023 can be found on the Selective Service System website.

How would I know my draft number?

When a man registers for the draft, he can find his assigned draft number in one of a few ways:

  • The Selective Service System sends a Selective Service Number Card in the mail within 90 days that includes his draft number.
  • He can check his status online using the Selective Service Number he received when registering.
  • He can call the Selective Service customer service center at 1-888-655-1825 and provide his Social Security Number to learn his draft number.

The draft number is not something that is widely publicized or well-known for most men unless a draft is imminent. However, the information is readily available for any man who has registered.

When was the last draft lottery?

The last series of draft lotteries occurred in 1969 and 1970 during the Vietnam War. The intention of the lottery was to remove some of the uncertainty over who might be drafted, though it was still controversial.

  • On December 1, 1969, a draft lottery was held for men born 1944 to 1950 to determine draft priority for 1970.
  • On July 1, 1970 a second draft lottery was held for men born 1951 to 1952 to determine priority for 1971.

These were the last draft lotteries held in the U.S. The draft itself continued until 1973 before transitioning to the all-volunteer army in place today.

Could a draft happen again?

The military currently remains an all-volunteer force, and there are no signs a draft will happen in the near future. However, the Selective Service System remains in place to be prepared for a return to conscription if needed to rapidly expand the armed forces.

For a draft to be reinstated, Congress and the President would need to pass legislation to authorize it. The Selective Service System would then start calling up registrants for mandatory service based on the lottery numbers assigned by birthdate.

Some of the most likely scenarios that could prompt a return to the draft include:

  • A significant conflict requiring many more military personnel than currently enlisted, such as a large-scale ground war.
  • A catastrophic event that depleted the military’s numbers such as a nuclear detonation on U.S. soil.
  • A national emergency requiring a surge of able-bodied civilians for non-military roles.

But with current military technology and force numbers, most defense experts agree a draft is unnecessary barring major world events.

Conclusion

While there is currently no active military draft in the U.S., men ages 18 to 25 are still required to register with the Selective Service System. This allows each registrant to be assigned a draft lottery number based on birthdate in case a draft is reinstated. Any man who has registered, even decades ago, has a permanent draft number that would determine his priority for being called up. However, with an all-volunteer military, the draft numbers are largely unused relics of the Vietnam era, as there are no signs of a return to conscription anytime soon barring a significant world conflict or event necessitating a rapid military buildup.