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ON CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION
State Laws & Regulations on
Selective Service / Military Draft Registration
By the Center on Conscience & War
As many people know from the literature in their local U.S. Post Office, every male between the ages of 18 and 26 (with very few exceptions) is required to register with the Selective Service System (SSS). Many people probably think that it’s up to them whether they actually register or not. However, in too many cases, this is not true. If one applies for a driver’s license, permit, or even an identification card, in many states that automatically registers them for a future military draft, often unwittingly.
What if a conscientious objector is applying for a driver’s license? There is no place in the application to declare one’s convictions. On most applications, there is no way to “opt out” of registration for the Draft. If someone is a total objector to registration for a system of war, then they are denied their right to travel unless they violate their convictions.
The Center on Conscience & War is a firm opponent of all forms of conscription. As a defender of the rights of conscientious objectors, we believe the Selective Service system is fundamentally unjust and is a violation of fundamental religious freedom.
Summary of state laws that encourage or compel registration
States and territories that have enacted and implemented legislation linking driver’s licenses and registration with the SSS:
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.
States that have enacted and implemented legislation tying registration with Selective Service to state benefits but not to driver’s licenses:
Alaska, California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and North Dakota.
States that have not currently passed legislation linking benefits to registration:
Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Wyoming. Note that Maryland (2002) and Nebraska (2021) have enacted driver’s license legislation, requiring SSS to provide funding, which it has yet to provide.
We keep track of state and national laws and policies that relate both to military draft registration and conscientious objection. Here we have compiled provisions of state statutes that pertain to driver’s license application and Selective Service registration.
Our complete breakdown of states that have enacted legislation in regards to Selective Service System (SSS) registration can be found below.
Click on the state names for additional commentary.
By State Laws & Regs
Alabama
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive license. Access to Higher Education? Yes, must be registered to enroll in a state funded institution of higher education. State Employment? Yes, must be registered for state employment or promotion.
Alaska
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? No. Access to Higher Education? Yes, must be registered to receive state financial aid. State Employment? Yes, must be registered for state employment.
Arizona
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive license. Access to Higher Education? Yes, must be registered to receive state financial aid. State Employment? Yes, must be registered for state employment.
Arkansas
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive license or identification card. Access to Higher Education? Yes, must be registered to receive state financial aid, loans, or acceptance into a state funded institution of higher education. State Employment? Yes, must be registered for state employment.
California
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? No. Access to Higher Education? No, do not need to be registered to receive state financial aid. State Employment? No.
Colorado
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive license, permit, or identification card. Access to Higher Education? No, not required to be registered to enroll in a state funded institution of higher education or to receive state student financial aid. State Employment? No.
Connecticut
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive license, permit, or identification card. Access to Higher Education? No. State Employment? No.
Delaware
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive license, permit, or identification card. Access to Higher Education? Yes, must be registered to receive state financial aid. State Employment? Yes, must be registered for state employment.
District of Columbia
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, MAY register when applying for a license, permit, or identification card. Access to Higher Education? No. State Employment? No.
Florida
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive license, permit, or identification card. Access to Higher Education? No. State Employment? Yes, must be registered for state employment or promotion.
Georgia
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive license, permit or identification card. Access to Higher Education? Yes, must be registered to receive state financial aid. State Employment? Yes, must be registered for state employment.
Guam
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, may register when applying for a license, permit, or identification card. Access to Higher Education? No. State Employment? No.
Hawaii
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive license or permit. Access to Higher Education? No. State Employment? No.
Idaho
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, applicants for a license, permit, or identification card may register with the SSS. Access to Higher Education? Yes. State Employment? Yes.
Illinois
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive license or permit. Access to Higher Education? Yes. State Employment? Yes.
Indiana
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, applicants for a license may register. Registration Linked to Access to Higher Education? No. Registration Required for State Employment? No.
Iowa
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, may register when applying for a license or ID card. Registration Linked to Access to Higher Education? No. Registration Required for State Employment? No.
Kansas
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive license. Registration Linked to Access to Higher Education? No. Registration Required for State Employment? No.
Kentucky
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, may register when they apply for a license, permit, or ID. If the individual refuses, the state may forward that information to the Selective Service. Access to Higher Education? No. State Employment? No.
Louisiana
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive license, permit, or identification card. Registration Linked to Access to Higher Education? Yes, must be registered to enroll in state funded institution of higher education. Registration Required for State Employment? Yes, must be registered for state employment.
Maine
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, may be registered to receive license, permit, or identification card. Access to Higher Education? Yes. State Employment? No.
Maryland
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? No, legislation passed but never implemented. Access to Higher Education? No. State Employment? No.
Massachusetts
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? No. Access to Higher Education? Yes. State Employment? No.
Michigan
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, may register when applying for a license. Access to Higher Education? No. State Employment? No.
Minnesota
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes. Access to Higher Education? No. State Employment? No.
Mississippi
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive a license. Access to Higher Education? Yes. State Employment? Yes.
Missouri
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, applicants for license or permit may register. Access to Higher Education? Yes. State Employment? Yes.
Montana
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, applicants for license, permit or identification card may register, and the state may provide that info to the SSS. Access to Higher Education? Yes. State Employment? Yes.
Nevada
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, applicants may register. Access to Higher Education? No. State Employment? No.
New Hampshire
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, applicants may register. Access to Higher Education? Yes. State Employment? Yes.
New Jersey
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? No. Access to Higher Education? Yes, must be registered for state financial aid. State Employment? No.
New Mexico
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive a license or ID. Access to Higher Education? No. State Employment? No.
New York
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive license. Access to Higher Education? No. State Employment? Convicted draft law violators cannot hold public elected office.
North Carolina
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive a license. Access to Higher Education? Yes. State Employment? Yes.
North Dakota
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive a license. Access to Higher Education? Yes. State Employment? No.
N Mariana Islands
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive a license. Access to Higher Education? Schools must encourage registration. State Employment? Yes.
Ohio
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive a license. Access to Higher Education? Yes. State Employment? No.
Oklahoma
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive license. Access to Higher Education? Yes. State Employment? No.
Puerto Rico
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, applicants for license may register. Access to Higher Education? No. State Employment? No.
Rhode Island
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive a license. Access to Higher Education? No. State Employment? No.
South Carolina
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive a license. Access to Higher Education? No. State Employment? No.
South Dakota
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive a license. Access to Higher Education? Yes. State Employment? Yes.
Tennessee
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive a license. Access to Higher Education? Yes. State Employment? No.
Texas
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive a license. Access to Higher Education? Yes. State Employment? Yes.
Utah
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive a license. Access to Higher Education? Yes. State Employment? No.
Virgin Islands
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive a license. Access to Higher Education? No. State Employment? No.
Virginia
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive a license. Access to Higher Education? Yes. State Employment? Yes.
Washington
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, applicants for a license may register. Access to Higher Education? No. State Employment? No.
West Virginia
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, applicants for license may register. Access to Higher Education? Yes. State Employment? Yes.
Wisconsin
Driver’s License Linked to Registration? Yes, must be registered to receive a license. Access to Higher Education? Yes. State Employment? Yes.