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World War I Draft Registration Cards

September 9, 2026

On 18 May 1917 the Selective Service Act was passed, authorizing the President to increase temporarily the military establishment of the United States. The Selective Service System, under the office of the Provost Marshal General, was responsible for selecting men for induction into military service, from the initial registration to the delivery of men to military training camps. This guide explains what the cards contain and what you must supply to order a copy.

The three registrations

During World War I there were three registrations.

  1. 5 June 1917 - all men between the ages of 21 and 31.
  2. 5 June 1918 - those who reached age 21 after 5 June 1917. A supplemental registration was held on 24 August 1918 for those becoming 21 years old after 5 June 1918; this was included in the second registration.
  3. 12 September 1918 - men aged 18 through 45.

What is on a card

The information on each registration differs somewhat, but the general information shown includes the order and serial numbers assigned by the Selective Service System, the full name, the date and place of birth, race, citizenship, occupation, personal description, and signature.

The registration cards consist of approximately 24,000,000 cards of men who registered for the draft, about 23 per cent of the population in 1918.

These are not military service records. Not all of the men who registered for the draft served in the military, and not all men who served registered for the draft. The cards end when an individual reports to the army training camp, and they contain no information about an individual’s military service.

What you must supply to order

To locate a WWI draft registration card for an individual you should have the following available:

  • first and last name of the registrant
  • city, county and state of residence at the time of registration

Reproductions are available either as a photocopy of the registration card or as a full color digital image of the card.

You can also research records in person at the National Archives at Atlanta, or hire an independent researcher.

Where a street address is also needed

For the states and cities below, a street address or a community name is necessary to locate the record:

  • California - Los Angeles, San Francisco
  • District of Columbia - Washington
  • Georgia - Atlanta
  • Illinois - Chicago
  • Indiana - Indianapolis
  • Kentucky - Louisville
  • Louisiana - New Orleans
  • Maryland - Baltimore
  • Massachusetts - Boston area
  • Minnesota - Minneapolis, St. Paul
  • Missouri - Kansas City, St. Louis
  • New Jersey - Bergen County, Jersey City, Newark
  • New York - Albany, Buffalo, New York City (all five boroughs), Rochester, Syracuse
  • Ohio - Cincinnati
  • Pennsylvania - Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and for all other counties please include community names
  • Rhode Island - Providence
  • Wisconsin - Milwaukee

Where to read more

Sample images

These show the kind of record this reproduction contains. They are examples only and are not your record.

Al Capone’s World War I draft registration card.

Example: A World War I draft registration card