Fund for Education and Training

"Assisting conscientious objectors to war who believe it is wrong to register for the draft"

State Penalties for Nonregistration

Every year, thousands of young men refuse to register for the draft. They are threatened with a maximum five years in prison and $250,000 fine. No one has been prosecuted in the past decade, but non-registrants are penalized in other ways for following their consciences.

In 1983, Congress voted to refuse Title IV federal student financial aid to those who cannot conscientiously register with the Selective Service System. This means non-registrants cannot participate in programs such as Guaranteed Student Loans, Pell Grants, and the Job Training Partnership Act.

In 1985, Congress voted to deny non-registrants employment with the federal government.

In addition to the federal penalties imposed on conscientious objectors to draft registration, 28 states have added their own restrictions. Like the federal penalties, they target the educational opportunities of non-registrants. Seven states won’t even allow non-registrants to attend public institutions of higher education. State legislation has also barred non-registrants from state government jobs. Such penalties are efforts to coerce young men into registering for the draft, and Selective Service has been instrumental in initiating the legislation.

Following is a list of the states and the penalties.

Alabama: Non-registrants are refused admittance to public colleges or universities. Non-registrants are also denied state employment and promotion.

Arizona: Non-registrants are denied state student financial aid and state employment.

Arkansas: Non-registrants are denied enrollment in a public institution of higher learning, state education loans, scholarships or other state financial assistance. Non-registrants are also denied state employment.

California: Non-registrants are denied state student financial aid.

Colorado: Non-registrants are refused admittance to public colleges or universities.

Delaware: Non-registrants are denied state student financial aid and state employment.

Florida: Non-registrants are denied state student financial aid and state employment.

Georgia: Non-registrants are denied state student financial aid and state employment..

Idaho: Non-registrants are refused admittance to and state financial aid for public colleges or universities. They are also denied state employment.

Illinois: Non-registrants are denied state student financial aid and state employment.

Kentucky: Non-registrants are denied state financial aid.

Louisiana: Non-registrants are refused admittance to public colleges or universities. Non-registrants are also ineligible for certain state civil service positions.

Maine: Non-registrants are denied state student financial aid.

Massachusetts: Non-registrants are denied state student financial aid.

Mississippi: Non-registrants are denied state student financial aid and state employment.

Missouri: Non-registrants are denied state student financial aid and state employment.

New Jersey: Non-registrants are denied state student financial aid.

New Hampshire: Non-registrants are ineligible for enrollment in public universities and colleges, state student financial aid and state employment.

North Carolina: Non-registrants are ineligible for certain veteran’s dependents financial aid programs. Non-registrants are also denied state student financial aid and state employment.

North Dakota: Non-registrants are denied state student financial aid.

Ohio: Non-registrants are denied state student financial aid.

Oklahoma: Non-registrants are denied state student financial aid.

South Dakota: Non-registrants are denied state student financial aid and state employment.

Tennessee: Non-registrants are refused admittance to public colleges or universities. They are also denied state employment.

Texas: Non-registrants are denied state student financial aid and state employment.

Utah: Non-registrants are denied state student financial aid.

Virginia: Non-registrants are denied state student financial aid and state employment.

West Virginia: Non-registrants are denied state student financial aid and state employment.

(For a continually updated list, please check out the Selective Service website at http://www.sss.gov/)

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