United States, World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
Name index and images of draft registration cards for World War I. Three registrations occurred between 1917 and 1918. The 1st was held 5 Jun 1917 for men ages 21-31. The 2nd was held 5 Jun 1918 for men who turned 21 since the 1st registration. The 3rd started 12 Sep 1918 for men ages 18-45. The collection includes cards for 24 million men. The cards are arranged by state, by city or county, by local draft board, then alphabetical by surname. The draft registration cards are part of Record Group 163, Records of the Selective Service System (WWI), 1917-1939, and is National Archives Microfilm publication M1509.
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United States, World War I Draft Registration Cards
What Is in This Collection?
The collection consists of an index & images of draft registration cards for World War I. Three registrations were conducted between 1917 and 1918. The first was held on June 5,1917, for men between the ages of 21 and 31; the second was held on June 5,1918, for men who had turned 21 since the first registration, and the third was held on September 12, 1918, for men between the ages of 18 and 45.
The registration includes cards for 24,000,000 men. Approximately 2,800,000 men were inducted into military service. The cards are arranged by state, by city or county, by local draft board, and then alphabetically by surname. The draft registration cards are part of Record Group 163: Records of the Selective Service System (World War I),1917-1939, NARA microfilm publication M1509. Classifications lists, induction notices, docket books and other records of the local boards will be located at NARA Regional Archives in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, Kansas City, Fort worth, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. See the collection inventory tables below for more information.
Additional records and/or images may be added to this collection in the future.
- Related Publications
- Second report of the Provost Marshal General to the Secretary of War on the operations of the Selective Service System to December 20, 1918Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1919 FamilySearch Digital Library
- J.J. Borree, Report of the selective service administration of California. Sacramento, California: California State Print. Office, 1922 FamilySearch Digital Library
- The World War. Selective Service in the County of Albany in the State of New York, April 6, 1917 - November 11, 1918. Albany: J. B. Lyon, 1922 FS Library fiche 6062149
- Arthur Kyle Davis. Virginia war agencies, selective service and volunteers Richmond, Virginia: Executive Committee, The Virginia War History Commission, 1926 FS Library 975.5 M2vw
- Organization and the Execution of the Selective Service Act in the State of West Virginia. Charleston, W. Va.: Tribune Print Co., 1920? FamilySearch Digital Library
- Roster of Selective Service Officials and Organizations in Pennsylvania. August 1, 1918.
- Records of the Selective Service System - Record Group 163
- Lists of Men Ordered to Report to Local Boards for Military Duty, 1917 - 1918 Digital Images (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee)
- List of United States Residents Serving in the British Expeditionary Forces, 1917-1919 NAID 1157946
- Lists of United States Residents Serving in the Canadian Expeditionary Force and Australian Imperial Force, 1917-1918 NAID 1157734
- Casualties American Expeditionary Forces by State NAID 1726747
- Classification Lists, 1917-1918. Office of the Provost Marshal. Selective Service System. 1917-7.15.1919. NAID 578508
- Enforcement of Draft Registration along the Canadian Border NAID 1112597
- Discharge from the draft records, 11.10.1918 - 11.15.1918 NAID 5752997
- Records Relating to the Draft Status and Military Service of Employees, 1917 - 1919. (Dept. of Agriculture. Bureau of Plant Industry) NAID 571711
- Appeals to the President, ca. 1917 - ca. 1918. NAID 36892924 Western States.
- US District Court, for the Albany Division of the Middle District of Georgia, Listing of World War I Registrants , 1917 - 1918 Record Group 21
- Records Regarding the First Registration for Adams County, Illinois Draft Cover Sheets, 1917–1918, Record Group 147
- Related Collections
- Incoming Passenger Lists and Related Correspondence, 1918–1920 Hoboken, New Jersey
- Registers of Commercial Vessels and Transports Embarking from Various Ports, 1917–1918 Hoboken, New Jersey
- Medical Records of Army Transports, May 1, 1917–May 31, 1920
Collection Inventory Tables
Additional records of the Selective Service will be found at the National Archives and the National Archives regional centers.
To Browse This Collection
| You can browse through images in this collection using the waypoints on the Collection Browse Page for United States, World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. |
What Can These Records Tell Me?
World War I had 3 different draft registrations. Each registration was slightly different. The following information may be found in these records:
- Name
- Birth date
- Birthplace
- Draft registration date
- Sometimes, father’s birthplace
- Name of nearest relative
- Age in years
- Sex is implied, since all registrants were males
- Marital status
- List of any dependents
- Address
Collection Content
Sample Images
First Registration
Second Registration
Third Registration
Sample Draft Registration Cards
Collection Details
Location of Original Records
National Archives and Records Administration
"United States, World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918." Database with images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 23 June 2026. Citing NARA microfilm publication M1509. Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.
