TSA PreCheck® FAQ

Yes. If you commit certain violations of federal security regulations, such as interference with security operations, access control violations, providing false or fraudulent documents, making a bomb threat, or bringing a firearm, explosive, or other prohibited item to an airport or onboard an aircraft, you are denied expedited screening for a period of time. The duration of disqualification from participation in TSA PreCheck® is related to the seriousness of the violation and/or a repeated history of regulatory violations.

TSA PreCheck® enrollees undergo recurrent criminal history vetting as a condition of their TSA PreCheck® enrollment. TSA PreCheck® enrollees found to have committed a disqualifying offense may have their TSA PreCheck® enrollment disqualified or suspended.

If you have questions concerning your TSA PreCheck® status, call the TSA Contact Center at (866) 289-9673, submit an online form, or contact us at @AskTSA on Twitter and Facebook Messenger.  If you received a notice of violation, please contact your case agent.

Family members ages 12 and under traveling with an eligible parent or guardian with a TSA PreCheck® indicator on their boarding pass can join them in the TSA PreCheck® lanes without applying.

Yes. The name submitted on your airline reservation must be an exact match to the name you provided on your application. If you use a frequent flyer account or online travel profile, ensure that your name is properly saved.

While TSA does not offer any assistance with application fee costs, several credit card companies and loyalty programs do.

Find a TSA PreCheck® enrollment center by entering a postal code, city, or airport code in the 'search' box.

Find an enrollment center for Global Entry, NEXUS, or SENTRI by first selecting the state where you wish to visit an enrollment center. 

It takes five minutes to submit an online application and schedule an in-person appointment that includes a background check and fingerprinting at an enrollment center. Please note, legitimate online registration for TSA PreCheck® can begin at tsa.gov/precheck or be accomplished at universalenroll.dhs.gov.  Any website that claims to allow consumers to register for TSA PreCheck® that does not end in ".gov" is not an official TSA PreCheck® website.  Consumers who are applying for TSA PreCheck® for the first time cannot pay the enrollment or application fee online, they must complete their application and pay in-person at a TSA enrollment center. First time applicants are not asked to provide payment information online. The application fee for TSA PreCheck® is $85 for 5 years.

Before you apply, we recommend that you review the various DHS trusted traveler programs, such as the TSA PreCheck® Application Program, Global Entry, NEXUS, or SENTRI, to ensure you meet the eligibility requirements and determine the best program for you.

Most applicants receive their KTN (Known Traveler Number) in 3-5 days, though some applications can take up to 60 days. Applicants can receive updates on their enrollment application status by email, phone, text or by checking online.

To ensure your privacy is protected, your data is encrypted, stored and transmitted securely using methods that protect the information from unauthorized retrieval or use.

The name on your application must be an exact match to the name on the identification and proof of citizenship/immigration documents you provide at enrollment. The name provided must be the name used when making your airline travel reservations.

The application fee covers an in-depth background check, fingerprinting, identity verification, and other administrative costs of the program.

Participating airlines display a TSA PreCheck® indicator directly on your boarding pass if you are eligible for TSA PreCheck® based on your provided Known Traveler Number (KTN). If you do not have a valid boarding pass with a TSA PreCheck® indicator on it, you cannot access the TSA PreCheck® lane. If you believe you should have the TSA PreCheck® indicator on your boarding pass but did not receive it, please call the TSA Contact Center at (866) 289-9673, submit an online form, or contact us at @AskTSA on Twitter and Facebook Messenger.

If you or someone you know believes they have fallen victim to a scam, report it to your local police department and file a report at the Federal Trade Commission’s website, ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Additionally, contact your bank or credit card company immediately and inform them of the fraudulent charge.  Please note, TSA will not issue a reimbursement to applicants who attempt to enroll in TSA PreCheck® through a fraudulent website.

If you are a member of the TSA PreCheck® Application Program, you may call (855) 347-8371 weekdays, between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. ET, to make changes to your name, address, or other information contained in your records. You may also submit your inquiry online. You will be provided information regarding documentation needed to process the change.

If you change your name and do not update your TSA PreCheck® membership to match the new details, you will not be able to use your TSA PreCheck® benefits when traveling until the name change process is completed. 

You may pay the $85 TSA PreCheck® Application Program fee with a credit card, debit card, money order, company check, or certified/cashier’s check. Several credit cards and loyalty programs offer assistance with application fee costs.

Click here to learn more about what documents you are required to bring when applying for TSA PreCheck®.

Call (855) 347-8371 for assistance applying to TSA PreCheck®.

TSA recommends that you enroll only through the universalenroll.dhs.gov website to ensure you are not charged any unexpected extra fees. The application fee for TSA PreCheck is $85 for 5 years. Enrolling is easy: a 5 minute online application followed by a 10 minute in person appointment with most applicants approved in 3-5 days, though some applications can take up to 60 days.

The TSA PreCheck® Application Program is only open to U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals and lawful permanent residents. Applicants may be ineligible due to incomplete or false application information, violations of transportation security regulations, or disqualifying criminal offenses and factors.

Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI allow some foreign citizens to apply. You can find more information on all programs here.

All travelers, including TSA PreCheck® enrollees, must have a REAL ID or other acceptable form of identification (e.g., passport) in order to fly beginning on May 3, 2023. 

To obtain a REAL ID, contact your state’s driver’s licensing agency.

Learn more about REAL ID by reviewing REAL ID FAQs.

No. Travelers should enter their Known Traveler Number (KTN) in their airline reservation to receive a TSA PreCheck® indicator on their boarding pass.

No. To receive TSA PreCheck®, you must include your Known Traveler Number (your CBP PASSID for Global Entry, NEXUS, or SENTRI members) in the appropriate field of your airline reservation, and the TSA PreCheck® indicator must be  displayed on the boarding pass to access the lanes.

Yes. TSA PreCheck® is available when you depart from a U.S. airport to a foreign country, and for domestic, connecting flights after you return to the United States. If you travel internationally two or more times a year, consider enrolling in Global Entry instead of TSA PreCheck®. With Global Entry you’ll receive expedited customs processing when entering the United States, and you’ll receive TSA PreCheck® when flying from U.S. airports. Learn more about Global Entry.

Participating airlines  display a TSA PreCheck® indicator (such as TSAPRECHK, TSA PRE, or TSA PreCheck®) on boarding passes to help you recognize when you are eligible for TSA PreCheck® on your flight.

TSA PreCheck® memberships last five years.

If you consistently do not receive TSA PreCheck®, please call the TSA Contact Center at (866) 289-9673, submit an online form, or contact us at @AskTSA on Twitter and Facebook Messenger.  

Please be aware that if you have violated a TSA security regulation, your access to TSA PreCheck® screening will be suspended.  The duration of suspension from participation in TSA PreCheck® is related to the seriousness of the violation and/or a repeated history of regulatory violations.

Children age 12 and younger may use the TSA PreCheck® lane when traveling with a parent or guardian who has the indicator on their boarding pass.

First, check that your membership has not expired by looking up your account here. 

If still active, confirm with your airline that your KTN, name, and date of birth are accurate and that your airline participates in TSA PreCheck®.  If you still do not have a TSA PreCheck® indicator on your boarding pass, please call the TSA Contact Center at (866) 289-9673, submit an online form, or contact us at @AskTSA on Twitter and Facebook Messenger.

If possible, please contact the TSA Contact Center three days before or after travel to improve TSA's ability to trouble shoot the issue.

No, TSA uses unpredictable security measures, both seen and unseen, throughout the airport. All travelers will be screened, and no individual is guaranteed expedited screening.

You may request advanced imaging technology screening if you are not able to undergo or opt-out of metal detector screening. Learn about the special procedures for persons with disabilities or medical conditions.

TSA PreCheck® screening may still be an option through the standard screening lane when dedicated TSA PreCheck® screening lanes are not available. If a TSA PreCheck® lane is not available, please show your TSA PreCheck® boarding pass and you may be able to keep 3-1-1 liquids and laptops in your bag, and shoes and light jackets on while accessing the standard screening lane. Eligible passengers should check with the TSA officer on duty.

Check the TSA PreCheck® airports and airlines map for a current list of participating airlines.

Passengers must be traveling on an airline that has entered into a partnership with TSA to offer TSA PreCheck®.

If you have questions or concerns about your Global Entry, NEXUS, or SENTRI membership, you may visit the Trusted Traveler Program website or contact Customs and Border Protection at  (877) 227-5511 or by email.

TSA PreCheck® and Global Entry are both Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Trusted Traveler Programs. TSA PreCheck® provides expedited security screening benefits for flights departing from U.S. Airports. Global Entry provides expedited U.S. customs screening for international air travelers when entering the United States. Global Entry members also receive TSA PreCheck® benefits as part of their membership. For more information on all of the DHS Trusted Traveler Programs use the DHS interactive Trusted Traveler Tool.

Contact your airline by phone or online to add your KTN. Remember to enter your full name, date of birth and KTN exactly as you provided during enrollment because if there is a mismatch in the data entry in the travel reservation, you will not receive the TSA PreCheck® indicator on your boarding pass.  

Once you have been assigned a Known Traveler Number (KTN), you must include this number in the ‘KTN' field of each reservation you make with a participating airline. The KTN also can be added when booking reservations online via a participating airline website, by phone with an airline reservation agent or with the travel management company making reservations. Save your KTN to any frequent flyer profiles, employer booking systems or online travel websites that you use.

If you are a member of the TSA PreCheck® Application Program, look up your KTN online.

If you are a member of another trusted traveler program, such as Global Entry, NEXUS, or SENTRI, log on to the Trusted Traveler Program website to obtain your PASSID, which is your KTN.

A Known Traveler Number (KTN) is issued to all individuals approved to receive TSA PreCheck® expedited screening.  The KTN must be added in the KTN field when booking airline travel reservations to have the TSA PreCheck® indicator appear on your boarding pass.    

For members approved for the TSA PreCheck® Application Program, this number is 9 digits long, can be a combination of numbers and letters and typically begins with TT. 

For members approved for Global Entry, NEXUS, or SENTRI, the KTN is the CBP PASSID. This nine-digit number usually begins with 15, 98 or 99 and can be found on the back of your NEXUS, SENTRI, or Global Entry card or by logging on to the Trusted Traveler Program website. Your trusted traveler card will not grant you access to TSA PreCheck® lanes, instead you must add your PASSID number in the KTN field when making airline reservations to ensure the TSA PreCheck® indicator appears on your boarding pass. 

Members may renew their TSA PreCheck membership online up to six months before their expiration date. The new membership period begins as the current one ends, so there is no disadvantage to renewing early. 
If members have changed their name since enrollment, they must contact the TSA Help Center at 855-DHS-UES1 (855-347-8371) to update their name before renewing.  Alternatively, members can renew in person at an enrollment center.

Most applicants receive approval notification in 3-5 days, though some applications can take up to 60 days. Considering this, applicants are encouraged to renew at least 60 days prior to expiry.  TSA will notify members with eligibility results.

The cost is the same as initial enrollment: $85 for 5 years.

TSA's enrollment provider will send a renewal notification to members who have a valid email and/or phone number on record.  Members will receive notification 6 months, 3 months, 1 month, and 2 weeks prior to their expiration. Emails will come from "Universal Enroll". 

You may check your membership status online. You can find your Known Traveler Number (KTN) expiration date under the field marked “TSA PreCheck® Expiration Date”

You may also contact customer service at 855-347-8371 weekdays between 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. ET to request your KTN expiration date.

No, you will not receive TSA PreCheck® on your boarding pass if your KTN has expired. You must renew before expiration to continue receiving TSA PreCheck® on your boarding pass. Renew online here.

If you commit certain violations of federal security regulations, such as interference with security operations, access control violations, providing false or fraudulent documents, making a bomb threat, or bringing a firearm, explosive, or other prohibited item to an airport or onboard an aircraft, you are denied expedited screening for a period of time. The duration of disqualification from participation in TSA PreCheck® is related to the seriousness of the violation and/or a repeated history of regulatory violations.

TSA PreCheck® enrollees undergo recurrent criminal history vetting as a condition of their TSA PreCheck® enrollment. TSA PreCheck® enrollees found to have committed a disqualifying offense may have their TSA PreCheck® enrollment disqualified or suspended.

If you have questions concerning your TSA PreCheck® status, call the TSA Contact Center at (866) 289-9673, submit an online form, or contact us at @AskTSA on Twitter and Facebook Messenger. If you received a notice of violation, please contact your case agent.

You may renew your membership online up to six months before the expiration date with the new membership beginning as the current one ends. TSA recommends you renew at least 60 days prior to your expiration to avoid a lapse in benefits.

Some individuals may need to renew in person, for example, if they have changed their name and have not gone through TSA’s name update process. These members will need to visit an enrollment center to complete the renewal process or update their name by calling customer service at 855-347-8371 weekdays between 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. ET.  

Name changes may take up to three months to complete and processing time varies by individual.

Yes. Members will keep the same KTN during the renewal process.

The TSA PreCheck® enrollment process is currently facilitated by an official enrollment provider contracted by TSA. The enrollment provider collects TSA PreCheck® enrollment information from applicants and submits this data to TSA and the FBI. Enrollments are managed by the enrollment provider and overseen by TSA with TSA making the final decision on TSA PreCheck® eligibility. The current enrollment provider is IdentoGO by IDEMIA Identity & Security USA, LLC and the official TSA PreCheck® enrollment site is universalenroll.dhs.gov, which may also be reached from tsa.gov/precheck.

Currently, TSA PreCheck® enrollment is conducted by IdentoGO by IDEMIA Identity & Security USA, LLC and the official TSA PreCheck® enrollment site is universalenroll.dhs.gov, which may also be reached from tsa.gov/precheck. 

TSA estimates that Alclear, LLC (doing business as CLEAR) and Telos Identity Management Solutions, LLC will begin conducting TSA PreCheck® enrollments by the end of 2021. When these new enrollment providers are operational, travelers can enroll through the provider that best suits their needs. All enrollment provider offerings will be detailed on TSA.gov/precheck.

Presently, the price of TSA PreCheck® remains $85. Once operational, each enrollment provider will be allowed to set its own prices for TSA PreCheck®. The fee provided to TSA to conduct vetting, adjudication, and program support will be consistent across all enrollment providers.

Yes. Members of the U.S. Armed Forces and DoD Federal civilians can use TSA PreCheck® benefits for both official and personal travel. Be sure to update all travel reservations with your DoD ID number listed as the Known Traveler Number (KTN)  to enjoy benefits. The KTN also can be added when booking reservations online via a participating airline website, by phone with an airline reservation agent or with the travel management company making reservations. Save your KTN to any frequent flyer profiles, employer booking systems or online travel websites that you use.

 Yes. Cadets and midshipmen of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, and U.S. Coast Guard Academy receive free TSA PreCheck® benefits. Add your DoD ID number in the "Known Traveler Number" (KTN) field when booking flight reservations.

No. All members of the U.S. Armed Forces must include their DoD ID number in the Known Traveler Number field when making flight reservations and a TSA PreCheck® indicator must be visible on your boarding pass. The airlines will print a TSA PreCheck® indicator (such as TSAPRECHK, TSA PRE, or TSA PreCheck®) on boarding passes to help you recognize when you are eligible for TSA PreCheck® on your flight.

You cannot access the TSA PreCheck® lane by presenting your CAC or other documentation.

No, TSA PreCheck® benefits do not continue after leaving DoD.  Be sure to enroll upon retirement or leaving DoD to continue enjoying TSA PreCheck® benefits.

DoD federal civilian employees must opt-in to TSA PreCheck® by visiting the milConnect website. After selecting the “My Profile” and the “CIV” menu tab when logged into the website, users will be guided through the opt-in process for TSA PreCheck®. Civilian employees need to opt-in only once. Members of the U.S. Armed Forces do not need to opt-in.

Enter the DoD ID number from the back of your common access card (CAC) into the “Known Traveler Number” field of your flight reservations or when updating your Defense Travel System profile for official travel.

DoD federal civilian employees must opt-in via milConnect before using their Known Traveler Number.  

No. Only travelers who have a valid boarding pass with the TSA PreCheck® indicator printed on the boarding pass will have access to the TSA PreCheck® lanes.

No. The application fee covers the cost of the background check and cannot be waived.

TSA Cares is a helpline that provides travelers with disabilities, medical conditions and other special circumstances additional assistance during the security screening process.

Contact us 72 hours prior to traveling with questions about screening policies, procedures and what to expect at the security checkpoint. You may call (855) 787-2227 or submit an online form.

This question determines mental capacity relating to criminal cases closed as “not guilty by reason of insanity.”