On December 4, 2013, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced the establishment of a non-refundable $85 fee for applicants applying to the TSA Pre[check] Application Program. A TSA-developed trusted traveler program, the TSA Pre[check] Application Program allows for members of the public to voluntarily provide information and undergo a security threat assessment in order to receive expedited screening at participating U.S. airport security checkpoints.
Passengers who apply for the program will have to provide biometric and biographic information and a non-refundable fee. TSA will use the information to determine whether each passenger is a low risk to transportation or national security. TSA’s security threat assessment includes a review of criminal, immigration, terrorist, and regulatory violation checks. Within thirty days of being advised of any concerns on the application, the applicant must notify TSA in writing of their intent to correct any information he or she believes to be inaccurate. Individuals whom TSA determines ineligible for the TSA Pre[check]Application Program will be notified of their ineligibility in writing and continue to be screened according to standard TSA screening protocols.
Applicants who meet the standards of the security threat assessment are provided with a Known Traveler Number (KTN), which is valid for five years, after which the applicant is able to renew by successfully undergoing another security threat assessment and paying the applicable fee through the TSA Pre[check] Application Program.
Passengers who are eligible for expedited screening in a TSA Pre[check] lane generally are subject to a more limited physical screening. Such passengers may be able to leave on their shoes, light outerwear and belt. Additionally, they may be able to leave their laptop in its case and compliant liquids and gels inside a carry-on bag.
TSA is undertaking efforts to focus its resources on improving the passenger experience at security checkpoints through the application of intelligence-driven, risk-based screening procedures along with enhancing its use of technology. Because the majority of passengers are low risk, TSA believes that having passengers voluntarily provide information will allow TSA to better segment the population in terms of risk, increasing security and focusing on unknowns while expediting known and trusted travelers.
The program fee is designed to fully recover TSA’s anticipated costs of the TSA Pre[check] Application Program. The fee is composed of two components:
1. The TSA fee which fully recovers the estimated costs TSA will incur to enroll applicants, process applications, communicate results, and monitor participants.
2. The FBI fee will fully recover the costs that the FBI imposes on TSA to conduct a security threat assessment.
For security purposes, enrollment into the TSA Pre[check] Application Program and the use of a KTN does not guarantee that an individual will receive expedited screening at airport security checkpoints. While the number of TSA Pre[check] lanes in U.S. airports is increasing, TSA Pre[check] is not yet available for all airports, airlines, or flights.
For more information on the TSA Pre[check] Application Program, contact Ronce Almond at (202) 457-7790.