Notice2021-21147
TSA PreCheck® Application Program Fees
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
September 29, 2021
Effective
October 1, 2021
Issuing agencies
Homeland Security DepartmentTransportation Security Administration
Abstract
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) administers the TSA PreCheck[supreg] Application Program, in which members of the public may apply to be eligible for expedited airport security screening. To apply for TSA PreCheck[supreg] Application Program eligibility, individuals voluntarily provide biometric and biographic information that TSA uses to conduct a security threat assessment and those applicants pay a fee to cover the cost to operate the TSA PreCheck[supreg] Application Program. In this Notice, TSA announces a change to the overall structure of the TSA PreCheck[supreg] Application Program Fee, establishes the fee amount of the TSA fee component within that structure, and identifies the fee for initial applications, in- person renewals, and online renewals for individuals enrolling through the Universal Enrollment Services enrollment provider. These updates are necessary to respond to recent changes in both cost and revenue streams that have occurred as a result of the global pandemic. These updates will enable investments to improve the TSA PreCheck[supreg] airport experience and will help to ensure that the program remains fully funded through the imposition and collection of fees from program applicants. TSA will publish and maintain a current listing of the overall fees for all TSA PreCheck[supreg] enrollment options at tsa.gov/precheck.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 186 (Wednesday, September 29, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 186 (Wednesday, September 29, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53978-53979]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-21147]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Transportation Security Administration
RIN 1652-ZA18
TSA PreCheck[supreg] Application Program Fees
AGENCY: Transportation Security Administration, DHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) administers
the TSA PreCheck[supreg] Application Program, in which members of the
public may apply to be eligible for expedited airport security
screening. To apply for TSA PreCheck[supreg] Application Program
eligibility, individuals voluntarily provide biometric and biographic
information that TSA uses to conduct a security threat assessment and
those applicants pay a fee to cover the cost to operate the TSA
PreCheck[supreg] Application Program. In this Notice, TSA announces a
change to the overall structure of the TSA PreCheck[supreg] Application
Program Fee, establishes the fee amount of the TSA fee component within
that structure, and identifies the fee for initial applications, in-
person renewals, and online renewals for individuals enrolling through
the Universal Enrollment Services enrollment provider. These updates
are necessary to respond to recent changes in both cost and revenue
streams that have occurred as a result of the global pandemic. These
updates will enable investments to improve the TSA PreCheck[supreg]
airport experience and will help to ensure that the program remains
fully funded through the imposition and collection of fees from program
applicants. TSA will publish and maintain a current listing of the
overall fees for all TSA PreCheck[supreg] enrollment options at
<a href="http://tsa.gov/precheck">tsa.gov/precheck</a>.
DATES: This notice is effective October 1, 2021.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anne Walbridge, Transportation
Security Administration, 6595 Springfield Center Drive, Springfield, VA
20598-6047; or email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d286819382a0b7b1bab7b1b997bca0bdbebebfb7bca692b6baa1fcb5bda4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="085c5b49587a6d6b606d6b634d667a676464656d667c486c607b266f677e">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Availability of Notice Document
(1) Searching the electronic Federal Docket Management System web
page at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>;
(2) Accessing the Government Printing Office's web page at <a href="http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/browse/collection.action?collectionCode=FR">http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/browse/collection.action?collectionCode=FR</a> to view
the daily published Federal Register edition; or accessing the ``Search
the Federal Register by Citation'' in the ``Related Resources'' column
on the left, if you need to do a Simple or Advanced search for
information, such as a type of document that crosses multiple agencies
or dates; or
(3) Visiting TSA's Security Regulations web page at <a href="http://www.tsa.gov">http://www.tsa.gov</a> and accessing the link for ``Stakeholders'' at the top of
the page, then the link ``Research Center'' in the left column.
In addition, copies are available by writing or calling the
individual in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.
I. Summary
The TSA PreCheck[supreg] Application Program is a voluntary,
expedited security screening program connecting low-risk travelers
departing from the United States with smarter security and a better air
travel experience.\1\ There are approximately 10 million members in the
TSA PreCheck[supreg] Application Program. Individuals enrolled in the
TSA PreCheck[supreg] Application Program are eligible to receive
expedited screening at U.S. airports. As explained in a December 2013
Notice in the Federal Register,\2\ membership in the TSA
PreCheck[supreg] Application Program is within the sole discretion of
TSA. Individuals may also receive TSA PreCheck[supreg] expedited
screening via membership in other programs such as certain U.S. Customs
and Border Protection Trusted Traveler Programs. These individuals do
not pay a fee to TSA for membership in such other programs.
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\1\ For purpose of this document, the ``TSA PreCheck Application
Program'' refers to the DHS Trusted Traveler Program that TSA
operates to determine if individuals are low-risk and may receive
expedited screening. ``TSA PreCheck'' refers to expedited screening
provided by TSA.
\2\ See Notice, 78 FR 72922 (December 4, 2013).
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TSA established the TSA PreCheck[supreg] Application Program in
December 2013 to expand access to expedited screening to individuals
who voluntarily provide information that TSA uses to determine whether
the traveler is low risk.\3\ TSA uses biographic and biometric
information the applicant provides to conduct a Security Threat
Assessment (STA) that includes review of criminal history, immigration,
intelligence, and regulatory violation records. As part of the
enrollment process, TSA requires that applicants present government-
issued identity documents with a photo to prove their identity. To
prepare for REAL ID enforcement, in advance of the REAL ID card-based
enforcement deadline,\4\ TSA will require new TSA PreCheck[supreg]
Application Program applicants as well as renewal applicants to provide
a REAL ID-compliant document if enrolling with a state-issued identity
document. Applicants must also prove they are a U.S. person.
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\3\ Id.
\4\ Information regarding REAL ID requirements and enforcement
deadlines is available at <a href="http://www.dhs.gov/real-id">www.dhs.gov/real-id</a>.
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Following enrollment, TSA evaluates the information generated by
the vetting process to determine whether the individual poses a low
risk to transportation and national security. Once completed, the STA
remains valid for five years, provided the individual continues to meet
the eligibility standards. At the end of the five-year term,
individuals wishing to maintain their TSA PreCheck[supreg] Application
Program eligibility must renew their membership in the program which
includes a new STA.
If TSA determines that the applicant is low risk, TSA issues a
Known Traveler Number (KTN) \5\ that the individual can use when making
flight reservations. Enrollment in the TSA PreCheck[supreg] Application
Program and use of the associated KTN do not guarantee that an
individual will receive expedited screening at airport security
checkpoints. TSA retains an element of randomness to maintain
unpredictability for security purposes, and travelers with valid KTNs
may be selected for standard or enhanced physical screening on
occasion.
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\5\ The Known Traveler Number is a component of Secure Flight
Passenger Data, which is defined in TSA Secure Flight regulations at
49 CFR 1560.3. See also the Secure Flight regulations at 49 CFR part
1560.
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An individual is ineligible for a KTN and thus access to TSA
PreCheck[supreg] expedited screening if TSA determines that the
individual poses a risk to transportation or national security; has
committed certain criminal acts; \6\ does not meet the immigration
status standards; \7\ has committed regulatory violations; \8\ or is
otherwise not a low-risk traveler. TSA notifies individuals who it
determines are ineligible for a KTN through the TSA PreCheck
Application Program, or whose enrollment in the program is revoked, in
writing, and they continue to undergo
[[Page 53979]]
standard screening at airport security checkpoints.
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\6\ See 49 CFR 1572.103 for the criminal standards that apply to
TSA PreCheck applicants.
\7\ Individuals who apply for membership in the TSA
PreCheck[supreg] Application Program must be U.S. citizens, U.S.
Nationals, or Lawful Permanent Residents.
\8\ For instance, an individual who interferes with security
screening or brings a weapon to the security checkpoint would be
deemed ineligible for TSA PreCheck[supreg] expedited screening and
their membership in the program may be revoked.
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TSA is required by law to charge a non-refundable fee to cover the
costs of operating the TSA PreCheck[supreg] Application Program.\9\
Collecting biographic and biometric information from applicants,
conducting the STA, adjudicating the results of the STA, and managing
the program \10\ generate costs for TSA and for the enrollment
providers who TSA has selected to help facilitate enrollment into the
program. In the December 2013 Notice, TSA established a fee structure
with a total fee of $85.\11\ That total fee was comprised of a TSA Fee
of $70.50 and an Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Fee of $14.50.
The TSA Fee included costs incurred by TSA as well as costs incurred by
the enrollment provider. The FBI Fee was the cost set to conduct a
fingerprint-based criminal history records check.
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\9\ See 49 U.S.C. 114; Sec. 540 of the DHS appropriations act
of 2006, Public Law 109-90 (119 Stat. 2064, 2088-89, Oct. 18, 2005).
\10\ Id.
\11\ See supra n. 2 at 72925 et seq.
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In July 2021, TSA published a notice announcing the anticipated
launch of additional enrollment providers who will be able to establish
additional price points for the TSA PreCheck[supreg] Application
Program.\12\ TSA expects additional enrollment options through these
providers to become available in 2021 to increase opportunities to
apply for membership in the program. The new fee structure reflects
this change in the program and will now consist of a TSA Component and
Enrollment Provider Component that together, will be the Total Fee. The
Enrollment Provider Component will take into account the cost of the
criminal history records check conducted by the FBI. TSA will continue
to publish the total fee amounts for all enrollment options via the
agency's website at <a href="http://www.tsa.gov/precheck">www.tsa.gov/precheck</a>.
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\12\ See Notice, 86 FR 36293 (July 9, 2021).
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II. Discussion of TSA Fee Change
TSA will impose the TSA Component of the fee for all individuals
who apply for and renew membership. The TSA Component of the fee will
be collected by the enrollment providers and remitted to TSA to cover
the TSA costs to operate this successful traveler program for
approximately 10 million travelers. Consistent with the statutory
mandate,\13\ the TSA Component of the fee recovers TSA's costs to
analyze the immigration, terrorism, criminal, and regulatory violation
information generated in the checks of the various databases; determine
whether applicants have a disqualifying factor or are eligible for the
TSA PreCheck[supreg] Application Program; notify applicants of TSA's
determination; issue KTNs to eligible individuals; conduct research and
development for innovative enhancements to improve the TSA
PreCheck[supreg] Application Program enrollment and the TSA
PreCheck[supreg] expedited screening experience; and continue to
monitor databases and information to confirm that the members remain
low risk.
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\13\ See infra n. 9.
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The STA conducted by TSA will cover a term of five years from the
date of approval and must be renewed with TSA at the end of that term
if an individual wishes to maintain their TSA PreCheck[supreg]
eligibility. Enrollment providers will be permitted to offer shorter
duration memberships (e.g., one-year memberships) but must still remit
the full TSA Component fee at initial enrollment to TSA to cover TSA's
five-year costs. If a member allows the membership to lapse for any
period of time and subsequently applies for renewal, the enrollment
provider must remit the full TSA Component fee again.
TSA has determined that the TSA Component must be $42.75 in order
to cover TSA-costs associated with STAs and operating the TSA
PreCheck[supreg] Application Program. While TSA was able to achieve a
small reduction in operating costs during the global pandemic
(approximately $20 million), TSA experienced a significant reduction in
revenue as a direct result of the measurable decline in air travel,
program enrollments, and program renewals. TSA estimates that from
April 2020 through March 2021 TSA experienced a $65 million reduction
in anticipated revenue. While TSA PreCheck[supreg] enrollment recovered
significantly as of the summer of 2021, TSA must account for lost
revenue and unknown future enrollment volumes given unknown long term
travel recovery. By separating the TSA Component and the Enrollment
Provider Component, TSA can ensure that future revenue covers TSA's
costs while promoting pricing transparency as new enrollment providers
compete for applicants. See Table 1 for a summary of the changes to the
fee components.
Table 1--Comparison of Current and New Fee Structures
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Current fee structure New fee structure
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TSA Costs & Provider Costs................ FBI Fee & Provider Costs
FBI Fee................................... TSA Costs
Total Fee = $85.00........................ UES Fee = $85.00
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While the new enrollment providers will offer varying price points,
TSA and its current enrollment provider will maintain the $85.00 price
currently set for new enrollments and in-person renewals. TSA offers an
option for online renewal of TSA PreCheck Application[supreg] Program
membership and over 95% of individuals choose the online renewal
option. With this notice, TSA is announcing that the fee for online
renewal will be $70.00 for enrollments through the Universal Enrollment
Services enrollment provider. Future changes to this enrollment product
and fees will be published on the TSA website at <a href="http://www.tsa.gov/precheck">www.tsa.gov/precheck</a>.
TSA estimates that the new TSA Component fee, will result in
collections of an additional $44 million between Fiscal Year (FY) 2022
and FY 2025. This increased revenue will ensure that the TSA PreCheck
Application[supreg] Program will remain solvent in future years. The
increased revenue will also allow TSA to invest in improvements to the
TSA PreCheck[supreg] airport experience. TSA will continue to monitor
its costs and enrollments to ensure the program remains viable and the
revenue aligns with cost.
The cost estimates used to determine the fee have been developed in
accordance with the applicable statutory language, section 540 of the
DHS Appropriations Act, 2006, and Office of Management and Budget
Circular A-25. Further cost information is provided in the TSA PreCheck
Application Program Fee Development Report at <a href="http://www.tsa.gov/precheck">www.tsa.gov/precheck</a>.
TSA will continue to publish the most up to date fee and product
information for all enrollment options at <a href="http://www.tsa.gov/precheck">www.tsa.gov/precheck</a>.
Dated: September 23, 2021.
David Pekoske,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2021-21147 Filed 9-28-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-05-P
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