[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 129 (Friday, July 9, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36293-36295]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-14518]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Transportation Security Administration

[Docket No. TSA-2014-0001]


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 (also known as the TSA 
Pre[check][supreg] Application Program), in which members of the public 
may apply to be eligible for expedited airport security screening. To 
apply for TSA PreCheck 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 Application Program. In 
this Notice, TSA announces the anticipated launch of additional 
enrollment providers who will be able to establish additional price 
points for the TSA PreCheck Application Program. These enrollment 
providers are planned to become available in 2021 to increase 
opportunities to apply for membership in the program. TSA will announce 
the details and pricing for these new enrollment options, when 
available, via https://www.tsa.gov/precheck.

DATES: This notice is applicable July 9, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anne Walbridge, Transportation 
Security Administration, 6595 Springfield Center Drive, Springfield, VA 
20598-6047; 571-227-2329; or email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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I. Summary

    The TSA PreCheck Application Program (TSA PreCheck) 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 Application Program. Individuals enrolled in the TSA 
PreCheck Application Program are eligible to receive expedited 
screening at U.S. airports. As explained in the December 4, 2013 Notice 
in the Federal Register,\2\ membership in the TSA PreCheck Application 
Program is within the sole discretion of TSA. Individuals may also 
receive TSA PreCheck expedited screening via membership in other 
programs such as certain U.S. Customs

[[Page 36294]]

and Border Protection (CBP) Trusted Traveler Programs. These 
individuals do not pay a fee to TSA for membership in such other 
programs.
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    \1\ 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 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. 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, 
TSA will require new TSA PreCheck 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 as required by the program. 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 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) \3\ that the individual can use when making 
flight reservations. Enrollment in the TSA PreCheck 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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    \3\ The Known Traveler Number is a component of Secure Flight 
Passenger Data (SFPD), 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 expedited screening if TSA determines that the individual 
poses a risk to transportation or national security; has committed 
certain criminal acts; \4\ does not meet the immigration status 
standards; \5\ has committed regulatory violations; \6\ 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 in 
writing, and they continue to undergo standard screening at airport 
security checkpoints.
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    \4\ See 49 CFR 1572.103 for the criminal standards that apply to 
TSA PreCheck applicants.
    \5\ Individuals who apply for membership in the TSA PreCheck 
Application Program must be U.S. citizens, U.S. Nationals, or Lawful 
Permanent Residents.
    \6\ For instance, an individual who interferes with security 
screening or brings a weapon to the security checkpoint would be 
deemed ineligible for TSA PreCheck expedited screening.
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    TSA is required by law to charge a non-refundable fee to cover the 
costs of operating the TSA PreCheck Application Program.\7\ Collecting 
biographic and biometric information from applicants, conducting the 
STA, adjudicating the results of the STA, and managing the program \8\ 
generate costs for TSA, the enrollment provider, and the Federal Bureau 
of Investigation (FBI). The current initial application and renewal fee 
for the TSA PreCheck Application Program is $85.00. The fee will remain 
no more than $85 for individuals enrolling through the Universal 
Enrollment Services enrollment provider.
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    \7\ 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).
    \8\ See Sec.  540, Id.
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II. Discussion of Future Program Adjustments

    The TSA PreCheck Application Program is a successful trusted 
traveler program that improves the travel experience for approximately 
10 million travelers. Recent statutory changes aimed at increasing 
membership in the TSA PreCheck Application Program require TSA to 
expand the number of companies providing enrollment services. 
Specifically, section 1937 of the TSA Modernization Act requires TSA to 
add at least two enrollment vendors to the program.\9\ On January 9, 
2020, TSA announced that it selected Alclear, LLC; IDEMIA, and; Telos 
Identity Management Solutions, LLC as enrollment providers as part of a 
full and open competition posted on FedBizOps. These vendors will be 
free to compete in the marketplace to offer creative enrollment 
products using new locations, procedures, systems, and fees to gain 
program applicants. TSA will review and approve vendor platforms to 
ensure they meet the latest cybersecurity requirements before a vendor 
can begin processing applications. Note that TSA, through the Universal 
Enrollment Services contract, will continue to offer the existing TSA 
PreCheck Application Program products and fees after the new providers 
begin to operate. The fee to apply for initial membership and to renew 
membership in the TSA PreCheck Application Program will not exceed $85 
for individuals enrolling through the Universal Enrollment Services 
enrollment provider.
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    \9\ TSA Modernization Act, Division K--Title I of the FAA 
Reauthorization Act Sec.  1937, Public Law 115-254, 132 Stat. 3186 
(Oct. 5, 2018).
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    TSA anticipates that the new enrollment providers will begin 
enrolling applicants in 2021. Each new enrollment provider will be 
authorized to establish its own fees to cover the cost of services it 
provides to applicants. While vendor fees may vary to cover the costs 
of their enrollment products and services,\10\ TSA will continue to 
collect the TSA component of the fee for all individuals who apply for 
and renew memberships. Therefore, regardless of the fee each new 
enrollment provider establishes for its services, the three vendors 
must continue to remit TSA's component to cover the TSA costs to 
operate the program. The TSA component recovers the 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 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 
Application Program enrollment and the TSA PreCheck expedited screening 
experience; and continue to monitor databases and information to 
confirm that the members remain low risk.
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    \10\ Enrollment providers will be responsible for fees imposed 
by the FBI.
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    The STA that TSA conducts will cover a term of five years and must 
be renewed with TSA at the end of that term if an individual wishes to 
maintain their TSA PreCheck eligibility. Vendors will be permitted to 
offer shorter duration memberships (e.g., one-year memberships) but 
must still remit the TSA component fee at initial enrollment to TSA to 
cover TSA's 5-year costs. If a member allows the membership to lapse 
for any period of time and subsequently applies for renewal, the vendor 
must remit the TSA component fee again.

[[Page 36295]]

    To attract new applicants to the TSA PreCheck Application Program, 
an enrollment provider may choose to offer additional services or other 
incentives to TSA PreCheck applicants, beyond membership in the 
program, as part of its program fee. For instance, an enrollment 
provider may offer discounts for travel related products.
    TSA will ensure all enrollment options and membership fees are 
publically available on the TSA website once multiple vendors are 
operational. Applicants can use this publically available information 
to choose the enrollment option that best meets their needs based on 
the enrollment service offerings, convenience of enrollment center 
locations, pricing, and incentives. TSA will announce the details of 
these new enrollment options, when available, via https://www.tsa.gov/precheck.

    Dated: July 1, 2021.
Thomas L. Bush,
Acting Executive Assistant Administrator, Operations Support.
[FR Doc. 2021-14518 Filed 7-8-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-05-P