What is the TSA (Transportation Security Administration)?

What does the TSA do at the airport?

Passenger screening at the airport is part of what the agency describes as a layered approach to security, and the screening procedures are intended to prevent prohibited items and other threats from entering the sterile area of the airport. [2] Those procedures are developed in response to information on threats to transportation security, and TSA says it adjusts processes and procedures as the threat evolves, so travellers may notice changes in procedure from time to time. [2]

The work starts before the checkpoint. TSA says security measures begin long before a traveller arrives at the airport, that it works closely with the intelligence and law enforcement communities to share information, and that additional measures are in place from the time a traveller reaches the airport until the destination. [2] It also incorporates unpredictable security measures, both seen and unseen. [2]

At the checkpoint itself, TSA screens roughly 3.3 million carry-on bags and 1.3 million checked bags each day. [2] Checked baggage is handed to TSA at check-in for screening, and once screening is complete the airline carries it on the flight and delivers it to the baggage claim area. [2]

A separate layer runs before anyone reaches a lane. Secure Flight is a risk-based passenger prescreening programme that matches names against trusted traveller lists and watchlists, collecting only the minimum personal information such as full name, date of birth and sex. [2] Secure Flight transmits screening instructions back to airlines, identifying low-risk passengers eligible for TSA PreCheck, individuals designated for enhanced screening and those who will receive standard screening, and it prevents people on the No Fly List and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Do Not Board List from boarding. [2]

How do TSA rules interact with airline and airport rules?

Responsibility is split. If property is lost or damaged during the screening process, a claim may be filed with TSA; if it is lost or damaged during transport to the plane or to baggage claim, the airline is the contact. [2] Access control and video monitoring of checked baggage facilities fall to individual airports as part of their security plan, and monitoring methods vary from airport to airport. [2]

Locks sit at the boundary between the two. TSA has been given universal master keys under agreements with Safe Skies Luggage Locks and Travel Sentry so that certain branded locks may not have to be cut for an inspection, and TSA states that it has no position on the validity or effectiveness of these products as a security measure and will remove them if necessary during an inspection. [2]

On what may be carried, even an item that is generally permitted may be subject to additional screening or refused at the checkpoint if it triggers an alarm, appears to have been tampered with, or poses other security concerns; the final decision rests with the TSA officer. [5] Officers may ask a traveller to power up an electronic device, powerless devices are not permitted onboard the aircraft, and TSA says it does not read or copy information from the device. [5]

Flights to the United States add another layer: the U.S. Department of Homeland Security requires enhanced security measures at approximately 280 foreign airports with direct commercial flights to the U.S., in more than 100 countries. [2] Travellers departing from last-point-of-departure airports into the U.S. may face more extensive screening of property and personal electronic devices and should allow extra time, although TSA says there are no changes to the items allowed in carry-on and checked baggage. [2] TSA encourages placing powder-like substances over 12 oz / 350 mL in checked bags, because powders in carry-on baggage may require secondary screening, and powders that cannot be resolved by security officials have been prohibited from the cabin since 30 June 2018. [2]

What identification do you need at a TSA checkpoint?

Adult passengers 18 and older must show valid identification at the airport checkpoint in order to travel, and TSA says the list of acceptable IDs is subject to change without notice and should be re-checked before travelling. [4] Since 7 May 2025, state-issued driver's licences and IDs that are not REAL ID compliant are no longer accepted at airports; travellers should carry an acceptable alternative such as a passport or obtain a REAL ID through their state motor vehicle office. [4] Accepted forms include a REAL ID-compliant state licence or ID card, a U.S. passport or passport card, a DHS trusted traveller card (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST), a permanent resident card, a foreign government-issued passport, a Transportation Worker Identification Credential and a Canadian provincial driver's licence, while a temporary driver's licence is not acceptable. [4]

TSA currently accepts expired ID up to two years after expiration for the listed forms of identification. [4] Children under 18 are not required to provide identification when travelling within the United States, but unaccompanied minors eligible for TSA PreCheck must show an acceptable ID to receive expedited screening, and airline-specific requirements for younger travellers should be confirmed with the carrier. [4]

From 1 February 2026, a traveller who cannot provide the required acceptable ID will have the option to pay a $45 fee to use TSA ConfirmID, after which TSA attempts to verify identity so that screening can begin; if identity cannot be verified, entry to the screening checkpoint is refused. [4]

How does TSA PreCheck change screening?

Standard screening requires removing all items and placing them on the X-ray belt, whereas TSA PreCheck travellers do not need to remove shoes, laptops, liquids, belts and light jackets. [2] TSA says PreCheck lanes move faster and that about 99% of passengers wait less than 10 minutes, that the programme gives five years of benefits for $85 or less, and that children 17 and under can join an adult in the PreCheck lane for free. [3] Travellers enter their Known Traveler Number in airline reservations and travel profiles so the indicator appears on the boarding pass. [3]

TSA lists three authorised enrolment providers. The fees and location counts shown on the TSA PreCheck page as of 18 October 2026 were:

Eligibility is decided before the airport. Secure Flight sends airlines the instructions that identify low-risk passengers eligible for TSA PreCheck, people designated for enhanced screening, and those who will receive standard screening. [2] TSA states that all travellers will be screened and that no individual is guaranteed expedited screening. [3]

Exceptions and limits

• Expedited screening can be withdrawn at the checkpoint: even passengers who normally receive it, such as TSA PreCheck passengers, may at times receive a pat-down, and pat-downs are used if screening technology alarms, as part of unpredictable security measures, for enhanced screening, or as an alternative to other screening. [2]
• Most passengers may decline advanced imaging technology in favour of physical screening, but some will be required to undergo it if their boarding pass indicates selection for enhanced screening. [2] The technology uses non-ionizing radio-frequency energy in the millimeter spectrum, does not use X-ray, and displays threats on a generic outline identical for all passengers. [2]
• Anyone wearing a light outer garment or bulky clothing when screened through advanced imaging technology will be asked to remove it; a traveller who cannot or will not remove it should tell the officer, and additional screening may follow. [2]
• Pat-downs are carried out by an officer of the same sex, use the back of the hands over sensitive areas except in limited cases, and can be conducted in private with a companion of choice and a second same-sex officer present. [2]
• Trusted traveller status is not one thing. The Department of Homeland Security lists TSA PreCheck, which expedites screening at participating TSA checkpoints, alongside Global Entry for expedited clearance on arrival in the U.S., NEXUS for processing when entering the U.S. and Canada, SENTRI for expedited clearance on arrival in the U.S., and FAST for commercial shipments from Canada and Mexico. [6]

Frequently asked questions

Do children need ID at a TSA checkpoint?

TSA does not require children under 18 to provide identification when travelling within the United States, but unaccompanied minors who are eligible for TSA PreCheck must show an acceptable ID to receive expedited screening. [4]

What happens if you reach the checkpoint without acceptable ID?

From 1 February 2026, travellers who cannot provide the required acceptable ID may pay a $45 fee to use TSA ConfirmID, after which TSA attempts to verify their identity; if verification fails, entry to the screening checkpoint is not allowed. [4]

Can TSA officers search you even if you have TSA PreCheck?

Yes. TSA says even passengers who normally receive expedited screening may at times receive a pat-down, and no individual is guaranteed expedited screening. [2] [3]

Who decides whether an item may go through the checkpoint?

The final decision rests with the TSA officer, and an otherwise permitted item may still face additional screening or be refused if it triggers an alarm, appears tampered with or raises other security concerns. [5]

Are Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST the same as TSA PreCheck?

No. TSA PreCheck expedites screening at participating TSA checkpoints, while Global Entry and SENTRI cover expedited clearance on arrival in the U.S., NEXUS covers processing when entering the U.S. and Canada, and FAST covers commercial shipments from Canada and Mexico. [6] DHS trusted traveller cards for Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST are, however, accepted as identification at the TSA checkpoint. [4]

Related pages

Guides: TSA PreCheck and Global Entry guide, fast-track security guide. Terms: prohibited items at security, REAL ID requirement. Start from the glossary index.

Sources

Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. Aviation security authorities outside the United States are not covered here, and neither are individual airlines' own boarding and baggage policies beyond the points where TSA rules meet them.

1. Transportation Security Administration, About TSA, checked 18 October 2026
2. Transportation Security Administration, Security Screening, checked 18 October 2026
3. Transportation Security Administration, TSA PreCheck, checked 18 October 2026
4. Transportation Security Administration, Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint, checked 18 October 2026
5. Transportation Security Administration, What Can I Bring?, checked 18 October 2026
6. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Trusted Traveler Programs, checked 18 October 2026