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What is a TWIC Card? 

TWIC Logo The Transportation Worker Identification Credential, also known as TWIC®, is required by the Maritime Transportation Security Act for workers who need access to secure areas of the nation’s maritime facilities and vessels. TSA conducts a security threat assessment (background check) to determine a person’s eligibility and issues the credential. U.S. citizens and immigrants in certain immigration categories may apply for the credential. Most mariners licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard also require a credential. Regarding card usage and facility access requirements, please contact the U.S. Coast Guard.

Apply Online Renew Online Schedule an Appointment Find an Application Center Replace a Card

 

Important Notice: TSA recommends that all applicants enroll for TWIC® (including renewals) a minimum of 60 days before applicants require a valid TWIC. TSA is experiencing increased demand for TWIC, and the processing times for some applicants may exceed 45 days.

Apply

Pre-enroll using the online application or you can complete the entire process in person at an application center.

Schedule an appointment online or call (855) 347-8371 weekdays, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET. Walk-ins are welcome but appointments take priority.

Visit a TWIC application center to:

  1. Provide required documentation, be fingerprinted and take a facial photo. Bring your current U.S. passport or a driver’s license and birth certificate. See other acceptable documents.
  2. Pay a non-refundable fee valid for five years with a credit card, money order, company check or certified/cashier’s check.
    • New applicant: $125.25
    • New applicant reduced rate: $93.00*
    • In-Person renewal: $125.25
    • Online renewal: $117.25
    • Replacement card: $60.00
  3. You can have your card mailed to your home address or you can pick it up at the application center. You can check your status online at any time.
 

Eligibility 

You may apply if you are a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, naturalized citizen or a nonimmigrant alien, asylee, or refugee who is in lawful status.

Applicants may be ineligible due to:

When TSA decides to revoke a TWIC® card, the agency informs facility security officials via the TWIC® Canceled Card List and the Visual Canceled Card List. The two lists are publicly available (including only Federal Agency Smartcard Numbers (FASC-Ns) or Credential Identification Numbers (CINs); no personally identifiable information) and updated daily to display TWIC® cards that have been canceled, allowing facility and vessel operators to determine whether a presented TWIC® card is valid.

The presence of a TWIC® card on the Canceled Card List and/or Visual Canceled Card List cannot be used to infer derogatory information about the cardholder; it simply indicates the card is no longer valid. While the two lists include cards that are revoked after recurrent vetting, the lists also include cards that have been replaced because they are lost, stolen or damaged.  TWIC® cards that are canceled cannot be removed from the two lists, and canceled cards should be returned to TSA.

Self- Certification for TWIC® Reader Vendors

TWIC® electronic card readers are devices that comply with the TWIC Reader Hardware and Card Application Specification published by TSA and are available through a variety of manufactures. Each manufacture offers a range of readers designed for specific use cases in various models and TWIC Authentication Modes. 

TWIC readers and supporting systems are currently being evaluated against a strict set of Test Cases and once they are successfully completed, test cases will be listed on the TWIC Self-Certification Qualified Technology List (TWIC SC-QTL). The SC-QTL list of manufacturers is made available by the TSA to maritime facilities, vessel operators, and the general public and includes detailed reader information.   The TSA TWIC Reader SC QTL is updated as additional readers are tested and Self- Certified by the manufacturer.

Purpose of the TWIC Reader SC-QTL

The purpose of the TWIC Reader Self- Certification Qualified Technology List, SC-QTL, effort is to:

  1. Provide a simple to use “TWIC Reader Catalog” where maritime operators, other relying third parties and product specifiers may see a list of TWIC reader products that meet the operational and technical requirements of their facility or vessel as well as other local and TSA requirements.
  2. Provide manufacturers with a public place to list their qualified TWIC reader products and show what Mode(s) of Operation each product is capable of performing. 
  3. Offer maritime operators’ confidence that their product selection will indeed be a good fit for their particular operation and evaluated by independent laboratories for compliance.

Current SC-QTL listed readers may be subject to firmware and or hardware updates by the manufacturer and shall be re-tested and recertified by the manufacturer. 

Files

  1. Navigation Guide & Instructions for SC -QTL Applicants
  2. TWIC SC-QTL Reader Application Form
  3. TWIC Reader Test Procedures for TWIC Cards
  4. TWIC SC-QTL List of Vendor Self-Certified Readers
  5. TWIC NexGen & Legacy Documentation
    5a.TWIC NEXGEN & Legacy - Part 1 - Introduction - V4
    5b.TWIC NEXGEN & Legacy - Part 2 - Card Specification - V4
    5c.TWIC NEXGEN & Legacy - Part 3 -  Reader Specification - V4
    5d.TWIC NEXGEN & Legacy - Part 4 -  Use in PACS - V4
  6.  

TWIC® Technical Advisory

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Contact Us

If you have questions about your TWIC application call
1-855-347-8371
Representatives are available weekdays from: 
8 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET. 
To check your application status online click here. 

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