At what age does a child need their own TSA PreCheck?
Children 17 and under who will be traveling alone or without a TSA PreCheck®-eligible parent or guardian must apply for TSA PreCheck® to have access to expedited screening. To learn more about TSA Precheck, please visit the TSA website.
TSA does not require children under 18 to provide identification when traveling with a companion within the United States. The companion will need acceptable identification.
Children ages 13 to 17 generally do not need their own membership either, as they can access the TSA PreCheck lanes when traveling on the same itinerary as an eligible adult.
With TSA PreCheck™, you can breeze through airport security. Best part, children 12 and under can accompany a parent or guardian who has TSA PreCheck™ on their boarding pass. Travelers 13 and older who do not have a TSA PreCheck™ boarding pass must go through standard security lanes or apply for TSA PreCheck™.
Travel Documents
For domestic travel, all passengers 18 and older will need a current, government-issued, photo identification (ID) for the security screening process. Children under the age of 18 do not require an ID.
Do kids need TSA PreCheck? Children of all ages are eligible to apply for TSA PreCheck, or have it conferred by virtue of having Global Entry or similar, but unlike with Global Entry, children 12 and under can piggyback through the TSA PreCheck lines with their guardian.
You may not be able to escort your child through security in some airports. If this is the case, a team member will take your child to the gate and stay with them until the flight departs. Children under 18 may need a Letter of Consent to travel internationally without both parents.
Theoretically, only one of you can go through the precheck line. But in case of my ex-wife, we'd often both get TSA Pre printed on our boarding passes when we booked the flight together, even though only I had precheck.
A parent or legal guardian must be present at the time of the child's required interview at an enrollment center.
Age: 2 to 18 Years Old
Minors under the age of 18 will not need ID to pass through security, only a boarding pass to board the plane if they are accompanied by an adult. Although it isn't required, it may feel weird traveling without some sort of ID for your kids.
What forms of ID are acceptable for TSA PreCheck?
- Unexpired U.S. Passport (book or card)
- Unexpired Enhanced Tribal Card (ETC)
- Unexpired Free and Secure Trade (FAST) Card.
- Unexpired U.S. Enhanced Driver's License (EDL) or Unexpired Enhanced Identification Card (EID)
- Permanent Resident Card (I-551) often referred to as a “Green Card”
Unexpired driver's license issued by a State or outlying possession of the U.S. Unexpired photo ID card issued by the federal government or by a State or outlying possession of the U.S. This must include a federal agency, State or State agency seal or logo (such as a State university ID).
