TSA PreCheck Cost: Renewal Fees, Credit Card Coverage, and Discounts

A new TSA PreCheck membership costs between $76.75 and $85 for five years, depending on which of the three approved enrollment providers you use.1TSA. TSA PreCheck Renewals run less, several groups qualify for free or discounted enrollment, and dozens of travel credit cards reimburse the fee entirely as a statement credit. So the sticker price is rarely what a careful traveler actually pays.

What a New Membership Costs by Provider

Since 2020, three private companies have been authorized to handle PreCheck enrollment, and each sets its own price for a five-year membership:

The benefits are identical no matter which provider you pick. The price difference reflects what each vendor charges on top of the government’s share of the fee.

What You’re Actually Paying For

Every PreCheck fee is a bundle of three components: a $42.75 TSA fee, an $11.25 FBI fee for the fingerprint-based criminal history check, and the remainder retained by the enrollment provider.2Federal Register. TSA PreCheck Application Program Fee The $54 in government fees is fixed; the vendor portion is where the $76.75-to-$85 spread comes from.

Renewal Fees

Existing members pay less to renew, and at most providers online renewal is cheaper than in-person renewal:

The online discount exists because TSA cuts its portion of the fee by $11.25 when an applicant stays enrolled in the FBI’s Rap Back service (a continuous criminal-records monitoring system) and renews with the same provider they used last time. IDEMIA is contractually required to pass that savings on to you; CLEAR and Telos are permitted but not required to do so.2Federal Register. TSA PreCheck Application Program Fee

TSA recommends renewing at least 60 days before your expiration date. You can renew online up to six months early without losing time, because the new five-year period begins when the old one ends.4TSA. TSA PreCheck FAQ

Credit Cards That Cover the Fee

Dozens of travel credit cards reimburse the TSA PreCheck application or renewal fee as a statement credit, making the membership effectively free for cardholders. TSA maintains an official list of participating cards.5TSA. TSA PreCheck Credit Cards Offer Among the widely held options:

  • Chase Sapphire Reserve reimburses a PreCheck or Global Entry fee once every four years.5TSA. TSA PreCheck Credit Cards Offer
  • Capital One Venture, Venture X, and Venture X Business offer up to $120 in credit once every four years.6Capital One. TSA PreCheck Global Entry Credit
  • American Express Platinum and several co-branded Amex cards cover PreCheck or Global Entry fees.
  • Delta SkyMiles Platinum and Reserve American Express, United Explorer and Club Infinite, and Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express all offer statement credits.5TSA. TSA PreCheck Credit Cards Offer

Some loyalty programs also accept points or miles toward enrollment through IDEMIA, including Marriott Bonvoy, IHG One Rewards, and United MileagePlus.5TSA. TSA PreCheck Credit Cards Offer Card terms change, so confirm the current benefit with your issuer before you pay at the enrollment center.

Who Pays Nothing, and Who Gets a Discount

Several groups qualify for free PreCheck benefits without applying or paying:

  • Active-duty military and reservists in all uniformed services, including the Coast Guard, Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps. They use their DOD ID number as their Known Traveler Number.7TSA. TSA PreCheck Military Travelers
  • DOD federal civilian employees, after opting in through the ID Card Office Online (milConnect).7TSA. TSA PreCheck Military Travelers
  • Cadets and midshipmen at the five service academies and the Merchant Marine Academy.7TSA. TSA PreCheck Military Travelers
  • Gold Star Families, who receive free enrollment or renewal.8TSA. TSA PreCheck Military

Military spouses get a $25 discount on new enrollment or renewal, announced by TSA on July 2, 2025, and available through all three providers.9TSA. Announcing New TSA PreCheck Serve Honor Travel Ease Benefits To claim it, the spouse must present an unexpired DOD or Uniformed Services photo ID showing “Spouse” in the relationship field.10TSA. TSA PreCheck Military Spouse With IDEMIA, that brings the cost from $76.75 down to $51.75.11IDEMIA. IDEMIA Public Security Joins TSA Launch of $25 TSA PreCheck Discount for Military Spouses

One boundary worth noting: veterans and military retirees do not keep PreCheck benefits after separation. They apply and pay like any civilian.7TSA. TSA PreCheck Military Travelers TSA has said free enrollment for qualifying disabled veterans is “coming soon.”8TSA. TSA PreCheck Military

Cost Compared to Global Entry and CLEAR

Travelers weighing PreCheck often compare it against two other programs with very different price tags:

  • TSA PreCheck: $76.75 to $85 for five years. Speeds up domestic airport security.12TSA. What Is the Difference Between Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, and Other Programs
  • Global Entry: $120 for five years, up from $100 on October 1, 2024, the first increase in over 15 years. It’s a Customs and Border Protection program for expedited U.S. re-entry and includes PreCheck as part of the membership. Applicants under 18 are exempt from the fee if a parent or guardian is a member or is applying at the same time.13CBP. CBP Announces Trusted Traveler Programs Fee Changes
  • CLEAR Plus: $209 per year. A private biometric identity service that moves members to the front of the document-check line; travelers still go through TSA screening afterward. New CLEAR Plus members who enroll in PreCheck through CLEAR get the $79.95 PreCheck fee refunded.14CLEAR. TSA PreCheck by CLEAR

For anyone who takes even a few international trips a year, Global Entry costs $35 more over five years and folds PreCheck in.12TSA. What Is the Difference Between Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, and Other Programs There is no upgrade path between the two: switching from PreCheck to Global Entry means a new application and the full $120 fee.15Experian. TSA PreCheck Global Entry CLEAR

What Families Pay

Children 17 and under don’t need their own membership. They can use the PreCheck lane with an enrolled parent or guardian when traveling on the same reservation, as long as the PreCheck indicator shows on the child’s boarding pass.16TSA. Can My Family Also Use the TSA PreCheck Lane For a family with young kids, that means the parents’ fees are the whole cost of the household’s PreCheck access.