To make a TSA PreCheck name change, contact the enrollment provider you originally applied through and send them a copy of your updated government-issued photo ID along with a legal document proving the name change. The whole thing can be done by email or fax. TSA finishes the update within 45 days of receiving your documents, and there is no fee.
Update Your Government ID First
You need a government-issued photo ID that already shows your new legal name before you contact TSA. The updated ID is part of the submission, so the request stalls without it.1TSA Enrollment by IDEMIA. Help Center For most people that means updating a driver’s license or state ID at the DMV first.
A passport update matters if you travel internationally, but it is not a prerequisite for the PreCheck change. Any government-issued photo ID bearing your new name will do. A workable order: Social Security record, then driver’s license, then TSA PreCheck, then your airline loyalty accounts.
Documents TSA Accepts as Proof
Along with the updated photo ID, you must submit a legal document showing the name change. TSA accepts marriage certificates, divorce decrees, and court orders.2Transportation Security Administration. Required Documents for TSA PreCheck Application Each type has its own rules:
- A marriage certificate must carry a government seal. Hospital-issued or commemorative certificates are not accepted.1TSA Enrollment by IDEMIA. Help Center
- For a divorce decree, send the first page, the page that specifies the name change, and the signature page. The full document is not required.
- For a name change through a court petition, send a certified copy of the judge’s order.
Social Security cards and hospital-issued birth certificates are not accepted as proof of a name change, even if they show your name.1TSA Enrollment by IDEMIA. Help Center The document must be an original or certified copy with an official seal from a federal, state, tribal, or county authority.2Transportation Security Administration. Required Documents for TSA PreCheck Application
How to Submit Your Documents
Name changes go through the enrollment provider you originally applied with, not TSA directly. There are three providers: IDEMIA, Telos, and CLEAR.3Transportation Security Administration. TSA PreCheck FAQ Your Known Traveler Number identifies which one you used. Numbers starting with TT are IDEMIA, TE is Telos, and AC is CLEAR.4Transportation Security Administration. What is a Known Traveler Number (KTN)?
If You Enrolled Through IDEMIA
Most PreCheck members enrolled through IDEMIA. Email or fax your updated photo ID and your legal name change document. In the body of the email, list your new first, middle, and last name and include your Known Traveler Number.1TSA Enrollment by IDEMIA. Help Center
- Email: TSAEnrollmentDocuments@tsa.dhs.gov
- Fax: 540-373-0620, with your KTN written on each page
Attachments must be JPEG, PDF, or DOC files, and every scan needs to be legible with no glare over the text or seal. One catch worth knowing: some email programs convert large attachments into cloud-hosted links, and TSA will not accept those. The files have to be attached directly to the message.1TSA Enrollment by IDEMIA. Help Center If you password-protect the files, use your KTN in all capital letters as the password.
If You Enrolled Through Telos or CLEAR
Contact your provider directly for their submission steps. TSA’s FAQ page links to contact information for all three providers.3Transportation Security Administration. TSA PreCheck FAQ The documentation is the same across providers, but the method of sending it in varies.
Processing Time and Checking Status
TSA processes name changes within 45 days of receiving your documents. There is no expedited option, and there is no fee for a name change on an existing membership.1TSA Enrollment by IDEMIA. Help Center
To check status, use the TSA Enrollment by IDEMIA website or call the enrollment call center at 855-347-8371, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern. The online check uses the phone number or email you gave at original enrollment.1TSA Enrollment by IDEMIA. Help Center
Flying While the Update Is Pending
This is where people run into trouble. Once your government ID shows the new name but the PreCheck record still shows the old one, the name on your boarding pass may not match the name tied to your Known Traveler Number. TSA’s Secure Flight system compares those two, and a mismatch means no PreCheck screening.5Transportation Security Administration. My Personal Information Has Changed How Do I Update My Information So That I Can Continue to Receive TSA PreCheck
The reservation name must exactly match the name on your PreCheck application, middle name included if you provided one.6Transportation Security Administration. Does the Name on My Airline Reservation Have to Match the Name on My Application You can still fly during the 45-day window. You will just get standard screening if the names do not line up. For a trip booked before the change will finish, book under the name that currently matches your PreCheck profile, and use the new name only for flights after the update completes.
Update Your Airline Loyalty Profiles
Finishing the PreCheck update is only half the job. Your frequent flyer account is what pushes your name and KTN into every reservation through Secure Flight. If the airline profile still holds your old name while PreCheck now shows the new one, that mismatch blocks the benefit just as effectively.7American Airlines. TSA Secure Flight
Most airlines require you to upload a legal name change document, the same marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order you sent to TSA. Processing generally runs up to two weeks and varies by carrier. Update every loyalty account you actively use, not just your main airline, since any profile holding your old name can create a mismatch when you book.
Global Entry Works Differently
If you have Global Entry, PreCheck comes with it, but the name change process is not the same. A Global Entry name change requires an in-person visit to an enrollment center. It cannot be done by email or fax.8U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Global Entry Frequently Asked Questions If you spot a name or date-of-birth error on your Trusted Traveler Programs dashboard, contact CBP through their online help system rather than editing the fields yourself.9U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Trusted Traveler Programs Application – Personal Information Section NEXUS and SENTRI follow similar in-person procedures. Enrollment appointments can take weeks to schedule, so plan around any upcoming international travel.
If Your Renewal Is Coming Up
PreCheck memberships last five years. Renewal is $58.75 online or $66.75 in person.10TSA Enrollment by IDEMIA. Apply for TSA PreCheck – Enrollments and Renewals If a name change lines up close to your renewal date, do the name change first. IDEMIA states that members must update their name before renewing online.1TSA Enrollment by IDEMIA. Help Center Renewing on an old-name profile can create processing snags that delay both actions.