The number on your TWIC card, called the Credential Identification Number or CIN, is printed on the back of the card in the lower left, directly below the one-dimensional barcode. It’s eight digits long, and it’s your unique identifier in the TSA system.1Transportation Security Administration (TSA). TSA PreCheck for TWIC FAQs
Where the CIN Sits on the Card
Flip the card over. The CIN is on the left, just below the linear barcode. Both the legacy TWIC and the newer NEXGEN card place the number in the same spot.2Transportation Security Administration (TSA). TWIC Specification Part 2 – TWIC Card Application It does not appear anywhere on the front.
If you kept the mailing your card arrived in, the CIN is also printed in the lower left corner of that card mailer.1Transportation Security Administration (TSA). TSA PreCheck for TWIC FAQs That’s a useful backup if the printing on the card wears down.
The Other Numbers and Dates on the Card
Your card also has a Federal Agency Smart Credential Number (FASC-N), but it isn’t printed anywhere. The FASC-N lives in the embedded chip and is read electronically by access control systems at ports and facilities.2Transportation Security Administration (TSA). TWIC Specification Part 2 – TWIC Card Application You don’t need it for routine use.
The dates on the face of the card are the issue date and expiration date, not identifiers. A TWIC is generally valid for five years from issuance, unless TSA sets a shorter term to match a visa expiration.3eCFR. 49 CFR 1572.23 – TWIC Expiration
What You Use the CIN For
Most people go looking for the CIN because something is asking for it. Three common reasons:
Port and Facility Access Registration
Anyone needing unescorted access to secure areas of maritime facilities and vessels must hold a valid TWIC.4eCFR. 33 CFR 101.514 – TWIC Requirement When you register with a port’s physical access control system, the facility usually records your CIN. If your card is later replaced and a new CIN issued, you may have to re-register at each facility where you work.
TSA PreCheck
An active TWIC cardholder can use the CIN as a Known Traveler Number for TSA PreCheck at airports, with no separate application or fee. Enter it in the KTN field when you book a flight or update a frequent flyer profile. If you already have a separate PreCheck KTN, either number works.1Transportation Security Administration (TSA). TSA PreCheck for TWIC FAQs
Hazardous Materials Endorsement
A valid TWIC can satisfy the background-check requirement for a Hazardous Materials Endorsement on a commercial driver’s license in participating states, at a reduced fee instead of a separate TSA threat assessment. The HME expiration will match your TWIC’s expiration.5Transportation Security Administration. HAZMAT Endorsement
If You Can’t Read the Number or Lost the Card
TSA does not offer an online portal to look up your CIN.1Transportation Security Administration (TSA). TSA PreCheck for TWIC FAQs It only exists on the card itself and on the original mailer. Writing the number down and storing it somewhere separate from the card is a small precaution worth taking.
If your TWIC is lost, stolen, or damaged to the point that the CIN can’t be read, report it by calling 1-855-347-8371, available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET.6Transportation Security Administration. How Do I Report My TWIC Card Lost and or Missing Reporting quickly helps prevent misuse. A replacement card costs $60, and if your card hasn’t expired you can apply and pay online; TSA deactivates the old card once the replacement is processed.7Transportation Security Administration. TWIC