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(NEXSTAR) – Veterans of the U.S. Military who meet a set of requirements outlined in the Veterans Expedited TSA Screening (VETS) Safe Travel Act now qualify for free TSA PreCheck enrollment.
The VETS Safe Travel Act, signed into law by President Biden in January 2025, is designed to provide disabled veterans with “smarter, faster airport security in dedicated lanes when they travel” free of charge, the TSA writes. But only veterans who meet specific eligibility requirements are being considered for the program, according to the TSA and Department of Veterans Affairs.
Which veterans qualify for free TSA PreCheck?
Per the VETS Safe Travel Act, only veterans with “severe service-connected disabilities” are eligible for the program. The program defines such a disability as one that “resulted in permanent blindness, the loss of a limb, the loss of the use of a limb, full paralysis, or partial paralysis.” Additionally, disabled veterans must require the use of a VA-issued wheelchair or prosthetic limb to qualify.
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Applicants must also be enrolled in VA health care, as well.
Existing eligibility requirements for those seeking to enroll in TSA PreCheck still apply too, the Department of Veterans Affairs has previously stated. Those include “standard citizenship and security requirements, including a background check,” per the VA.
To apply, qualifying veterans must first obtain an eligibility letter through VA.gov. Veterans must then complete an application through IDEMIA and email the service a copy of their eligibility letter to receive an “offer code.” Finally, applicants must make an in-person appointment for fingerprinting and photos before final approval.
Veterans who qualify will be provided with free PreCheck services for five years. They can later renew their membership for free “as long as they remain eligible under the VETS Safe Travel Act,” TSA says.
More information is available at the TSA’s official website.
“Millions of Veterans have sacrificed a great deal in service to our nation and returned home with service-connected disabilities — for those of us who rely on prosthetics and wheelchairs for mobility, air travel and passing through airport security can be a challenge,” Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) said shortly after President Biden signed the VETS Safe Travel Act into law. “I’m proud President Biden signed our bipartisan legislation into law so we can begin making TSA PreCheck available to these Veterans at no cost and make flying and passing through airports easier and less intrusive.”
What about other veterans or military members?
The TSA also offers free PreCheck services for uniformed members of the military, as well as federal civil service employees for the Department of Defense. Veterans and other service members, meanwhile, can speak with a TSA officer if they feel they need additional assistance at checkpoints.
Last year, the TSA also launched a program to provide free TSA PreCheck enrollment to qualifying members of Gold Star families — i.e., families of a service member who lost their life while carrying out their duties.
Discounts are also available to spouses of military members.
“By expanding access, easing enrollment, and partnering with our TSA PreCheck enrollment providers and industry partners, we strive to honor those who serve and the families who stand beside them,” TSA Acting Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill said in July 2025.
How much does TSA PreCheck enrollment normally cost?
TSA PreCheck currently costs between $76.75 and $85, depending on which enrollment provider a traveler utilizes, according to the agency. Renewal fees can be as low as $58.75, if done in-person.
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