Free TSA PreCheck for disabled veterans: Who qualifies and how to apply
A federal law now provides free TSA PreCheck enrollment to certain veterans with severe service-connected disabilities. Active-duty service members have long received the benefit at no cost through their Defense Department ID, and Gold Star families also qualify. Here is what each group needs to know.
TSA PreCheck lets travelers keep their shoes, belts and light jackets on and use a dedicated screening lane at more than 200 U.S. airports. Standard enrollment costs less than $80 for a five-year membership, depending on the enrollment provider. For a growing number of military-connected travelers, it costs nothing.
Free enrollment is not available to all veterans. It is available to active-duty service members automatically, to Gold Star families who apply and to a specific group of severely disabled veterans who meet strict medical criteria. Other veterans pay the standard fee or use other options to reduce the cost.
Severely disabled veterans: Free under the VETS Safe Travel Act
The Veterans Expedited TSA Screening Safe Travel Act, known as the VETS Safe Travel Act, was signed into law Jan. 4, 2025. The VA formally announced the program and began issuing eligibility letters in June 2026.
The eligibility requirements are narrow. To qualify, a veteran must meet all three of the following conditions:
- Be enrolled in VA health care.
- Have a service-connected disability that resulted in permanent blindness, loss of a limb, loss of use of a limb, full paralysis or partial paralysis.
- Require a VA-issued wheelchair or prosthetic limb because of that disability.
Veterans with other service-connected conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, hearing loss, traumatic brain injury or chronic pain, do not qualify for the fee waiver unless they also meet the criteria above. They may still enroll through the standard process.
The fee waiver is subject to the availability of federal funds.
How to apply
Get your eligibility letter. The VA automatically identifies eligible veterans and uploads an eligibility letter to their VA.gov account. Veterans do not need to request it. To find it, sign in to VA.gov, go to Benefits and Healthcare, select Records, then choose Download your VA benefits letters and download the TSA PreCheck Application Fee Waiver Letter.
Enroll through IDEMIA only. IDEMIA is one of three TSA-authorized PreCheck enrollment providers and currently the only one that can process the fee waiver. CLEAR and Telos cannot apply it, and veterans who enroll through those providers will not be reimbursed.
Request your offer code. Before scheduling an appointment, email your eligibility letter to IDEMIA with “VETS Safe” in the subject line. IDEMIA will reply with an offer code to use during enrollment.
Complete your appointment. The in-person appointment takes about 10 minutes and includes fingerprinting and a photo. Membership lasts five years and may be renewed at no cost through IDEMIA as long as you remain eligible.
The eligibility letter does not guarantee approval. TSA conducts a standard background check and may deny applicants because of criminal history, incomplete application information or other disqualifying factors.
Active-duty service members: Automatic, no application needed
Members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force and Coast Guard, including National Guard and reserve members, receive TSA PreCheck automatically as a benefit of their status. There is no application or fee.
To use the benefit, enter your 10-digit Defense Department ID number in the Known Traveler Number field when booking a flight. Look for the PreCheck indicator on your boarding pass, which may appear as TSAPRECHK, TSA PRE or TSA PreCheck. A Common Access Card alone is not enough at the checkpoint; the number must be in your reservation.
Defense Department civilian employees receive the same benefit through the same process.
Family members are not automatically covered. Children 12 and under may use the PreCheck lane with an enrolled parent or guardian. Teens 13 to 17 may do so when traveling on the same reservation and the PreCheck indicator appears on their boarding pass. Spouses of service members qualify for a $25 discount on enrollment.
Gold Star families: Also free
Immediate family members of a service member who died in military service, including spouses, parents, children and siblings, may enroll in TSA PreCheck at no cost under a program TSA launched in July 2025. Families verify eligibility with a letter from the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors and may enroll through any of TSA’s three authorized providers.
All other veterans: Standard enrollment and discount options
Veterans who do not meet the VETS Safe Travel Act criteria and are not Gold Star family members enroll through the standard process. Many travel rewards credit cards reimburse the PreCheck enrollment fee as a cardholder benefit, and some loyalty programs offer similar credits. Check your existing cards before paying out of pocket.
Screening accommodations for travelers with disabilities
Veterans who use prosthetics, wheelchairs or other mobility devices are entitled to accommodations at any TSA checkpoint, with or without PreCheck. Wheelchair users may remain seated during screening. TSA officers will swab the traveler’s hands and inspect the device.
Travelers who need additional help can contact TSA Cares at 855-787-2227. TSA recommends calling at least 72 hours before travel.
Where to get help
- Questions about the VA eligibility letter: Ask VA at ask.va.gov.
- Questions about TSA PreCheck enrollment: TSA at 866-289-9673 or tsa.gov/military.
