Transportation Worker Identification Credential

Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program
Company type	Government program
Industry	Transportation security
Founded	2002
Founder	United States Department of Homeland Security (TSA and U.S. Coast Guard)
Area served	United States
Key people	Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Coast Guard
Products	Tamper-proof biometric identification cards for maritime and transportation workers
Website	www.tsa.gov/for-industry/twic

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Transportation Worker Identification Credential, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 7 August 2025

The Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program represents a collaborative effort between the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the U.S. Coast Guard within the United States. It provides maritime personnel with tamper-proof biometric identification cards, granting unescorted entry to secured zones at port facilities, offshore continental shelf locations, specified manufacturing sites, and vessels governed by the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 (MTSA). Additionally, it encompasses all merchant mariners holding credentials issued by the U.S. Coast Guard. By May 2014, enrollment had reached close to three million participants. Compliance with this program became compulsory as of April 15, 2009. Applicants are required to submit both biographical and biometric information, such as fingerprints and a digital photo, and successfully complete a TSA security threat evaluation.

The TWIC card is equipped with an Integrated Circuit Chip (ICC) that stores the holder’s personal data and biometric identifiers, accessible through either contact or contactless interfaces. Furthermore, the card includes a magnetic stripe and a linear barcode on its reverse side, providing alternative means to retrieve stored information.

Maritime sector

Although TWIC has potential applications in other modes of transportation, the TWIC Final Rule—published in the Federal Register on January 25, 2007—sets forth regulatory guidelines specifically for implementation within the maritime industry initially.

The program aims to:

Accurately verify individuals authorized for unescorted access to secure maritime environments;
Assess eligibility for such unescorted access within these protected maritime areas;
Strengthen security measures by preventing unauthorized entry into secure maritime sites; and
Monitor and revoke access privileges from individuals who no longer satisfy eligibility criteria after authorization.

Personnel required to obtain a TWIC include credentialed merchant mariners, employees at port facilities, longshoremen, truck drivers, along with others who need unescorted admission to maritime facilities and vessels regulated for security.

Other transportation sectors

Outside of maritime applications, TWIC may also be imposed in other sectors with heightened security needs such as airports, rail systems, chemical manufacturing plants, and refineries. Industry experts anticipate wider implementation across various manufacturing sectors driven by escalating security requirements.

Security threat assessment

Every TWIC candidate undergoes a thorough security threat assessment that evaluates any convictions, outstanding arrest warrants, or indictments related to specified criminal offenses. When an arrest record lacks final disposition documentation, applicants must provide supporting evidence to TSA.

Permanent disqualifying criminal offenses

Individuals convicted of certain felony crimes face permanent disqualification from obtaining a TWIC. These offenses include Espionage, sedition, treason, acts of terrorism, crimes affecting transportation security incidents, illegal handling of hazardous materials during transport, unlawful use or possession of explosives, murder, issuing bomb threats, significant racketeering violations, as well as attempts or conspiracies to commit any of these crimes.

Temporary disqualifying criminal convictions

Applicants are barred from eligibility for seven years following a conviction, or five years after release from prison, for crimes such as illegal firearm possession, extortion, fraud (excluding welfare fraud and bad checks), bribery, smuggling, immigration infractions, drug trafficking or importation, arson, kidnapping, rape, attempted murder, robbery, fraudulent entry into seaports, minor racketeering offenses, and attempts or conspiracies related to these offenses.

Additional components of the security threat evaluation

In addition to reviewing criminal records, TSA assesses applicants' immigration status and mental fitness. The agency also performs checks against international databases, terrorist watchlists, the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), and other repositories to uncover any further foreign or domestic criminal history.

Exemptions

According to U.S. Coast Guard regulations, individuals may gain access to facilities and vessels without possessing a TWIC card for up to 30 days if their employer secures a temporary waiver from TSA via an online system. During this window, employees must carry printed authorization along with state-issued identification; however, the printout itself is not electronically verified. They are required to have "Escorted Access," which limits entry to restricted zones only when accompanied by another authorized employee.

Implementation

The Government Accountability Office has criticized the TWIC initiative for inadequate oversight and coordination efforts. Due to delays in deploying card reader technology, TWIC cards initially were not electronically authenticated. Numerous industry participants have expressed concerns about the financial burdens imposed on heavily regulated sectors. As of January 2016, the use of TWIC card readers at vessels and waterfront facilities was not compulsory because rulemaking remained incomplete. This situation allowed individuals with invalidated TWIC cards potential unescorted access since on-site electronic verification was unavailable.

Applicant processing delays

The National Employment Law Project reported substantial delays affecting some TWIC applicants, particularly those initially denied due to background investigations who faced six to eight months to complete the process. More than 10,000 out of 1.5 million port workers were unable to work for an average duration of 69 days because they lacked a TWIC by the program’s enforcement date.

Defective TWIC cards

In November 2011, TSA disclosed that approximately 26,000 TWIC cards issued prior to April 5, 2011, malfunctioned in card readers due to incomplete encoding of the Federal Agency Smart Credential Number (FASC-N). The agency released a list of impacted serial numbers and pledged to replace defective cards free of charge.

Critiques

The program has been criticized for expenditures exceeding $420 million with limited effectiveness. A 2013 GAO report deemed the TWIC card reader pilot results unreliable and questioned the program’s contribution to security improvements. Representative John Mica (R-FL) characterized the cards as "at best no more useful than library cards."

Legislative action

On July 28, 2014, the United States House of Representatives approved the Essential Transportation Worker Identification Credential Assessment Act (H.R. 3202; 113th Congress), which requires the United States Department of Homeland Security to conduct an evaluation of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program’s effectiveness. This legislation calls for an independent review assessing how well TWIC enhances security and reduces risks at covered facilities and vessels. The assessment must include a cost-benefit analysis and consider alternative credentialing technologies.

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