Where to find your Known Traveler Number
Short answer. If you have TSA PreCheck, your Known Traveler Number (KTN) is in your approval notice, and you can look it up any time with TSA's KTN Lookup Tool. If you have Global Entry, NEXUS or SENTRI, your KTN is your PASSID: it's on the back of your card in the upper-left corner, and near the top of your Trusted Traveler Programs account.
What a Known Traveler Number looks like
| Your program | Your KTN is | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| TSA PreCheck | The number TSA issued when you were approved | 9 or 10 characters, letters and numbers. Typically starts with TT (enrolled with IDEMIA), TE (Telos) or AC (CLEAR). |
| Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI | Your CBP PASSID (membership number) | 9 digits. Usually starts with 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 50, 70, 80, 95, 98 or 99. |
If you have TSA PreCheck
- Search your email for the approval notice from the company you enrolled with (IDEMIA, Telos or CLEAR). Your KTN is in it.
- Use TSA's KTN Lookup Tool. Enter your details exactly as you gave them when you enrolled. The tool also shows when your membership expires.
- Forgot which company you enrolled with? The same lookup tool can tell you.
There is no TSA PreCheck card, so there's nothing to dig out of a drawer. The number is the membership.
If you have Global Entry, NEXUS or SENTRI
- On your card: the PASSID is on the back, in the upper-left corner.
- Online: sign in to your Trusted Traveler Programs account at ttp.dhs.gov. Your membership number (PASSID) is listed near the top of the page.
Showing the card at airport security doesn't get you into the PreCheck lane. The PASSID has to be in your airline reservation.
Next time, it's one search away.
GoodThru keeps your Known Traveler Number next to your passport and license, encrypted on your iPhone. Type "traveler", copy the number into the booking form, done. It also reminds you months before PreCheck or Global Entry runs out.
How to use it when you book
- Enter it in the "Known Traveler Number" field of each airline reservation, or save it in your frequent flyer profile so it's added automatically.
- Match your name exactly. The name on the reservation must match the name on your application. If you included your middle name when you applied, include it when you book.
- Look for the PreCheck indicator on your boarding pass (for example "TSA PRE" or "TSAPRECHK"). Without it, you can't use the PreCheck lane.
- Kids: don't enter your KTN for a child. Leave the field blank. Children 12 and under can go through the PreCheck lane with you. Children 13 to 17 can too, if they're on the same reservation and the indicator appears on their boarding pass.
No PreCheck on your boarding pass?
- Check that your membership hasn't expired. The KTN Lookup Tool shows the expiration date.
- Check the reservation: the KTN, your name and your date of birth must match exactly.
- Still missing? TSA's AskTSA team and contact center can help. See the TSA PreCheck FAQ.
How long it lasts, and when to renew
| TSA PreCheck | Global Entry | |
|---|---|---|
| Membership lasts | 5 years | 5 years |
| You can renew | Online, up to 6 months before it expires. The new period starts when the old one ends, so renewing early costs you nothing. | Starting 1 year before it expires, through your Trusted Traveler Programs account. |
| Good to know | Your KTN stays the same after renewal. TSA suggests renewing at least 60 days ahead. A flight booked before your KTN expires won't get PreCheck if it departs after. | If you apply to renew before it expires, CBP lets you keep using the benefits for up to 24 months past the expiration date while your renewal is pending. |
TSA's enrollment providers email or text renewal notices six months, three months, one month and two weeks before expiration, if they have your current contact details. Old email address? Worth checking the date yourself. Renewal steps, prices and what happens if it lapses: TSA PreCheck and Global Entry expiration.
Questions
Is my Known Traveler Number the same as my PASSID?
If you have Global Entry, NEXUS or SENTRI, yes. Your CBP PASSID is your Known Traveler Number. Enter it in the Known Traveler Number field when you book.
Does my Known Traveler Number change when I renew TSA PreCheck?
No. TSA says members keep the same KTN when they renew.
Is there a TSA PreCheck card?
No. There is no TSA PreCheck card. You get PreCheck by adding your Known Traveler Number to your airline reservation.
Can I put my Known Traveler Number on my child's reservation?
No. If your child doesn't have their own KTN, leave the field blank. Children 17 and under traveling with you can use TSA PreCheck without their own KTN. Children 13 to 17 must be on the same reservation and have the PreCheck indicator on their boarding pass ( TSA PreCheck FAQ).
How long is a Known Traveler Number good for?
TSA PreCheck and Global Entry memberships each last five years. You can renew TSA PreCheck online up to six months before it expires, and Global Entry starting one year before it expires.
Sources
- TSA: What is a Known Traveler Number (KTN)?
- TSA: TSA PreCheck FAQ (renewal, children, boarding pass indicator, no card)
- TSA: KTN Lookup Tool
- CBP: Trusted Traveler Program FAQ (membership number, Global Entry renewal)
- CBP: Global Entry (five-year membership)
All checked November 13, 2026. Rules change, so confirm with TSA or CBP before you travel. GoodThru is an independent app and isn't affiliated with TSA, CBP or DHS.
