PSA: TSA PreCheck Payment Needs Card Member Present

Just a quick headsup that might be useful those using their TSA Precheck credit card benefit on various cards:

The $85 payment for 5 years of TSA Precheck is paid for in person when you get fingerprinted and verified. That’s in contradistinction to the more extensive Global Entry process where the fee is paid for online when booking the appointment.

This is pertinent for those who want to gift their TSA precheck benefit to a friend and won’t be present in person at the TSA precheck fingerprinting and verification appointment. The office likely will not accept payment from a card that does not match the person who is being verified. If you go in person with your friend, then you can use your card without a problem, but otherwise it won’t work. Conversely, with Global Entry the fee is paid online and you can pay anyone’s fee without issue.

Note, as with everything: YMMV, the TSA agent might elect to accept the card, especially if it has the same last name, just be aware that this is an issue that many people have had in the past.  Also note, for renewals the payment for TSA Precheck is done online and you won’t have this issue.

Hat tip to gmptvu

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49 Comments
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Yu
Yu (@guest_1457722)
October 3, 2022 19:33

Anyone used BOA Premium Rewards card to pay $100 Global Entry application/renewal fee? Is so how long did it take to get the credit? Thanks.

ABDS
ABDS (@guest_1438436)
September 5, 2022 14:20

I was so disappointed when this happened last year with my sister. Same, long last name and maybe 5 people in the US have and the TSA agent didn’t allow my sister to use my card.

Didn’t make any sense.

Jack
Jack (@guest_1433520)
August 28, 2022 14:43

Global Entry is the way to go

P
P (@guest_1433285)
August 27, 2022 23:08

At first the post made me think you would no longer get your TSA pre-check credits from your credit cards unless it’s an in-person payment.

Matisyahu
Matisyahu (@guest_1433080)
August 27, 2022 13:40

What about PreCheck renewals?

Stuno259
Stuno259 (@guest_1433348)
August 28, 2022 05:27

I just rewnewed my TSA precheck a month ago and the fee was credited within a week by Amex. Renewals don’t require an in person visit and can be made online…am not siure if that would work for 3rd party renewals.

Abby Normal
Abby Normal (@guest_1433021)
August 27, 2022 11:15

I sent my wife with my card and they wouldn’t let her use it.

I then went for my own appointment and realized I forgot to grab the right card.

Double fail.

Youn
Youn (@guest_1432999)
August 27, 2022 09:55

Well I just went yesterday and the agent took my card and swiped it on her side of the desk.

Youn
Youn (@guest_1432998)
August 27, 2022 09:53

Well I just went yesterday and the agent took my card and inserted it on her side of the desk.

Jason
Jason (@guest_1432890)
August 26, 2022 23:32

PSA: This is YMMV. I’ve given my card (different cards technically) to someone twice in the last year and the agent didn’t say a word. You insert your own card in the card reader (at least at this location) and it’s on your side of the desk/table, so the agent never sees or touches it.

Celia
Celia (@guest_1432993)
August 27, 2022 09:35

I’d agree for the most part. I’ve never had an issue myself but my nephew did. Someone asked to see ID and he was using his mom’s credit card. Threatened to call the police for fraudulent credit card use, the whole theatre scene. In the end, he used his own card and didn’t get the credit. There’s probably a less than one percent chance of that happening unless it’s policy at the particular location.

Novacat05
Novacat05 (@guest_1433168)
August 27, 2022 18:26

This was my experience too, insert it myself, they wouldn’t see the name or know. However the people running the operation at my location were very grumpy and not very nice, I could see them making a big stink about a situation Iike this.

Andy
Andy (@guest_1432870)
August 26, 2022 22:50

Contradistinction, you say?

Fathiss
Fathiss (@guest_1432952)
August 27, 2022 05:58

I wonder how many blogs the Doc has waited to get that word in.

anita
anita (@guest_1433185)
August 27, 2022 19:11
TB
TB (@guest_1433173)
August 27, 2022 18:36

Chuck is British so his English is way advanced compared to the shit we talk here

Vic Jang
Vic Jang (@guest_1433626)
August 28, 2022 19:00

Lmao my brain froze a bit at that part. Never seen this word in my life coming from a non-native speaker POV.