The cost to apply for TSA PreCheck typically ranges from $76.75 to $85.00. However, through the years, the TSA has made the application to the program available, at no cost, to certain groups including:
- Children aged 17 and under whose parent/guardian has TSA PreCheck (kids don’t even need to apply. They can go through PreCheck for free if they’re with a parent or guardian who has PreCheck)
- Certain Hazardous Materials Endorsement (HME) holders get TSA PreCheck for free
- Active military and DoD civilian employees get TSA PreCheck at no cost
- The fee for TSA PreCheck is waived for Gold Star families
Veterans, however, generally didn’t make the list; here’s why.
However, that’s recently changed.
Thanks to the VETS Safe Travel Act, some disabled veterans can now receive TSA PreCheck at no cost. The legislation was introduced in 2024, passed with bipartisan support, and signed into law by President Biden on January 4, 2025. It then took time for the Department of Veterans Affairs and TSA to develop the systems needed to verify eligibility and implement the new benefit. However, the program is now live, meaning eligible veterans can apply for TSA PreCheck without paying the application fee.
The legislation was supported by the Wounded Warrior Project, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Honor Flight Network, Disabled American Veterans, the American Legion, Blinded Veterans Association, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, veterans must meet all three of the following requirements to qualify:
- You’re enrolled in VA health care and
- You have a service-connected disability that resulted in permanent blindness, the loss of a limb, the loss of the use of a limb, full paralysis or partial paralysis and
- You require the use of a VA-issued wheelchair or prosthetic limb because of a service-connected disability
The VA website also explains the process for using the fee waiver.
It’s not a benefit that applies to every veteran, and the eligibility requirements are understandably specific.
But for those who qualify, it’s one less expense to worry about and one more way to make air travel a little easier.
If you think you may be eligible, it’s worth taking a few minutes to review the VA’s requirements and application process before your next trip. After all, if you can skip both the application fee and spend less time waiting in airport security lines, that’s a benefit worth taking advantage of.
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