Transportation Worker
Identification Credential (TWIC):
Program Overview & Government
Agency Access Protocol
TWIC Program Objective
• The TWIC program strikes a balance between these three
goals.
– Enhancing security through using a secure, common ID
to manage individual access to secure areas of the
transportation system.
– Facilitating commerce through an identity management
system that maintains, or improves worker access to
transportation facilities.
– Protecting privacy by collecting as little personal data as
necessary, putting that data on a secure ID, and
preventing unauthorized disclosure.
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TWIC Overview
• Under the Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA) and
Security and Accountability for Every (SAFE) Port Act, the
Secretary must establish rules to prevent an unauthorized
person from getting into a secure area of a vessel or facility
that has a security plan.
• The TWIC rules are based on these two laws. The laws
require using a standard, biometric ID (also known as a
“credential”), for access control to secure areas of vessels
and facilities. The ID is called the “Transportation Worker
Identification Credential” or “TWIC.”
• To get a TWIC, individuals must pass a Security Threat
Assessment (STA). That assessment helps TSA decide if he
or she poses a risk to transportation.
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TWIC Population
• Individuals who frequently access secure areas in the
course of their employment will need to obtain a TWIC.
These populations include but are not limited to:
– Agents
– Chandlers
– Port chaplains
– Longshoremen
– Surveyors
– Drayage truckers
– Truckers bringing/picking up cargo at a facility
– Other maritime professionals
– Facility employees who work in a secure area
– Non-credentialed mariners in vessel crew
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Federal Officials, State, & Local Law
Enforcement Officials & Emergency Responders
For unescorted access to a secure and restricted area, TWIC is not required
for:
•
Federal official
– Must present an agency-issued, HSPD-12 compliant card for
unescorted access to a secure area. If that official’s agency has
not issued this kind of identity document, he or she may use
the agency’s official credential for unescorted access until the
agency issues an HSPD-12 compliant card.
•
State or local law enforcement officers
– These officers may have unescorted access without a TWIC
when they are there for official business only.
Owners/operators must let them enter the vessel or maritime
facility at any time and without delay or obstruction for official
business.
•
A State or local emergency responder
– They may have unescorted access to during an emergency.
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List of Agencies Qualifying for the “Federal
Officials” Exemption
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Army Corp of Engineers
Centers for Disease Control
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Emergency Management
Agency
Federal Grain Inspection Service
Federal Railroad Administration
National Marine Fisheries
National Oceanographic &
Atmospheric Administration
National Science Foundation
National Transportation Safety Board
Pipeline & Hazardous Materials
Administration
Transportation Security Administration
US Postal Service
US Secret Service
•
US Coast Guard
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US Customs & Border Protection
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US Department of Agriculture
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US Department of Defense
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US Department of Energy
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US Department of Homeland Security
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US Department of Interior
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US Department of Transportation
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US Drug Enforcement Agency
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US Environmental Protection Agency
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US Immigration & Customs
Enforcement
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US Maritime Administration
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US Marshals Service
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US Nuclear Regulatory Commission
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TWIC & Law Enforcement Officials & Other
Regulatory Agencies
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Law enforcement officials at the State or local level, are not
required to obtain or possess a TWIC to gain unescorted access to
MTSA regulated facilities.
State and local law enforcement officials may use this exemption
in the course of their official duties
A law enforcement official for the purpose of TWIC to be any officer
or employee of any agency or authority of the United States, a
State, a commonwealth, a territory, a political subdivision of a
State or territory, or an Indian tribe, who is empowered by law to:
– Investigate or conduct an official inquiry into a potential violation of
law; or
– Prosecute or otherwise conduct a criminal, civil, or administrative
proceeding arising from an alleged violation of law;
– and is doing so while acting in their official capacity.
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TWIC & Law Enforcement Officials & Other
Regulatory Agencies
•
State environmental officials and others with regulatory
enforcement responsibilities at the State and local level who meet
these criteria are not required to obtain a TWIC to gain unescorted
access. However, they may voluntarily obtain a TWIC.
– State and municipal fire departments and their officials who require
access to secure areas of MTSA facilities for regulatory inspections in
conjunction with their official duties fall within the definition given
above, and as such are not required to obtain a TWIC or be escorted,
as they are considered law enforcement officials. However, they may
voluntarily obtain a TWIC.
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Secure Areas & Restricted Area Definitions
•
A Secure Area: The area over which an owner/operator has
implemented security measures for access control to reduce the
probability of a Transportation Security Incident (TSI).
•
A Restricted Area: The infrastructures or locations identified in an
area, vessel, or facility security assessment or by the operator that
requires limited access and a higher degree of security protection.
•
A public, passenger, or employee access areas: These areas are
not part of the secure area and cannot be in a restricted area. The
rules do not require people to have a TWIC to be in public,
passenger, and employee access areas.
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Non-TWIC Holders on MTSA Facilities
•
•
If an individual does not have a TWIC he or she will not be eligible
for unescorted access to secure areas.
If someone is found without a TWIC, contact the Facility Security
Officer and determine if they are under escort. If there is no escort,
contact the local Coast Guard Office.
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Escorting
• “Escorting” means ensuring that the escorted individual is
continuously accompanied while within a secure area in a
manner sufficient to observe whether the escorted
individual is engaged in activities other than those for which
escorted access was granted.
• This can be accomplished through monitoring or physical,
side-by-side accompaniment.
• Secure areas that are not also restricted areas
• Monitoring or side-by-side accompaniment (1:10)
• Secure areas that are also restricted areas
• Side-by-side accompaniment (1:5)
• All escorts must have a TWIC or equivalent
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Acting as an Escort
•
Federal officials and law enforcement officials are authorized to
escort non-TWIC holders within all areas of regulated facilities or
vessels in the course of their official duties, particularly when the
facility or vessel is one leased or used by a federal agency. Owners
and operators will not be penalized for allowing federal and law
enforcement officials to escort non-TWIC card holders. Escorting
by federal and law enforcement officials shall be accomplished
utilizing monitoring or side-by-side physical accompaniment as
appropriate for the area where the escorting is to take place
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Using TWIC as a Visual Identity Badge
• The TWIC will be used as a visual identity badge or “flash
pass”.
• Verification must include a visual check of the security
features present on the TWIC to ensure that the credential
has not been forged or tampered with.
• The individual conducting the verification of the TWIC must
possess a TWIC.
• The TWIC should be kept on the person or in a location
where it can be retrieved with in a reasonable time
(approximately 10 minutes) and must be presented when
requested by owners/operators, security personnel, or
authorized agency representatives.
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TWIC does not Guarantee Access
• Note that any one of the groups listed on the previous slide
may use unescorted access authority for official duties only.
Also, in an emergency, these groups must follow the
owner/operator’s approved vessel and facility security
plans.
• No one may go into a secure area unless the owner or
operator authorize it – even if the person has a TWIC.
– Even if the person has a TWIC. To be in a secure area, a
person without a TWIC must be “escorted.” That means
the person must be with someone who has a TWIC or be
“monitored” under our rules. Everyone in a secure area
must have your permission to be there.
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USCG and TWIC
•
USCG enforces the TWIC program as an access control measure. We
incorporate compliance with the TWIC program into current inspection
policies. We have the following responsibilities.
• Give guidance and assist industry to implement the TWIC program.
• Make annual compliance inspections.
• Spot-check vessels and maritime facilities to ensure they have
working TWIC programs, check fingerprints, and match biometrics
on TWICs.
• Review Vessel Security Plans (VSPs) and Facility Security Plans
(FSPs). In the future, we will include review to make sure TWIC is
part of an overall security program.
• Work with local groups to make sure people know when to comply,
where to enroll, and how to get any other useful information.
• Work with vessel and maritime facility inspection teams and
industry staff to make permanent security improvements.
• In some cases, respond to reports of invalid or false TWICs.
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Enforcement
•
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CG spot checks with or without hand held biometric readers can
include:
– Identity Verification
• Biometric match or photo comparison
– TWIC Validity
• Electronic comparison against hot list or check of printed
expiration date;
– TWIC Authenticity
• Electronic check of digital certificate or physical
observation of security features
If an individual presents a TWIC that an owner/operator believes is
fraudulent, he/she should:
– Deny the individual unescorted access to secure areas;
– Check another ID;
– Call the COTP and inform them that you suspect a fraudulent
TWIC.
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TWIC Program Help Desks & Hotlines

TSA website –
WWW.TSA.GOV/TWIC
 Enrollment information
 Deployment Schedule (when finalized)

Enrollment Contractor –
 Phone - 866-DHS-TWIC

USCG website - HOMEPORT.USCG.MIL
 Final Rulemaking
 NVIC
 FAQs

USCG Helpdesk –
 Phone - 877-687-2243 (877-MTSA-AID)
 Email – USCG-TWIC-HELPDESK@USCG.MIL

Sector NY Shoreside Compliance Branch
 Phone- 718-354-4286
 Email- Tiffany.A.Johnson@uscg.mil
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