This Is The Best Way To Update Your Personal Information For TSA PreCheck

Snagging a free upgrade to first class is brag-worthy, but being a member of TSA PreCheck is just as impressive (though there's no actual card to flash). As part of the Department of Homeland Security's Trusted Traveler program, TSA PreCheck is your personal pass to breeze past long security lines at the airport, and it's the program best for you if you find yourself traveling stateside quite frequently.

But it's important to keep in mind that PreCheck memberships are non-transferable (except for your kids 12 and under traveling with you). Your Known Traveler Number (KTN) assigned at enrollment sticks with you until it expires. It must match the name and date of birth on your flight ticket down to the letter (and number), or you risk being forced to forego the PreCheck perks for that trip. Fortunately, if you change your name — or any other personal information, for that matter — updating it with TSA PreCheck is as simple as picking up the phone or shooting an email.

Sometimes, the info you enrolled with becomes outdated — name, address, gender, you name it. Keeping these details up to date is crucial to avoid any hiccups with enjoying PreCheck privileges. The membership lasts five years, after all, and a lot can change in that time. According to the TSA, however, updating your info only involves reaching out to the provider you enrolled with.

If you're not up to speed on the TSA PreCheck enrollment process, here's the lowdown: As of this writing, there are three enrollment providers — IDEMIA, Telos, and CLEAR. Each of these private companies is hired by the TSA to screen applicants and gather information for further review by the agency and the FBI. They each charge different fees (spoiler: You can actually get TSA PreCheck for free), but the cost differences among them are pretty minor.

These providers are also your go-to contacts for updating any information. Changed your name due to marriage, divorce, or had gone through a legal name change? Discovered a spelling error in your TSA PreCheck account? Switched genders or moved to a new address? Reach out to them. The TSA has even made a handy cheat sheet listing all the ways to contact each provider. All three can be reached by phone and email, although IDEMIA uses an online form instead of email.

But if you forgot the provider you initially signed up with (hey, it happens), there's a workaround for that. You just have to enter your information through the TSA PreCheck KTN Lookup tool to find out. Just make it a point to update your info before your next trip, especially if you've changed your name — otherwise, you won't be able to enjoy those sweet PreCheck benefits and end up going through the regular security lanes.

To be fair to the TSA, they're stepping up their game in championing inclusivity. If you're a TSA PreCheck member who has undergone a gender change, updating your information is just as straightforward as updating anything else — you just have to reach out to your enrollment provider. The good news? It's not even mandatory. Even if your current gender is different from the one on your TSA PreCheck record, as long as your name and date of birth on your flight booking match what the TSA has on file, you're good to go. But if you decide to go ahead and proceed with the update anyway, your ID doesn't necessarily have to reflect your current gender.

In line with this inclusive approach, the TSA is also encouraging domestic airlines to allow "X" gender markers in their flight booking systems, accommodating those who prefer not to disclose their gender when booking flights. Plus, the TSA has made it clear that gender factors are off the table during airport screenings. Again, no worries if your government-issued ID shows a different gender. As TSA spokesperson Robert Langston told USA Today, "If there is an inconsistency among documents as it pertains to gender, that is considered to be irrelevant as long as the name and date of birth information is consistent."