A TWIC (or Transportation Worker Identification Credential) provides U.S. maritime workers unescorted access to secure areas of port facilities and vessels regulated under the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002. It is a Transportation Security Administration and U.S. Coast Guard initiative and a minimum employment requirement for Military Sealift Command. To obtain a TWIC, an individual must provide biographic and biometric information such as fingerprints, sit for a digital photograph, and successfully pass a security threat assessment conducted by TSA.
The standard fee to obtain a TWIC card is $132.50. If an applicant has already undergone a comparable threat assessment in connection with an HME, a FAST card, or holds an MMC or License, they are eligible to pay the reduced fee of $105.25.
Yes, all MSC CIVMARs are required to carry a TWIC card while underway. It is a minimum employment requirement for MSC; all applicants must possess a TWIC card prior to applying.
There are over 140 TWIC registration offices nationwide. For more information about TWIC cards or to schedule an appointment at a TWIC office, please visit http://twicinformation.tsa.dhs.gov/twicinfo/schedule.jsp.