Editing Transportation Security Administration (section)

====== Current list of acceptable IDs ======
* Federally recognized:
** Driver's licenses, [[enhanced driver's license]]s or other photo identity cards issued by U.S. state or territorial [[Department of Motor Vehicles|Departments of Motor Vehicles]].
** Tribal photo identification issued by a tribe [[List of federally recognized tribes in the contiguous United States|federally recognized]] by the [[Bureau of Indian Affairs|U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs]]
** Canadian provincial or territorial [[Driver's licences in Canada|driver's licence]], [[Canadian provincial and territorial photo cards|photo card]] or [[Indigenous Services Canada]] card
** [[Passport]] issued by a [[Sovereign state|recognized]] foreign country
** Airline employee or flight crew ID
** [[Security identification display area]] (SIDA) badge issued by the airport.
* Federally issued:
** [[HSPD|HSPD-12]]/ [[FIPS 201]] PIV cards issued to federal employees and contractors.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gsa.gov/technology/it-contract-vehicles-and-purchasing-programs/federal-credentialing-services?gsaredirect=fedidcard|title=Federal credentialing services|website=U.S. General Services Administration}}</ref>
* [[United States Department of State|U.S. Department of State]]-issued:
** [[United States passport]]
** [[United States passport card]]
** [[Border Crossing Card]]
* [[United States Department of Homeland Security|U.S Department of Homeland Security]]-issued:
** CBP trusted traveler cards ([[Global Entry]], [[NEXUS]], [[Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection|SENTRI]], [[Free and Secure Trade|FAST]])
** USCIS [[refugee travel document]]
** USCIS [[U.S. re-entry permit|re-entry permit]]
** USCIS [[Permanent residence (United States)|permanent resident card]] (''aka'' green card)
** USCIS [[employment authorization document]] (''aka'' work permit)<ref name="identification" />
** TSA [[Transportation Worker Identification Credential]] (TWIC)
** Coast Guard [[Merchant Mariner Credential]] (MMC)
* [[United States Department of Defense|U.S. Department of Defense]]-issued:
** [[Common Access Card]] (CAC)
** [[United States Uniformed Services Privilege and Identification Card|Uniformed Services Privilege and Identification Card]]
* [[United States Department of Veterans Affairs|U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs]]-issued:
** [[Veteran Health Identification Card]] (VHIC)

Passenger names are compared against the [[No Fly List]], a list of about 21,000 names ({{as of|2012|lc=y}}) of suspected terrorists who are not allowed to board.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/no-fly-list-doubles-in-a-year-now-21000-names/|title=No-fly list doubles in a year – now 21,000 names|date=February 2, 2012|work=[[CBS News]]|access-date=April 6, 2013}}</ref> Passenger names are also compared against a longer list of [[selectee]]s; passengers whose names match names from this list receive a more thorough screening before being potentially allowed to board.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/TRAVEL/10/22/no.fly.lists/index.html|title=Terrorist watch lists shorter than previously reported|last=Alvarez|first=Lizette|date=October 22, 2008|work=[[CNN]]|access-date=April 6, 2013}}</ref> The effectiveness of the lists has been criticized on the basis of errors in how those lists are maintained,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-dec-29-la-oe-schoenfeld29-2009dec29-story.html|title=Politics and the no-fly list|last=Schoenfeld|first=Gabriel|date=December 29, 2009|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=April 6, 2013}}</ref> for concerns that the lists are [[Constitutionality|unconstitutional]], and for its ineffectiveness at stopping [[Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab]], who attempted to detonate plastic explosives in his underwear, from boarding an aircraft.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2009/12/31/how-did-us-no-fly-list-miss/|title=Plane bombing plot: No-fly list procedure needs revamping, critics say|last=Tankersley|first=Jim|date=December 31, 2009|work=[[Chicago Tribune]]|access-date=April 6, 2013}}</ref>
At the airport security checkpoint, passengers are screened to ensure they are not carrying prohibited items. These include most sorts of sharp objects, many sporting goods such as baseball bats and hockey sticks, guns or other weapons, many sorts of tools, flammable liquids (except for conventional lighters), many forms of chemicals and paint.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/prohibited-items|website=tsa.gov|title=Prohibited Items|publisher=Transportation Security Administration|access-date=April 6, 2013}}</ref> In addition, passengers are limited to {{convert|3.4|USoz|lk=in}} of almost any liquid or gel, which must be presented at the checkpoint in a clear, one-quart [[Zipper storage bag|zip-top bag]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/3-1-1-carry-ons|title=3-1-1 for Carry-ons|publisher=Transportation Security Administration|access-date=April 6, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130411045917/http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/3-1-1-carry-ons|archive-date=April 11, 2013}}</ref> These restrictions on liquids were a reaction to the [[2006 transatlantic aircraft plot]].

The number of passengers who have been detected bringing firearms onto airplanes in their carry-on bags has increased in recent years, from 976 in 2009 to 4,239 in 2018, according to the TSA. Indeed, a new record high for firearms found in carry-on bags has been set every year since 2008.<ref>{{cite book |last=Gayden |first=Greg |date=2017 |title=Commercial Aviation 101|url=http://www.dfwtower.com/101/CommercialAviation101.pdf |location=Dallas |publisher=443 Critical |page=23}}
</ref> In 2010 an anonymous source told ABC News that [[red team|undercover agents]] managed to bring weapons through security nearly 70 percent of the time at some major airports.<ref name=quinn/> Firearms can be legally checked in checked luggage on domestic flights.<ref>{{cite web |title=Transporting Firearms and Ammunition |url=https://www.tsa.gov/travel/transporting-firearms-and-ammunition |publisher=Transportation Security Administration |access-date=September 5, 2021}}</ref>

In some cases, government leaders, members of the US military and law-enforcement officials are allowed to bypass security screening.<ref name="AP112310" /><ref>{{cite news|url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/federal-eye/2010/11/who_is_exempt_from_airport_sec.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316024827/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/federal-eye/2010/11/who_is_exempt_from_airport_sec.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 16, 2012|title=Who is exempt from airport security?|last=O'Keefe|first=Ed|date=November 22, 2010|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=April 7, 2013}}</ref>