Posted: December 28, 2012

USCG extends unescorted access period for individuals awaiting replacement TWIC cards


In a policy letter dated Dec. 19, the U.S. Coast Guard has provided for, under certain circumstances, a 30-day extension of unescorted access to secure areas for individuals who are awaiting issuance of a replacement Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) for a lost, damaged or stolen card. As existing regulations allow for seven days of unescorted access under such circumstances, the policy letter effectively extends this period to 37 calendar days.

According to the policy letter, "this provision ... may also be extended to individuals who have applied for a TWIC renewal prior to its expiration, and through no fault of their own, are not able to take possession of their TWIC due to a significant delay in the application, production, issuance and/or activation process."

According to the policy letter, in order to qualify for unescorted access, an individual must have reported a TWIC lost, damaged or stolen to the Transportation Security Administration, must meet all requirements under existing regulations, and must meet the following two requirements:
  1. The individual must provide proof that a replacement TWIC has been ordered (a payment receipt or an enrollment e-mail confirmation are acceptable as proof)
  2. Provide the vessel or facility security officer, or other designated security personnel, with the individual's first name and last name, as well as application identification (if known)
The document, CG-FAC Policy Letter 12-04, includes details on existing regulations and contact information for the U.S. Coast Guard. This policy letter is available on the Coast Guard's Homeport website. The file can be located with the website's search function, and can be found on the "TWIC" page, which is accessible under "Featured Homeport Links" on the right side of the home page.