Roberta Aguirre
While Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at airports are authorised to conduct security screenings, searches, and request additional screening, there is no indication that they can ask for your social security number. In fact, police officers typically cannot and should not ask for your social security number unless during an investigation or for identification purposes, such as during the booking process for an arrest on legitimate grounds.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Can ask for your SS | No |
| Can ask for your ID | Yes |
| Can ask you to remove headwear | Yes, but you have the right to request a private screening area |
| Can ask you to remove light outerwear or bulky clothing | Yes |
| Can ask you to remove electronics larger than a cell phone from your carry-on | Yes |
| Can ask you to open containers of breast milk or formula | Yes |
| Can ask you questions about your citizenship and travel itinerary | Yes |
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What You'll Learn
TSA screenings and searches
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) conducts security screenings at airports. TSA officers are not commissioned law enforcement officers, but they can search passengers, baggage, and cargo at screening checkpoints. They cannot, however, arrest anyone. TSA screenings are part of a layered security approach at commercial airports, and the agency works with intelligence and law enforcement agencies to adapt security procedures based on evolving threats.
TSA screenings include the scanning of carry-on bags for explosives and other dangerous items. Passengers are also required to remove personal electronic devices larger than a cell phone from their carry-on bags for X-ray screening. This includes items such as laptops, tablets, e-readers, and handheld game consoles. Food items like fruits, health bars, and sandwiches can usually remain inside carry-on bags. However, powder-based substances in carry-on baggage over 12 oz or 350ml may require additional screening and will not be allowed in the cabin if they cannot be identified at the central checkpoint.
TSA officers may also screen checked baggage for explosives and other dangerous items. If a bag is physically inspected, TSA will place a notice of baggage inspection inside. Passengers can file a claim with TSA if their property is lost or damaged during the screening process.
TSA may also conduct additional security screenings, such as the Secondary Security Screening Selection (SSSS), which is displayed on boarding passes as a four-letter code. This prompts officers to conduct further security screenings, including carry-on luggage searches. SSSS is often applied randomly, but it can also be applied to passengers on watchlists or with unusual travel patterns.
TSA officers are not allowed to select individuals for personal searches or secondary inspections based on their religion, race, national origin, gender, ethnicity, or political beliefs. Passengers have the right to wear religious head coverings during screenings and can request a private screening if asked to remove their head coverings.
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Rights and protections
At airports, you are likely to encounter Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents, immigration officers, and Transportation and Safety Administration (TSA) officers. While these officers have the authority to search your bags and ask you questions about your citizenship and travel itinerary, they may not select you for a personal search or secondary inspection based on your religion, race, national origin, gender, ethnicity, or political beliefs.
If you are a US citizen, you have the right to have an attorney present during any questioning at the airport. If you are not a US citizen, you generally do not have the right to the presence of an attorney when an immigration officer is determining your admissibility at the airport or another port of entry. However, you do have the right to an attorney if the questions relate to anything other than your immigration status.
If you are a lawful permanent resident (LPR) who has maintained your status, you only have to answer questions establishing your identity and permanent residency. Refusal to answer other questions will likely cause delay, but officials may not deny you entry into the United States for failure to answer these questions. If you are a non-citizen visa holder or visitor, you may be denied entry into the United States if you refuse to answer officers' questions.
You have the right to wear religious head coverings and should assert this right if asked to remove them. If an alarm goes off when you walk through the metal detector, a TSA officer may use a hand-wand to determine if the item that set off the alarm is located inside your head covering. If the alarm is coming from your head-covering area, the TSA officer may want to pat down your covering or ask you to remove it. You have the right to request that this pat-down or removal occur in a private area and be conducted by a person of your gender. If you do not want the TSA officer to touch your religious head covering, you must refuse and say that you would prefer to pat down your own religious head covering. After the pat-down, the TSA officer may rub your hands with a small cotton cloth and place it in a machine to test for chemical residue. If you pass this test, you should be allowed to proceed to your flight.
Federal, state, and local agencies may deny an individual a right, benefit, or privilege provided by law because of such an individual's refusal to disclose their social security number if the disclosure is required by federal statute. A key statute that requires the disclosure of social security numbers is the Social Security Act (SSA), which expressly permits a state agency to use social security numbers for the purpose of identifying individuals "in the administration of any tax, general public assistance, driver's license, or motor vehicle registration law within its jurisdiction."
Passengers aged 18 and older must show valid identification at the airport checkpoint to travel. TSA strongly encourages checking the list of acceptable IDs before traveling, as the list is subject to change without notice. As of May 7, 2025, state-issued driver's licenses and IDs that are not REAL ID-compliant are no longer accepted as valid forms of identification at airports. Passengers who present non-compliant IDs at TSA checkpoints and who do not have another acceptable alternative form of ID may be directed to a separate area and may receive additional screening.
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Random security measures
One example of a random security measure is the Secondary Security Screening Selection (SSSS) by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The SSSS designation, also known as the "dreaded four-letter code," often appears randomly on airline passengers' tickets without any specific reason. It prompts officers to conduct additional security screenings, including carry-on luggage searches, for both domestic and international flights to and from the U.S.
The TSA can also mandate extra screening based on suspicious behaviour, unclear scan results, or questionable items during the bag-scanning process. These screenings may include pat-downs, removal of religious headwear, and chemical residue tests. Additionally, the TSA works with international partners to maintain aviation security standards abroad, resulting in enhanced security measures at foreign airports with direct flights to the U.S.
While random security measures are crucial for safety, they may introduce challenges such as hygiene concerns. For instance, a study at Helsinki-Vantaa airport identified plastic security screening trays as a significant vector for the spread of respiratory viruses. Furthermore, the implementation of randomised security checks has been proposed as an alternative to traditional approaches, but it may lead to a decreased perception of security and potential reduction in deterrence of criminal activities.
To address the challenges associated with random security measures, airports and security agencies must work together to enhance sanitation practices and communicate the importance of unpredictable security protocols to the public. Additionally, programs like the Department of Homeland Security's Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (DHS TRIP) assist travellers who face repeated obstacles due to additional screenings.
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Baggage and carry-on searches
Passengers are typically required to undergo security screenings at checkpoints, where they and their baggage are searched. TSA screeners can conduct further searches even if the initial screening reveals nothing suspicious. These searches are usually carried out by TSA officers, who are not commissioned law enforcement officers, but other law enforcement officers like airport police are also present at airports. It is important to note that officers are not permitted to select individuals for personal searches or secondary inspections based on religion, race, national origin, gender, ethnicity, or political beliefs.
During the screening process, passengers may be asked to remove personal electronic devices larger than a cell phone from their carry-on bags for separate screening. This includes items such as laptops, tablets, e-readers, and handheld game consoles. Other items like foods, powders, and materials that can clutter bags and obstruct X-ray images may also need to be separated from carry-on luggage. Passengers are advised to keep their bags organized to facilitate a smoother screening process.
In some cases, passengers may be subjected to additional security screenings, as indicated by the "SSSS" code on their boarding pass, which stands for "Secondary Security Screening Selection." This may result in carry-on luggage searches and other enhanced security protocols. The TSA mandates extra screening in certain situations, such as when something unclear or questionable is detected during bag scanning or if a passenger's behaviour is deemed suspicious.
The procedures for baggage searches can vary depending on the location and airport. In some cases, passengers may be asked to open their bags and show items, while in other instances, security personnel may conduct the search independently. For checked baggage, passengers may be pulled aside and asked to identify their bag or locate specific items.
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Identification and citizenship
As of May 7, 2025, state-issued driver's licenses and IDs that are not REAL ID-compliant are no longer accepted as valid forms of identification at airports. Passengers should either travel with an acceptable alternative form of ID, such as a passport, or enroll for a state-issued REAL ID through their state DMV offices. Passengers without acceptable ID may have their identity verified by providing information such as their name and current address. Passengers with confirmed identities may then be subject to additional screening. People without confirmed identities will not be allowed to go through security.
The following are acceptable forms of ID at TSA checkpoints:
- REAL ID-compliant driver's licenses
- State photo identity cards issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent)
- State-issued Enhanced Driver's License (EDL) or Enhanced ID (EID)
- U.S. passport or U.S. passport card
- DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
- U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
- Federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe-issued photo ID, including Enhanced Tribal Cards (ETCs)
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
- U.S. Citizen Identification Card (I-179 or I-197)
- Unexpired U.S. Passport (book or card)
- Unexpired U.S. Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL) or Unexpired Enhanced Identification Card (EID)
- Permanent Resident Card (I-551) or "Green Card"
- Unexpired Foreign Passport AND immigrant visa with I-551 annotation of “Upon Endorsement Serves as Temporary I-551 Evidencing Permanent Residence of 1 Year”
- U.S. Birth Certificate
- U.S. Certificate of Citizenship (N-560 or N-561)
Children under 18 are not required to provide identification when traveling within the United States. However, unaccompanied minors who are eligible for TSA PreCheck must show an acceptable ID to receive expedited screening. TSA accepts variations on suffixes on boarding passes and IDs. Suffixes are not required on boarding passes.
TSA officers conduct security screenings of passengers, baggage, and cargo. They can search passengers and their baggage at screening checkpoints but cannot arrest them. Other law enforcement officers, such as airport police, are also present at airports. TSA screeners have the authority to conduct further searches even if the initial screening reveals nothing suspicious. They may not select passengers for a personal search or secondary inspection based on religion, race, national origin, gender, ethnicity, or political beliefs.
Officers may request additional screening if an alarm goes off during the initial screening. They may then conduct a pat-down of religious headwear or ask passengers to remove it. Passengers have the right to request that the pat-down or removal be conducted by a person of their gender in a private area. If passengers do not want TSA officers to touch their religious headwear, they must refuse and request to pat down their own headwear under supervision. After the pat-down, TSA officers may rub the passenger's hands with a small cotton cloth and place it in a machine to test for chemical residue.
The Department of Homeland Security's Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (DHS TRIP) helps provide travelers with a redress control number that can be used when booking to confirm their identity. The program is designed for travelers who have been denied boarding or repeatedly asked to complete additional screenings. While the SSSS designation on a boarding pass is often random, it can also be applied to passengers on watchlists or with unusual travel patterns.
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