Children 12 and under may accompany an enrolled parent or guardian in the TSA PreCheck lanes without restriction. Children 13-17 may join enrolled adults in the dedicated lanes when traveling on the same reservation and if the TSA PreCheck indicator appears on the child's boarding pass.

Adding a child to TSA PreCheck depends entirely on their age. For children 12 and under, they do not need their own TSA PreCheck membership; they can accompany an enrolled parent or guardian in the expedited lanes without any restriction. For teenagers aged 13 to 17, they may also join their enrolled parent or guardian in the PreCheck lane, provided they are traveling on the same airline reservation and the TSA PreCheck indicator appears on their specific boarding pass. However, teens in this age group are subject to random exclusion, meaning they may occasionally be directed to the standard security line. If your teenager frequently travels alone or you want to guarantee they always have PreCheck access, it is best to apply for their own Known Traveler Number (KTN). To do this, you follow the standard application process: complete an online form, pay the application fee (currently around $78 for five years), and schedule an in-person appointment for fingerprinting and a background check at an enrollment center.