Feds announce fees changes to hazmat and TWIC programs

The price for some drivers looking to obtain or renew their hazardous material endorsement or Transportation Worker Identification Credential card is getting cheaper.

In a notice published to the Federal Register on Nov. 4, the Transportation Security Administration announced slight changes to the current fee structures for both programs. The changes come following a regular review by the agency in which they “review fees to ensure they recover, but do not exceed, the full cost of services.”

The changes are minimal, and will not impact the cost of new enrollment or in-person renewal to either of the programs for applicants without a current security threat assessment.

It will however impact those choosing to renew their TWIC card online.

According to TSA, approximately 54% of active TWIC cardholders enroll for a new TWIC after their security threat assessment expires. In an effort to reduce that percentage by making renewing easier, the agency implemented a new online renewal capability in August of this year.

“Online TWIC renewals will reduce the applicant’s cost and time burdens by permitting eligible applicants to obtain a new TWIC without enrolling in-person at a TSA enrollment center,” the notice read.

The cost to renew your TWIC card online is $117.25, as compared to the $125.25 in-person price. It may not be much of a discount, but the time-saving aspect also can be appealing.

The agency says most individuals with an active TWIC will be able to renew online, but it added some may need to visit an enrollment center for TSA to verify immigration status or update certain biometric or biographic information. The lower fee is available to eligible applicants who renew within 12 months of their current STA expiration date.

The other fee changes come to those enrolling their HME or TWIC card when using a comparable security threat assessment – which is one conducted by a government agency other than TSA.

According to federal regulation, the agency, “may determine that security threat assessments conducted by other governmental agencies are comparable to the threat assessment… which TSA conducts for HME and TWIC applicants.”

The agency had already offered a discount to drivers using a comparable security threat assessment, but that price is going down. For those enrolling for a new TWIC card using a comparable STA, the cost will decrease from $105.25 to $93. When using a comparable security threat assessment to obtain a hazardous material endorsement, the new reduced-fee price will go from $67 down to $41.

The fee changes went into effect on Nov. 3. LL