Updated November 11, 2026

How to apply for SENTRI: fee, documents, vehicle rules and status

To apply for SENTRI, create an account on the Department of Homeland Security Trusted Traveler Programs portal. Complete the online background form and pay the non-refundable adult application fee listed on the DHS Trusted Traveler Programs fee page, which replaced the previous three-part fee structure on October 1, 2024. Minors under 18 are exempt from the application fee when a parent or legal guardian is enrolled or has submitted a SENTRI application, and once U.S. Customs and Border Protection grants conditional approval, you have 2 years to complete an in-person interview at a SENTRI Enrollment Center with your passport, driver's license, proof of residency, and vehicle information if you plan to drive across the border from Mexico.

What is SENTRI and who is eligible to apply?

The Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) program for pre-approved, low-risk travelers entering the United States through dedicated primary lanes at southern land border ports. Every applicant must pass a background check and complete an in-person interview.

Every applicant, regardless of age, needs a separate application. Applicants under 18 need a parent or legal guardian's consent, and that parent or guardian must attend their interview. Because every member of your traveling party needs their own membership to use the designated entry lanes, each family member needs a separate federal authentication account, TTP application, and interview appointment.

SENTRI members receive expedited vehicle and pedestrian entrance into the U.S. from Canada and Mexico, and can use Ready Lanes at land border ports with their RFID-enabled card. U.S. citizens and U.S. lawful permanent residents in SENTRI get TSA PreCheck by entering their PASSID as their Known Traveler Number, and are automatically eligible for Global Entry benefits once their passport information and fingerprints are collected at their interview. You can submit an application for only one CBP Trusted Traveler Program (aside from commercial drivers adding FAST). To compare programs, see our Global Entry interview guide and our NEXUS vs Global Entry comparison.

CBP states you may not be eligible for SENTRI if you:

• Provide false or incomplete information on the application.
• Have been arrested for, or convicted of, any criminal offense or have pending criminal charges, protection orders, or outstanding warrants in any country.
• Have been found in violation of any customs, immigration, or agriculture regulations, procedures, or laws in any country.
• Are the subject of an investigation by any federal, state, or local law enforcement agency in any country.
• Have denied firearms transactions.
• Are known or suspected of being or having been engaged in conduct constituting, in preparation for, in aid of, or related to terrorism.
• Are inadmissible to the United States under applicable immigration laws, including applicants who have at any time been granted a waiver of inadmissibility or parole.
• Cannot satisfy CBP of your low-risk status or meet other program requirements.

SENTRI fee breakdown: the October 1, 2024 change

On October 1, 2024, CBP replaced SENTRI's three-part fee structure with a uniform non-refundable adult application fee for a 5-year membership, matching Global Entry and NEXUS as listed on the DHS Trusted Traveler Programs fee page. Under the same October 1, 2024 rule, minors under 18 are admitted free of charge if a parent or legal guardian is already a SENTRI member or has submitted a SENTRI application.

Before October 1, 2024, SENTRI charged an a la carte fee structure per adult made up of three parts listed on the DHS Trusted Traveler Programs FAQ page: an application fee (with a two-person family maximum), a fingerprint fee, and a Dedicated Commuter Lane (DCL) system cost fee (with a two-person family maximum).

You must pay the full adult application fee collected by CBP even if you already have TSA PreCheck. All TTP fees are non-refundable.

• Payment deadline: 30 days after completing your application.
• Accepted payment methods: Credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Diner's Club, or JCB) or direct electronic transfer from a U.S. bank account in U.S. currency on the TTP portal.
• Statement descriptor: Payments clear in 1-2 business days and appear as PAYMENT and USCUSTOMS TRUSTEDTRAVELER.

SENTRI fee schedule before and after October 1, 2024 (Source: DHS TTP FAQ and CBP Help Center)

Vehicle registration rules and adding a car in TTP

Vehicle registration is required to drive in SENTRI lanes along the U.S. and Mexico border, whereas CBP does not require vehicle registration for NEXUS lanes at the Canadian border. You manage and pay for SENTRI vehicle registrations online in your TTP account dashboard.

How you enter your car on the application determines whether there is no fee for registering your vehicle or whether CBP assesses the post-application vehicle registration fee listed in CBP Help Center Article 1302:

• Register on your initial application for no fee: If you register your vehicle in SENTRI as part of your initial application, there is no fee for registering your vehicle. If you register a vehicle after submitting your initial application, you must pay the CBP vehicle registration fee listed in CBP Help Center Article 1302.
• The family application rule: Enter each vehicle only once, on the primary driver's application. Leave the vehicle section blank on all other family members' applications.
• Multi-car and multi-driver limits: A member can register up to 4 vehicles maximum, and up to 8 SENTRI members can be registered to one vehicle, with an additional per-vehicle registration fee assessed for each extra vehicle or multi-vehicle registration.
• Worked family application example for two adults and two children under 18 with two cars: Based on the DHS TTP FAQ and CBP Help Center Article 1302 rules, if Parent A lists Car 1 on their initial application, Parent B lists Car 2 on their initial application, and both children apply with the vehicle section blank, the family pays only two adult application fees, zero minor fees, and zero vehicle registration fees. If Parent A instead submits both cars or waits until after submitting the initial application to add Car 2, CBP assesses the additional per-vehicle registration fee.
• Updating license plates: When you get new plates, log in to your TTP Dashboard, click Manage Vehicles on the right, and click Edit to avoid border delays. If Manage Vehicles is missing, click Edit Profile and enter your PASSID to link your record.

Documents and information needed for the SENTRI application

DHS estimates the online SENTRI application takes 40 minutes on average. You need the same core documents to fill out the TTP form and to bring in original hard copy to your interview:

• Unique email address and phone number: Required for your federal login account and two-factor authentication.
• 5 years of address and employment history: Your residential addresses for the past 5 years and all full-time and part-time jobs for the past 5 years for the employment history section. Overlapping dates are allowed, and full-time student dates can fill gaps.
• 5 years of international travel history: All countries visited in the past 5 years for the foreign travel listing other than Canada, Mexico, and U.S. territories such as the U.S. Virgin Islands (include cruise port stops outside Canada and Mexico even if you did not clear customs).
• Proof of citizenship and valid U.S. entry documents: A valid passport (bring all passports you travel with so the officer can add them to your file), visa, or other proof that you are allowed to enter the United States, plus documentation to prove any other citizenships. U.S. lawful permanent residents must present their Permanent Resident Card.
• Driver's license and proof of residency: A valid driver's license, plus proof that you live at your current address such as a driver's license with your current address, utility bill, mortgage statement, or rental payment statement. Minors do not need proof of address if an accompanying parent or guardian provides it.
• Vehicle information: Required on your application if you plan on driving across the border from Mexico into the United States.
• Court disposition documents: Required if you have ever been convicted of a crime other than a traffic violation, or if you were ever fingerprinted as part of an arrest or incident.

Step-by-step: how to submit your SENTRI application on TTP

Submit your SENTRI application on the DHS Trusted Traveler Programs portal (which replaced the old GOES portal) in five steps:

• Step 1: Create your federal login account and TTP profile. Open the DHS Trusted Traveler Programs portal, select SENTRI, and create a federal authentication account with a unique email and phone number for two-factor authentication. On the TTP Account Profile page, you can enter a shared family email for notifications, plus your PASSID (found on the back of a previous TTP card or notification letter) if you ever applied to Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, or FAST. If you already paid on the former GOES system, do not submit a new application or pay again. Instead, enter your PASSID or FAST ID under Edit Profile on your Dashboard to link your existing record.
• Step 2: Complete the online application. Enter your citizenship and identity documents, 5-year address, employment, and foreign travel histories, admissibility answers, and vehicle details (if you are the primary driver). Use only the TTP site's own navigation buttons rather than your browser's Back or Refresh buttons, which trigger a Page has expired warning.
• Step 3: Review, certify, and pay within 30 days. Click Confirm & Continue in each section on the Final Review page, click Save & Continue, answer Yes on the Certification page, and pay on the Purchase Summary page. If you have multiple completed applications in your account, the Purchase Summary page lists all of them and requires you to pay for them at the same time. Once paid, you cannot edit the application online. Report any errors or address, document, or vehicle changes to the CBP officer at your interview.
• Step 4: Wait for conditional approval. CBP runs a background check while your Dashboard shows Pending Review. There is no expedited review process for pending applications.
• Step 5: Schedule your interview within 2 years. When your status changes to Conditionally Approved, click Schedule Interview on your Dashboard. You can filter Enrollment Centers in the United States by location, soonest available appointment, or a specific date, such as the New Mexico SENTRI Enrollment Center at Albuquerque International Sunport. You must finish your interview within 2 years of conditional approval, or CBP cancels your application without a refund.

What the CBP officer checks at your SENTRI interview

At your SENTRI Enrollment Center interview, a CBP officer checks your original documents, reviews your application history, and collects fingerprints for applicants aged 14 and older. Log in to your TTP Dashboard and click Interview Confirmation (available while your status is Interview Scheduled) or print your conditional approval letter so you have your PASSID and required document list on hand. If the officer needs additional information or a follow-up interview before deciding, coordinate directly with the Enrollment Center.

If you need a disability accommodation or auxiliary aid, contact the Enrollment Center, call CBP at (877) 227-5511, or submit a request on the CBP Help Center support portal before your interview date by selecting Trusted Traveler Programs as the topic and Scheduling interview as the applicable issue. Match your answers to your TTP form and bring physical documents for any updates since you applied. For more on border officer questions, see our guide to CBP border questions and our Global Entry interview questions guide.

• "Why are you applying for SENTRI, and how often do you cross the border?" Checks that your travel fits a low-risk profile. Know the exact names and addresses of your employer, school, or family ties.
• "Where have you lived and worked over the past 5 years, and has anything changed since you applied?" Verifies your 5-year residential and employment history and lets you update your locked TTP form. Bring your driver's license, utility bill, mortgage statement, or rental statement, plus supporting documents for any new address or job.
• "Will you be driving a vehicle across the border from Mexico into the United States, and has your vehicle information changed since you applied?" Verifies the vehicle information on your application and lets you report any vehicle updates before approval.
• "Have you ever been arrested, fingerprinted, convicted of a crime other than a traffic violation, or cited for a customs, immigration, or agriculture violation?" Checks for disqualifying offenses. If you were ever fingerprinted as part of an arrest or incident, or convicted of a non-traffic crime, bring the associated court disposition documents to your interview.

Checking your SENTRI application status and processing times

Log into the DHS Trusted Traveler Programs portal or the Trusted Traveler Mobile App to check your status. When your status changes, CBP emails you to log in and read the notification letter on your Dashboard (turn off pop-up blockers to view it).

• Payment Initiated or Payment Returned: Credit card payments clear in 1-2 business days, moving your status to Pending Review. Payment Returned means the payment failed and processing will not start until paid.
• Pending Review (2 weeks, or 12-24 months for manual review): Initial vetting normally occurs within two weeks of submission, while manual review takes 12-24 months. Because times vary within a household, CBP advises booking your interview as soon as you are conditionally approved rather than waiting on family members.
• Conditionally Approved: Complete your interview within 2 years. To change your date, click Reschedule Interview instead of Cancel Interview, as canceling can cancel your application.
• Approved (post-interview): Approval typically takes 1-2 business days after the interview, unless follow-up information is needed.
• Denied and reconsideration requests: If denied or revoked, you can submit a Reconsideration Request to the CBP Ombudsman via the Request Reconsideration button under Program Memberships on your Dashboard. Submissions must be in English and include: (1) the denial date and reason from your notification letter, (2) a summary clarifying the record or incident, and (3) PDF court disposition documents for all arrests or convictions, even if expunged.

Receiving, activating, and renewing your SENTRI card

Once approved, CBP mails your RFID SENTRI card in 8-10 business days (up to 6-8 weeks) in a plain white envelope that cannot be forwarded. If 8 weeks pass without delivery, click Card Never Received on your Dashboard. Before using a SENTRI or NEXUS dedicated lane, log in and click Activate Membership Card under Program Memberships. Since May 7, 2025, a SENTRI card is also accepted as a REAL ID at TSA checkpoints, though TSA PreCheck lanes still require your PASSID on your flight reservation.

SENTRI membership lasts 5 years and expires on your birthday. You can renew on the TTP Dashboard starting 1 year before expiration, and applying before your expiration date lets you keep using your benefits while the renewal is pending. An interview may not be required to renew. Keep your profile updated during your 5-year term:

• Expired passport or driver's license: Your membership stays valid when your passport expires, but you must keep an unexpired passport on file to use your benefits. Update a renewed passport (with no name change) or driver's license under Update Documents on your Dashboard or TTP Mobile App.
• Address, name, or citizenship changes: Update your mailing address online via Update Mail-to Address, or visit an Enrollment Center without an appointment to update your residential address. Submit name changes (marriage, divorce, or court order) on the CBP Help Center support portal with a color photo of your new passport bio page, or at an Enrollment Center. Citizenship changes require an in-person Enrollment Center visit with supporting documents.

Practice example

Have any of your addresses, jobs, or vehicle details changed since you submitted your SENTRI application, and have you ever been arrested, fingerprinted, or cited for a border violation?

A strong, honest answer addresses both parts of the question directly and matches your locked TTP form. Because the portal does not allow online edits after payment, the interview is your designated time to report updates. State clearly whether your residential address, employment, documents, or vehicle information have changed since you certified your form, and hand the officer original supporting proof such as an updated driver's license, utility bill, mortgage statement, or rental payment statement. For the background check portion, disclose any past arrest, incident where you were fingerprinted, non-traffic criminal conviction, or customs, immigration, or agriculture violation in any country. Have the original court disposition documents ready in your folder for every incident in which you were fingerprinted or convicted, even if the record was expunged or dismissed, so the officer can verify the final outcome on the spot.

The CBP officer is verifying that you meet SENTRI's low-risk eligibility standard and that your locked application record is complete and accurate before final approval. Volunteering updates and presenting court disposition paperwork upfront prevents delays or a denial for incomplete or false information.

Related guides

• Global Entry interview guide
• NEXUS vs Global Entry comparison
• guide to CBP border questions
• Global Entry interview questions guide

This is interview practice, not legal advice. For questions about your own case, talk to an immigration attorney. Visaful is not affiliated with the U.S. government or the Department of State.