Updated November 3, 2026

SENTRI renewal: when to renew and whether you need an interview

You can renew SENTRI online in your Trusted Traveler Programs (TTP) account at ttp.dhs.gov as early as 1 year before your membership expires, and CBP says renewing early doesn't cost you any membership time. The non-refundable fee is $120 for adults and $0 for eligible minors under 18. Submit before your card expires, because CBP's SENTRI renewal page doesn't promise a grace period after that date.

Below: the renewal window with a worked example, the fee math, what to do before you click Renew, the steps in TTP, interviews, vehicles, and your new card. Every rule comes from CBP's pages, fact-checked on November 3, 2026.

When can you renew SENTRI, and what happens while it's pending?

Your renewal window opens 1 year before your membership expires. CBP's SENTRI renewal page says early renewal doesn't cause any loss of membership time, so renewing as soon as the window opens costs you nothing. Complete the certification and pay before your card expires.

What about the 24 months? CBP's Trusted Traveler FAQ says that if you submit a renewal before your membership expires, you can continue to use benefits up to 24 months after the expiration date. That answer sits under the heading "Renewing Global Entry Membership", though its steps name SENTRI too. CBP's SENTRI renewal page, read on November 3, 2026, doesn't mention a grace period or say whether your card still works in SENTRI lanes after it expires. If your renewal is still pending close to that date, ask CBP before you count on the lanes.

A worked example from our team (the member is invented): a SENTRI card that expires on August 15, 2027 lines up like this.

You can check your own dates with our Global Entry and NEXUS renewal checker.

How much does SENTRI renewal cost?

From October 1, 2024, CBP replaced SENTRI's old a la carte fees with one non-refundable fee of $120 for adults, the same as Global Entry and NEXUS.

Minors under 18 pay $0 when their application includes a parent or legal guardian's TTP application ID or TTP membership number. CBP adds that children 17 or younger are free if the parent or legal guardian is an enrolled member or has a TTP application in pending risk or conditionally approved status.

The old schedule was $25 for the application ($50 maximum per family), $14.50 for fingerprints and $82.75 for the DCL fee ($165.50 maximum per family). Our own comparison for one adult:

What should you do before you click Renew?

Our checklist, built from CBP's rules. Sorting out your vehicle list first matters most, because it can get stuck while the renewal is pending.

• Remove old vehicles first. CBP says to remove any unwanted vehicles before you submit the renewal, because you may not be able to remove one while the renewal is pending.
• Find your PASSID. It's your membership number, on the back of your Trusted Traveler card, on your approval letter, or at the top of your TTP account page.
• Check your Login.gov access. Make sure you can sign in to ttp.dhs.gov with your Login.gov account.
• Have your documents and history ready: your current passport, driver's license, permanent resident card if you have one, and any address, job and travel updates.
• For a child under 18, have the parent or legal guardian's TTP application ID or membership number ready so the $0 fee applies.

How do you renew SENTRI in TTP?

CBP uses the same TTP site for every Trusted Traveler renewal. The steps:

1. Sign in to ttp.dhs.gov with Login.gov. If you don't have a Login.gov account, the site takes you through creating one and linking your TTP profile with your PASSID.
2. Select Renew in your SENTRI membership section on the TTP Dashboard, and declare your citizenship when asked.
3. Choose the program, SENTRI or another Trusted Traveler program you're eligible for, and acknowledge its requirements on the next screen.
4. Update your information on the Membership Renewal page: personal details, documents, address, employment, travel and vehicles.
5. On the Final Review page, click Confirm and Continue in every section, then Save and Continue at the bottom.
6. On the Certify page, answer "Do you certify?" and select Next to see the Purchase Summary.
7. Pay the fee. Check the box agreeing that processing fees are non-refundable, select Pay Now and finish paying. You return to your TTP Dashboard once the payment goes through.

Do you need an interview for SENTRI renewal?

CBP says an interview may or may not be required when you renew. Some members are approved without an appointment, and others are told to schedule an interview. After you submit the application and fee, CBP emails you whenever your membership status changes, and you should check your TTP account now and then for any action you need to take.

To cancel or reschedule within 24 hours of the appointment, CBP says to call its information center at 1 (877) 227-5511. Our Global Entry interview guide covers the kind of questions a Trusted Traveler officer asks.

How do you manage vehicles for SENTRI lanes?

You need a registered vehicle to drive in the SENTRI lanes on the US-Mexico border. NEXUS lanes don't need vehicle registration. You can manage and pay for registrations in your TTP account.

To delete a car while editing an application, scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save Progress, then scroll up, click MY DASHBOARD and select Add/Manage Vehicle. Under Manage Vehicle you can update or delete a vehicle. CBP says those changes are instant and need nothing more from you.

• Cost: registering a vehicle as part of your first SENTRI application is free. Registering one after that costs $42.
• Limits: up to 4 vehicles per member and up to 8 SENTRI members per vehicle, at $42 for each additional vehicle.
• What you need to add a car: make, model, year, VIN, license plate details and who owns it.
• Spouses sharing a car: only one of you should add it to your membership.
• Borrowed or loaned cars: you can add a car owned by a non-member by naming the owner. Driving a borrowed car in SENTRI lanes, you may need a notarized letter addressed to the Officer in Charge of Customs and Border Protection giving you permission to drive it across the border.
• Global Entry members who want SENTRI lanes: register the car with CBP, pay $42 if it's after your first Global Entry application, and book a 7-point vehicle inspection at a SENTRI enrollment center.

Should you switch to Global Entry when you renew?

On the TTP renewal screen, CBP lets you pick another program you're eligible for, and notes that your benefits may change with the program you choose.

Check what you already have first. US citizens and lawful permanent residents in SENTRI can use Global Entry at airports at no extra cost if CBP has their fingerprints and document information on file. At the airport you use your passport or green card, because SENTRI cards don't work with Global Entry processing there. Mexican nationals in SENTRI must apply for Global Entry through their TTP account.

To compare, see our Global Entry renewal guide, our NEXUS renewal guide and NEXUS vs Global Entry.

How do you activate or replace your SENTRI card?

Once your renewal is approved, CBP mails a new RFID-enabled Trusted Traveler card to your US address (or to a US point of contact or enrollment center you choose if you don't have a US address). CBP says cards arrive 2 to 4 weeks after approval.

Activate it within 30 days of receiving it, or you can't use it in Trusted Traveler lanes. Sign in to TTP and click Activate Membership Card under Program Membership(s) on the home page.

If a NEXUS, SENTRI or Global Entry card is lost, stolen or damaged, sign in to TTP, select Manage Membership and pay the $25 replacement fee. Asking for a replacement deactivates the old card right away.

A question to practice

"Have your address, employment or registered vehicles changed since your last SENTRI approval, and how often do you cross the southern border?"

A strong answer covers: each change in a few words, answers that match your TTP update, and the vehicles you actually drive in the SENTRI lanes.

Visaful is an AI mock interview app for US visa interviews: an AI officer asks your visa's questions out loud and shows what to fix.

This is interview practice, not legal advice. For questions about your own case, talk to an immigration attorney. Visaful is not affiliated with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Department of Homeland Security or any government agency.