33 CFR § 101.520 - Electronic TWIC inspection.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t33/s101.520"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "33 CFR § 101.520 - Electronic TWIC inspection."
title_number: 33
title_name: "Navigation and Navigable Waters"
section_number: "101.520"
section_name: "Electronic TWIC inspection."
chapter_name: "COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY"
subchapter_number: "H"
subchapter_name: "MARITIME SECURITY"
part_number: "101"
part_name: "MARITIME SECURITY: GENERAL"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "46 U.S.C. 70101-70104 and 70124; Executive Order 12656, 3 CFR, 1988 Comp., p. 585; 33 CFR 1.05-1, 6.04-11, 6.14, 6.16, and 6.19; Department of Homeland Security Delegation No. 00170.1, Revision No. 01.4."
regulatory_source: "USCG-2003-14792, 68 FR 39278, July 1, 2003, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "101"
---


# 101.520 Electronic TWIC inspection.

To conduct electronic TWIC inspection, the owner or operator of a vessel or facility must ensure the following actions are performed.

(a) *Card authentication.* The TWIC must be authenticated by performing a challenge/response protocol using the Certificate for Card Authentication (CCA) and the associated card authentication private key stored in the TWIC.

(b) *Card validity check.* The TWIC must be checked to ensure the TWIC has not expired and against TSA's list of cancelled TWICs, and no match on the list may be found.

(c) *Identity verification.* (1) One of the biometric templates stored in the TWIC must be matched to the TWIC-holder's live sample biometric or, by matching to the PACS enrolled reference biometrics linked to the FASC-N of the TWIC; or

(2) If an individual is unable to provide a valid live sample biometric, the TWIC-holder must enter a Personal Identification Number (PIN) and pass a visual TWIC inspection.

[USCG-2007-28915, 81 FR 57708, Aug. 23, 2016]