TSA MD 2800.11 Badge and Credential Program

OFFICE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT/
FEDERAL AIR MARSHAL SERVICE
TSA MANAGEMENT DIRECTIVE No. 2800.11
BADGE AND CREDENTIAL PROGRAM

To enhance mission performance, TSA is committed to promoting a culture founded on its values of
Integrity, Innovation and Team Spirit.
1. PURPOSE: This directive provides TSA policy and procedures for the management of official
TSA badges and credentials.
2. SCOPE: This directive applies to all TSA organizational elements and employees.
3. AUTHORITIES:
A. 5 C.F.R. Part 831, Subpart I. Retirement
B. 5 C.F.R. Part 842, Subpart H, Law Enforcement Officers, Firefighters, and Air Traffic
Controllers
C. Aviation and Transportation Security Act, Public Law (P.L.) 107-071
D. DHS Directive 119-03, Personal Property Asset Management Program
E. DHS Directive 121-01, Chief Security Officer
F. DHS Instruction 121-01-002, Issuance and Control of DHS Badges
G. DHS Instruction 121-01-008, Issuance and Control of the Department of Homeland Security
Credentials
H. TSA MD 100.0-2, Office of Inspection Roles and Responsibilities
I. TSA MD 200.57, Personal Property Management
J. TSA MD 1100.73-2, TSO Dress and Appearance Responsibilities
K. TSA MD 1100.73-5, Employee Responsibilities and Conduct
L. TSA MD 1100.75-3, Addressing Unacceptable Performance And Conduct
M. TSA MD 3500.1, LEOSA Applicability and Eligibility
4. DEFINITIONS:
A. Accountable Property Officer (APO): A TSA employee responsible for the accountability and
control of personal property within his/her jurisdiction. The responsibility may be a collateral
duty designated to an individual with a different title within the organization.

TSA MANAGEMENT DIRECTIVE No. 2800.11
BADGE AND CREDENTIAL PROGRAM
B. Badge: A metallic emblem which indicates authority to perform specific official functions
pursuant to law, statute, regulation, or DHS Directive.
C. Bearer: A TSA employee whose position requires possession of a badge and/or credential.
D. Credential: Photographic identification which describes the authority of the bearer and
identifies that individual’s right to exercise specific authority to perform specific official
functions pursuant to law, statute, regulation, or DHS directive.
E. Good Standing: For the purposes of this directive, a TSA employee shall be deemed as retiring
or having retired in “good standing,” unless at the time of their retirement:
(1) There was a determination made or action initiated to remove, or proposal to remove, the
employee from Federal employment;
(2) There was an investigation or unadjudicated charge of misconduct against the employee
that would have led to the employee’s removal; or
(3) The employee’s security clearance was suspended or revoked, or a proposal to suspend or
revoke the clearance had been initiated or issued.
F. Issuing Element (IE): An element under an OE that performs functions related to the purchase
or receipt, storage, issuance, control, accountability, retention, return, destruction, or
disposition of badges and/or credentials.
G. Law Enforcement Officer (LEO): For the purpose of this directive, is a TSA employee who is
authorized by the Assistant Secretary, or designee, to carry a firearm and occupy the position of
Criminal Investigator (1811), Federal Air Marshal (1801), or Transportation Security Specialist
(1801).
NOTE: The definition of a law enforcement officer does not include an employee, whose
primary duties involve maintaining law and order, protecting life and property, guarding
against or inspecting violations of law, or investigating persons other than persons who are
suspected or convicted of criminal offenses.1
H. Organizational Element (OE): An office headed by an Assistant Administrator or equivalent,
or by an Approving Official with delegated authority and assigned scope and responsibility for
subordinate program offices.
I. OE Point of Contact (POC): The official acting as the point of contact within the OE for
determining whether an employee meets the necessary requirements to obtain a TSA badge
and/or credential. In most cases, this is the Business Management Officer (BMO) of the
respective OE.

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Derived from 5 C.F.R. Part 831, Subpart I, Section 831.902 [Retirement]. See also 5 C.F.R. Part 842, Subpart H, Section
842.802 [Law Enforcement Officers, Firefighters, and Air Traffic Controllers].

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TSA MANAGEMENT DIRECTIVE No. 2800.11
BADGE AND CREDENTIAL PROGRAM
J. Retirement: For the purpose of this directive, a TSA employee is considered retired if he/she
separates from TSA after meeting the minimum age and service requirements under the Civil
Service Retirement System (CSRS) or Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and is
eligible for an annuity under that system.
NOTE: An individual who is granted a disability retirement through the Office of Personnel
Management (OPM) is considered to have retired from TSA
K. Sensitive Personal Property: Personal property that requires special control and accountability,
regardless of value, due to unusual rates of loss, theft or misuse, or due to national security or
export control considerations. Examples of sensitive personal property include weapons,
badges and credentials, ammunition, explosives, information technology equipment with
memory capability, cameras, and communications equipment.
5. RESPONSIBILITIES:
A. The Assistant Secretary, or designee, is responsible for:
(1) Approving or denying official requests from OEs to create a new badge or credential,
modifying the design or verbiage of an existing badge or credential, or removing a category
of badge or credential;
(2) Coordinating with the TSA Chief Security Officer (CSO) and the Office of Chief Counsel
(OCC), as necessary, to process OE requests for the creation, modification, or removal of
badges and credentials; and
(3) Acting as the signature authority for all TSA issued credentials.
B. The CSO is responsible for:
(1) Setting agency-wide policy and having oversight authority for badges and credentials as
Sensitive Personal Property, as outlined in this MD and its associated Handbook;
(2) Designating a program manager from the Security Branch to ensure procedures and
accountability controls are implemented for all TSA badges and credentials issued by IEs in
accordance with the delegation of this authority from the CSO;
(3) Providing comments to the Assistant Secretary on proposals for new badges or credentials
and/or the modification or removal of existing badges and credentials submitted by Issuing
Elements;
(4) Ensuring that badges and credentials meet the standards for uniform placement of required
features such as identification data, serial number, and photograph, designated indicators
for access authorizations, and other features;
(5) Retaining, reviewing, and making recommendations for best practices regarding written
procedures for issuance and accountability of badges and credentials by IEs;

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TSA MANAGEMENT DIRECTIVE No. 2800.11
BADGE AND CREDENTIAL PROGRAM
(6) Conducting annual and ad hoc audits of inventory stock and reconciling records of badges
and credentials which are issued by authorized IEs, to include those badges and credentials
issued by the Security Branch to program offices; and
(7) Updating and amending the TSA Handbook: Badges and Credentials as necessary.
C. OCC is responsible for providing legal review and commenting on all requests from OEs/IEs,
to create a new category of badge or credential, to modify the design or verbiage of an existing
badge or credential, or to remove from usage an existing category of badge or credential.
D. The Office of Inspection (OOI) is responsible for investigating any allegations or complaints of
abuse or misuse by individuals who possess a badge and/or credential.
NOTE: OOI may conduct targeted inspections of badge and credential processes, as
necessary, for purposes of internal programmatic review, based on an internal risk assessment,
at the request of an IE, or on behalf of the DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG), the
Government Accountability Office (GAO), or other Federal oversight agencies. OOI may
further conduct reviews of badge and credential processes as part of their inspection/audit
functions in accordance with TSA MD 100.0-2.
E. OEs are responsible for:
(1) Seeking the approval of the Assistant Secretary, or designee, when creating a new badge or
credential, modifying the design or verbiage of an existing badge or credential, or
creating/removing a category of badge or credential;
(2) Establishing an IE, as necessary, in order to perform functions related to the purchase or
receipt, storage, issuance, control, accountability, retention, return, destruction, and/or
disposition of badges and/or credentials;
(3) Ensuring that APOs manage tasks associated with the accountability of badges and/or
credentials in accordance with the written procedures developed by the IE;
(4) Designating categories of positions that require badges and/or credentials to perform an
official function as a representative of TSA; and
(5) Giving concurrence, or non-concurrence, on new categories of badges or credentials, or
modifications to the verbiage or design of an existing badge or credential, or removal from
use of an existing category of badge or credential, under their designated OE, before official
submission to the Assistant Secretary for a final decision.
F. The IE is responsible for performing functions related to the purchase or receipt, storage,
issuance, control, accountability, retention, return, destruction, and/or disposition of badges
and/or credentials to include, but not limited to:
(1) Ensuring funding is provided to cover all costs associated with these functions;

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TSA MANAGEMENT DIRECTIVE No. 2800.11
BADGE AND CREDENTIAL PROGRAM
(2) Developing written procedures associated with these functions in support of this directive
and its associated handbook;
(3) Establishing and maintaining a viable and effective inventory process for the accountability
of badges and credentials;
(4) Providing APOs with commensurate training on procedures regarding the inventory
process;
(5) Conducting a self-inspection of inventory stock and reconciling issued badges and
credentials; and
(6) Issuing retired badges and/or credentials to retired employees through the OE.
G. The OE POC2 is responsible for:
(1) Reviewing submitted TSA Form 2808, Access Control Application –
PIV/Badge/Credential;
(2) Determining whether TSA retiring or retired applicants are retiring, or have retired “in good
standing” with TSA (see Section 4.E), and are eligible to receive a retired badge/credential;
(3) Notifying the IE when an applicant has been approved for a retired badge and/or credential
within 15 business days of receipt of the application; and
(4) Providing the approved TSA applicant with his/her retired badge and/or credential when it
is not sent directly to the individual by the IE.
H. Managers and supervisors within IEs are responsible for ensuring that procedures and inventory
processes are being followed in accordance with guidance issued by their respective IE as well
as relevant TSA directives and handbooks.
I. APOs are responsible for:
(1) Managing tasks associated with the accountability of badges and credentials issued to
assigned personnel in accordance with procedures promulgated by their respective IE; and
(2) Maintaining local records for the storage, issuance, control, accountability, retention, return,
destruction, or disposition of all badges and/or credentials under their area of responsibility,
and complying with badge and/or credential audits and inspections, as required, by the
Security Branch.
J. Employees authorized to carry a badge and/or credential pursuant to this directive are
responsible for:

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In the case of the Office of Security Operations (OSO), the airport has the role of the OEPOC.

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TSA MANAGEMENT DIRECTIVE No. 2800.11
BADGE AND CREDENTIAL PROGRAM
(1) Complying with all requirements for safeguarding badges and/or credentials in accordance
with procedures promulgated by the IE and relevant TSA directives and handbooks;
(2) Following the applicable policies and procedures outlined in TSA MDs 1100.73-2 and
1100.73-5;
(3) Utilizing badges and credentials only in the performance of official duties3; and
(4) Notifying the appropriate offices in a timely manner and in accordance with procedures
promulgated by their respective IE, when a badge or credential has been lost, stolen,
damaged, or misused in the conduct of an employee’s duties, or the physical appearance or
name of the bearer has changed.
6. POLICY:
A. Only employees meeting one or more of the following criteria may be issued badges and/or
credentials and only after the satisfactory completion of required training, if applicable, and as
determined by the OE responsible for these categories of positions:
(1) Designated law enforcement officers (LEOs);
(2) Personnel required to carry a firearm pursuant to their official duties;
(3) Personnel who perform investigations and/or inspections relating to the enforcement of
laws, regulations, and/or directives; and
(4) Personnel, and/or positions, that the Assistant Secretary has approved to receive a badge
and/or credential.
B. Badges and credentials shall be considered Sensitive Personal Property and handled and
safeguarded accordingly.
C. Badges and credentials may only be used in the performance of official duties.
D. Badges and credentials are the property of the U.S. Government and shall be returned to the IE
upon termination of employment with TSA or upon demand by the employee’s supervisor,
representative of the IE, or OOI Special Agent.
E. The deliberate or gross negligent mishandling, abuse, misuse or intentional misrepresentation
of a badge or credential shall be cause for administrative or disciplinary action in accordance
with TSA MDs 1100.75-3 and 1100.73-5.
F. An employee retiring from Federal Service, who was issued a badge and/or credential and
qualifies for a Federal annuity under CSRS or FERS shall be eligible to receive a retired badge
and/or credential if he or she meets the following criteria:

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As outlined in DHS Instructions 121-01-002 and 121-01-008.

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TSA MANAGEMENT DIRECTIVE No. 2800.11
BADGE AND CREDENTIAL PROGRAM
(1) Is in “good standing” at the time of retirement and has retired consistent with the
definition in Section 4.E and;
(2) Has completed a minimum of five (5) years of service with TSA; or
(3) In the case of a LEO, transferred into TSA directly from another Federal agency and the
total amount of Federal law enforcement service is five (5) years or more.
G. Family of a deceased employee who was issued a badge and/or credential during their
employment may be eligible to receive a memorial badge and/or credential.
NOTE: Eligibility for memorial badges and/or credentials shall be consistent with the policies
established by OEs, as well as the manner of presentation and record-keeping of such badges
and credentials.
H. A TSA retired credential shall not be used as photographic identification for the purposes of
the Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act (LEOSA) [18 U.S.C. § 926B]
NOTE: Please refer to TSA MD 3500.1 for additional information on LEOSA application and
eligibility policy and procedures.
7. PROCEDURES: Reference TSA Handbook: Badges and Credentials for procedures associated
with TSA badges and credentials.
8. EFFECTIVE DATE AND IMPLEMENTATION: This policy is effective immediately upon
signature.
APPROVAL

Signed
_______________________________________
John Pistole
TSA Administrator

January 27, 2014
______________
Date

EFFECTIVE

_______________
Date
Distribution:
Point-of-Contact:

Assistant Administrators and equivalents, Managers and Supervisors, BMO
Directors, and MD POCs
Chief Security Officer, CredentialBadgeCustS@tsa.dhs.gov
571-227-3777/3061

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