TSA Eligibility and Requirements 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following disqualifies an applicant from TSA employment under the Aviation and Transportation Security Act?
- A misdemeanor traffic violation from 10 years ago
- A felony conviction at any time (Correct answer)
- A minor civil infraction resolved with a fine
- A parking ticket within the last year
Correct answer: A felony conviction at any time
The Aviation and Transportation Security Act permanently disqualifies anyone convicted of a felony from TSA employment.
Question 2: What is the minimum vision requirement for TSA Transportation Security Officers (TSOs)?
- 20/20 uncorrected vision in both eyes
- Correctable to 20/40 in each eye or better (Correct answer)
- 20/100 uncorrected with no corrective lens requirement
- 20/20 corrected or uncorrected in at least one eye
Correct answer: Correctable to 20/40 in each eye or better
TSOs must have vision correctable to 20/40 or better in each eye, with or without corrective lenses.
Question 3: How long must a TSA applicant have been a U.S. citizen or national before applying?
- At least 5 years
- At least 3 years
- There is no waiting period; citizenship at time of application is sufficient (Correct answer)
- At least 1 year
Correct answer: There is no waiting period; citizenship at time of application is sufficient
TSA requires U.S. citizenship or national status at the time of application with no minimum duration requirement.
Question 4: Which physical demand is explicitly tested during the TSA pre-employment physical ability test?
- Swimming 100 yards in under 3 minutes
- Lifting and carrying up to 70 pounds (Correct answer)
- Running a mile in under 10 minutes
- Completing 20 push-ups without rest
Correct answer: Lifting and carrying up to 70 pounds
TSA's physical ability test includes lifting, carrying, and maneuvering items weighing up to 70 pounds.
Question 5: An applicant has a prior misdemeanor conviction for domestic violence. How does this affect TSA eligibility?
- It has no effect if the conviction is more than 7 years old
- It is a disqualifying factor under federal law regardless of age (Correct answer)
- It only disqualifies the applicant if the victim was a family member
- It disqualifies the applicant for 10 years from the conviction date
Correct answer: It is a disqualifying factor under federal law regardless of age
Under the Lautenberg Amendment, a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction permanently prohibits possession of firearms, disqualifying TSA applicants.
Question 6: What is the required proficiency level for English language skills for TSA applicants?
- Conversational only; written tests are not required
- Fluency sufficient to read, write, speak, and comprehend English (Correct answer)
- Basic comprehension of spoken English instructions
- Bilingual proficiency in English and one additional language
Correct answer: Fluency sufficient to read, write, speak, and comprehend English
TSA requires applicants to be proficient in reading, writing, speaking, and understanding English.
Question 7: Which of the following correctly describes the TSA background investigation process?
- It covers only the past 5 years of an applicant's history
- It includes a credit check, criminal history, and employment verification for at least 10 years (Correct answer)
- It only reviews federal criminal records, not state records
- It is completed entirely by the applicant via self-reporting forms
Correct answer: It includes a credit check, criminal history, and employment verification for at least 10 years
TSA's background investigation is comprehensive, covering criminal history, credit, and employment for at least 10 years.
TSA Eligibility and Requirements 2
Which of the following disqualifies an applicant from TSA employment under the Aviation and Transportation Security Act?