NEXUS vs SENTRI
Both clear you through US customs. The difference is which border you cross by car.
NEXUS and SENTRI are CBP's two land-border trusted-traveler programs. Both bundle Global Entry and TSA PreCheck, both let you skip the international-arrivals customs queue, and both clear you through US security without your shoes off. The choice between them is geographic — NEXUS for the northern border, SENTRI for the southern.
Side by side
- US customs (international arrivals)
- TSA airport security
- US-Canada vehicle lane
- US customs (international arrivals)
- TSA airport security
- US-Mexico vehicle lane
- US-Canada vehicle lane
Best for
— pick onePick NEXUS if you cross between the US and Canada. Cheapest CBP program at $50 for five years, joint US-Canada vetting, and dedicated lanes at every major northern crossing.
Pick SENTRI if you cross between the US and Mexico. The northbound vehicle lane at San Ysidro, Otay Mesa, and El Paso routinely saves 1-2 hours during peak periods.
Key differences
NEXUS costs $50 for 5 years; SENTRI costs $122.25 for 5 years.
NEXUS gives you dedicated lanes at northern (US-Canada) land borders; SENTRI gives you dedicated lanes at southwest (US-Mexico) land borders.
SENTRI requires you to enroll a specific vehicle with CBP. NEXUS does not.
Both programs include Global Entry kiosk access and TSA PreCheck.
NEXUS eligibility is limited to US and Canadian citizens and lawful permanent residents. SENTRI is open to most nationalities, including Mexican citizens.
The full breakdown
The CBP trusted-traveler stack is intentionally tiered. Global Entry covers airport customs. NEXUS adds the northern land border. SENTRI adds the southern land border. Each layer includes the layers below it. So the practical question — for anyone who actually drives across a US land border — is which border you cross.
NEXUS is the cheapest of the three at $50 for five years. It is jointly run by CBP and Canada Border Services Agency, which means your interview is handled by both agencies and your record is shared between them. NEXUS lanes are open at the major US-Canada crossings — the Peace Bridge in Buffalo, the Pacific Highway in Blaine, Detroit-Windsor, and a few dozen others. NEXUS also doubles as Canadian airport pre-clearance at YVR, YYZ, YYC, and YUL, and it covers CANPASS-style marine reporting on private boats entering Canada.
SENTRI sits at the top of the stack at $122.25 for five years. It is open to a wider range of nationalities — including Mexican citizens, who are not currently eligible for Global Entry — and it requires you to register at least one vehicle, which CBP inspects and decals. The SENTRI northbound lane operates at every major southwest crossing and is the single most valuable benefit at high-traffic ports like San Ysidro, where standard wait times can exceed two hours.
For US/Canadian dual-citizens or permanent residents, NEXUS is almost always the right call: it is the cheapest CBP program, includes Global Entry, and the eligibility match is straightforward. SENTRI is for anyone who cannot use NEXUS — most commonly Mexican citizens — or anyone who specifically drives the southern border.
It is technically possible to hold both, but pointless. NEXUS already includes Global Entry. SENTRI already includes Global Entry. Neither includes the other's land lane, but most people only cross one border by car. Pick the one that matches your actual route.
Frequently asked
Does NEXUS work at SENTRI lanes?+
No. NEXUS is for the US-Canada border. SENTRI is for the US-Mexico border. Each program's land-lane access is specific to its border.
Does SENTRI work at NEXUS lanes?+
SENTRI cards are accepted in NEXUS lanes at northern-border land crossings, but not at NEXUS marine reporting sites or Canadian airport NEXUS kiosks. In practice, if you cross both borders, NEXUS is the more flexible card.
Can I have both NEXUS and SENTRI?+
Technically yes, but it is rarely worthwhile. Both include Global Entry and TSA PreCheck, so you would only be paying twice for the redundant airport benefits.
Which is harder to get approved for?+
NEXUS adds Canadian vetting on top of US vetting, which makes it slightly more selective. SENTRI is widely available but requires a vehicle inspection, which adds a logistical step. Most clean applicants are approved for either.
Do both include TSA PreCheck?+
Yes. NEXUS and SENTRI both come with a Known Traveler Number that works in TSA PreCheck lanes at every PreCheck-participating US airport.
If you cross the northern border, NEXUS is the cheapest, fastest path. If you cross the southern border, SENTRI is the only program with the right lane. The bundled airport benefits are identical, so let geography decide.