SENTRI vs FAST
SENTRI is for personal vehicles. FAST is for commercial freight. Different programs, same border.
SENTRI and FAST both run on the US-Mexico land border. Both let pre-vetted travellers use dedicated lanes. They are not interchangeable: SENTRI is the program for private cars and family travel, while FAST is strictly for commercial truck drivers carrying cross-border freight.
Side by side
- US customs (international arrivals)
- TSA airport security
- US-Mexico vehicle lane
- US-Canada vehicle lane
- Commercial truck lane
- US-Mexico vehicle lane
- US-Canada vehicle lane
Best for
— pick onePick SENTRI if you are a personal traveller — daily commuter, family visiting Mexico, or a US resident with a vacation home south of the border. Includes Global Entry and TSA PreCheck.
Pick FAST if you are a commercial truck driver employed by a CBP-approved carrier hauling certified goods between the US, Canada, or Mexico. FAST is a trade program, not a leisure program.
Key differences
SENTRI costs $122.25 for 5 years; FAST costs $50 for 5 years.
SENTRI is for personal vehicles. FAST is for commercial trucks only.
SENTRI includes Global Entry kiosk access and TSA PreCheck. FAST does not.
FAST requires you to be employed by a CTPAT- or PIP-certified carrier hauling certified goods. SENTRI has no employment requirement.
Both programs require a CBP interview and clean criminal/immigration history.
The full breakdown
These programs are not really alternatives — they exist in different worlds. SENTRI is for the family driving from San Diego to Tijuana on a Saturday morning. FAST is for the commercial trucker hauling a sealed container from a CTPAT-certified factory in Monterrey to a warehouse in Laredo. The lanes, vetting, and benefit packages reflect that.
FAST is, fundamentally, a supply-chain program. To enrol, the driver must be employed by a carrier registered in the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) program in the US or the equivalent Partners in Protection (PIP) program in Canada. The truck and the cargo are also part of the validation — FAST lanes are reserved for trade between certified manufacturers, certified carriers, and the FAST-approved driver. A FAST card in your wallet does not get you into a SENTRI lane in your personal vehicle.
SENTRI is a passenger-traveller program. The vehicle is your own car or truck (registered to you and inspected by CBP), the lane is for personal use, and the benefits include Global Entry kiosks and TSA PreCheck on top of the southwest land lane. The vetting is similar — clean record, no immigration violations — but there is no employer requirement.
A small overlap: a commercial trucker who also crosses the border in their own car for personal reasons would need both. FAST gets them through commercial lanes for work; SENTRI gets them and their family through passenger lanes on weekends. This is unusual but not unheard of among border-region residents.
For everyone else, the choice is binary based on what you do. If you drive freight for a living and your employer is CTPAT-certified, FAST is the right program — and at $50 it is a quarter of the price of SENTRI. If you are a private traveller, FAST is unavailable to you and SENTRI is the answer.
Frequently asked
Can a non-commercial driver get FAST?+
No. FAST requires employment with a CTPAT-certified carrier (US/Mexico routes) or PIP-certified carrier (US/Canada routes). It is a trade program, not a personal-traveller program.
Does FAST include Global Entry or TSA PreCheck?+
No. FAST only provides expedited commercial-truck clearance at participating US-Mexico and US-Canada land borders. It does not include any airport benefits.
Can I use my SENTRI card to drive a commercial truck across the border?+
No. SENTRI lanes are reserved for personal vehicles. Commercial freight must use commercial inspection lanes; FAST is the trusted-traveler equivalent for that traffic.
Is FAST cheaper than SENTRI?+
Yes — $50 for 5 years, versus $122.25 for SENTRI. The price difference reflects what each program covers: FAST is a single-purpose commercial program; SENTRI bundles personal-vehicle lane access plus Global Entry and TSA PreCheck.
Can my employer pay for FAST?+
Many CTPAT-certified carriers reimburse drivers for the FAST application fee as part of onboarding. Ask your dispatcher or HR.
These are different products for different jobs. If you are not a commercial driver employed by a CTPAT carrier, FAST is not an option for you — get SENTRI. If you are, FAST is purpose-built for what you do.