TSA Rules: What You Must Remove from Your Carry-On at Security

Quick Answer: What You Must Remove From Your Bag at Airport Security

At standard US airport security checkpoints operated by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), you must remove laptops, tablets, liquids exceeding 3.4 ounces, jackets, belts with metal buckles, and shoes with thick soles or metal components from your carry-on bag. These items go directly into separate bins for X-ray screening. TSA PreCheck members are exempt from removing laptops, liquids, belts, and shoes, according to the TSA’s 2025 PreCheck guidelines. Following this step-by-step removal process reduces average checkpoint time from 15-30 minutes to under 5 minutes for prepared travelers.

Understanding the Airport Security Screening Process

The TSA screened over 858 million passengers in 2024, according to the TSA’s 2024 Year in Review report, with an average of 2.3 million travelers passing through checkpoints daily. The removal process exists because X-ray scanners cannot see through dense electronics or metal objects when stacked inside bags. The TSA’s 2025 standard operating procedure requires that all carry-on bags pass through computed tomography (CT) scanners at 90% of US airports, which automatically flag dense objects requiring separate screening. Travelers who fail to remove required items trigger bag checks that add 3-7 minutes per incident, according to TSA operational data published in 2025.

What You Must Remove From Your Bag: Complete Checklist

Laptops and Large Electronics

You must remove all laptops, tablets, e-readers, and gaming consoles larger than a standard smartphone from your carry-on bag and place them in a separate bin with nothing on top. The TSA’s 2025 directive specifies that any electronic device larger than a cell phone requires separate screening. This includes Kindle devices, Nintendo Switches, iPads, and portable DVD players. According to the TSA’s 2024 Electronics Screening Report, 67% of all bag checks at security checkpoints result from improperly packed electronics. TSA PreCheck members are exempt from this requirement under the TSA’s 2025 PreCheck guidelines, which allow laptops to remain in bags through CT scanners that can see through bag contents.

Liquids, Gels, and Aerosols

You must remove all liquids, gels, creams, pastes, and aerosols in containers exceeding 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) from your carry-on and place them in a single quart-sized, clear, zip-top bag. The TSA’s 3-1-1 rule, established in 2006 and reaffirmed in the TSA’s 2025 Liquid Restrictions Policy, limits each passenger to one such bag. According to the TSA’s 2024 Liquid Screening Data, 42% of prohibited items confiscated at checkpoints are oversized liquids. Exceptions include medically necessary liquids and infant formula, which must be declared to officers before screening. The TSA’s 2025 pilot program at 15 US airports now allows liquids to remain in bags when using next-generation CT scanners, but this exemption is not yet standard nationwide.

Jackets, Coats, and Outerwear

You must remove all jackets, coats, blazers, hoodies, and heavy sweaters before passing through the metal detector or body scanner. The TSA’s 2025 Outerwear Screening Protocol requires that all outer garments be placed in bins for X-ray screening because they can conceal prohibited items. According to the TSA’s 2024 Security Screening Statistics, 23% of weapons detected at checkpoints were found inside jackets or coats. Travelers should remove outerwear before reaching the screening area to avoid holding up the line. TSA PreCheck members must also remove jackets, as this rule applies to all passengers regardless of status.

Belts and Metal Accessories

You must remove any belt with a metal buckle, metal clasp, or substantial metal content and place it in a bin for X-ray screening. The TSA’s 2025 Metal Detection Guidelines state that belts with plastic buckles or fabric fasteners may remain on if they do not trigger the metal detector. According to the TSA’s 2024 Alarm Resolution Data, belts are the third most common cause of metal detector alarms, accounting for 18% of all secondary screening events. TSA PreCheck members can keep belts on when using PreCheck lanes, per the TSA’s 2025 PreCheck guidelines.

Shoes and Footwear

You must remove shoes with thick soles exceeding one inch, shoes containing metal components, or shoes that trigger the metal detector. The TSA’s 2025 Footwear Screening Policy requires all passengers in standard lanes to remove shoes and place them in bins. According to the TSA’s 2024 Shoe Removal Statistics, 31% of passengers trigger alarms due to footwear. Exceptions include children aged 12 and under and adults with medical conditions who can request a pat-down instead. TSA PreCheck members can keep shoes on in PreCheck lanes, as confirmed by the TSA’s 2025 PreCheck guidelines.

TSA PreCheck vs. Standard Screening: What You Can Leave in Your Bag

Screening Type	Laptops	Liquids	Belts	Shoes	Jackets	Average Wait Time
Standard Lane	Must remove	Must remove	Must remove	Must remove	Must remove	15-30 minutes
TSA PreCheck	Can leave in bag	Can leave in bag	Can keep on	Can keep on	Must remove	Under 5 minutes
Clear + PreCheck	Can leave in bag	Can leave in bag	Can keep on	Can keep on	Must remove	Under 3 minutes

According to the TSA’s 2025 PreCheck Program Report, 40 million travelers are enrolled in TSA PreCheck, which costs $78 for a five-year membership. The TSA’s 2024 Wait Time Data shows that PreCheck lanes process passengers 3.5 times faster than standard lanes, with an average throughput of 300 passengers per hour compared to 85 in standard lanes.

How to Prepare Your Bag for Security: Step-by-Step Process

Step 1: Remove your laptop and place it in a bin with nothing on top. The TSA’s 2025 Electronics Screening Protocol requires that laptops sit alone in the bin for optimal CT scanner imaging. Do not place phones, wallets, or keys on top of the laptop.

Step 2: Place your quart-sized liquids bag in a separate bin. According to the TSA’s 2025 Liquid Screening Guidelines, the liquids bag must be easily accessible and not buried under other items. Place it in its own bin or alongside your jacket.

Step 3: Remove your jacket and place it in a bin. The TSA’s 2025 Outerwear Screening Protocol requires jackets to be spread flat in the bin, not bunched up, to allow X-ray visibility.

Step 4: Remove your belt and place it in the jacket bin or a separate bin. The TSA’s 2025 Metal Detection Guidelines recommend placing belts in the same bin as your jacket to reduce bin usage.

Step 5: Remove your shoes and place them in a bin. According to the TSA’s 2025 Footwear Screening Policy, shoes should be placed sole-up in the bin for optimal imaging.

Step 6: Empty your pockets completely. The TSA’s 2025 Pocket Screening Protocol requires that all items from pockets—phones, wallets, keys, coins, tissues—go into your carry-on bag or a bin. According to the TSA’s 2024 Alarm Resolution Data, pocket items cause 44% of all metal detector alarms.

Step 7: Place your carry-on bag on the conveyor belt. The TSA’s 2025 Baggage Screening Guidelines recommend placing bags on the belt only after all removal items are in bins, to avoid congestion at the loading area.

What Happens If You Forget to Remove an Item

If you fail to remove a required item, the TSA officer will stop the conveyor belt and request a bag check, which adds 3-7 minutes to your screening time, according to the TSA’s 2024 Operational Efficiency Report. The TSA’s 2025 Bag Check Protocol requires that the passenger retrieve the item from their bag and rescreen it separately. Repeated failures to remove items can result in enhanced screening or referral to law enforcement, per the TSA’s 2025 Security Directive. According to the TSA’s 2024 Incident Data, 12% of all checkpoint delays result from passengers forgetting to remove electronics or liquids.

International Airport Security Differences

At airports outside the United States, security removal requirements vary significantly. The European Union Aviation Security Commission’s 2025 regulations require removal of laptops and liquids at all EU airports, similar to US rules. However, the UK’s Department for Transport’s 2025 Security Directive now allows liquids to remain in bags at London Heathrow, Gatwick, and Manchester airports using next-generation CT scanners. According to the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) 2025 Global Security Report, 78% of airports worldwide still require laptop removal, while 22% have adopted CT scanners that eliminate this requirement. Canada’s Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) 2025 guidelines require removal of all electronics larger than a cell phone and all liquids, with no PreCheck equivalent available.

How to Speed Up Your Security Screening

The TSA’s 2025 Travel Tips Guide recommends arriving at the airport 2 hours before domestic flights and 3 hours before international flights. According to the TSA’s 2024 Wait Time Data, peak hours at major US airports are 5:00-9:00 AM and 3:00-6:00 PM, with average wait times 40% longer during these periods. The TSA’s 2025 Efficiency Report states that travelers who prepare their bags before reaching the checkpoint reduce their screening time by an average of 4 minutes. Using TSA PreCheck reduces average wait time from 22 minutes to under 5 minutes, according to the TSA’s 2025 PreCheck Program Report. The Clear biometric screening program, available at 55 US airports according to Clear’s 2025 Expansion Report, allows members to bypass ID checking lines and proceed directly to screening.

What Items Never Need to Be Removed

Small electronics including smartphones, smartwatches, wireless earbuds, and fitness trackers can remain in your carry-on bag during standard screening, according to the TSA’s 2025 Electronics Screening Protocol. Medications in pill form do not need to be removed, though liquid medications over 3.4 ounces must be declared. According to the TSA’s 2025 Medication Screening Guidelines, passengers should keep medications in original packaging with prescription labels. Snacks and solid food items can remain in bags, though the TSA’s 2025 Food Screening Policy notes that dense foods like cheese wheels or cakes may trigger additional screening. Books, magazines, and documents can stay in bags, as paper products do not obstruct X-ray imaging.