One of the most common questions cleared professionals ask is, “When does my security clearance expire?” Maybe you noticed an old investigation date on your paperwork, you’ve been out of a cleared job for a while, or a recruiter asked whether your clearance is still current. Whether your clearance is active, current, or inactive depends on several factors, including your employment status or last date of cleared employment.
One ClearanceJobsBlog subscriber writes:
I was laid off from my cleared job in late October 2025 and I’m applying to cleared jobs again now. The clearance info I have from a job that is interested in me says the T5 was completed on 10/20/2021 and I was enrolled in CE on 11/19/2021. I also had a CI poly in 2022. I always thought I would be due again around October 2026, but I’m confused because I’ve heard reinvestigations work differently now with continuous vetting/PVQ updates. Does the October 2021 date mean my TS is about to expire, or would a new employer still be able to pick it up? Also, what should I put on applications right now: “TS/SCI eligible,” “current TS/SCI,” or something else? I know an FSO would have to confirm the exact status in DISS, but I’m trying to understand the general rule before I apply.
Does my TS actually expire in 2026?
This is one of the most common misconceptions I hear from cleared professionals. Is 2026 doomsday for your clearance – the short answer? Probably not.
A clearance remains active as long as you’ve been sponsored by an employer and are at work in a position requiring access to classified information. If you’re currently working in a cleared role, your clearance is generally considered active.
Many people look at the date of their last investigation and assume their clearance expires in a five or 10-year interval after that date. That’s no longer how the system works.
Under Continuous Vetting, cleared professionals submit updated security clearance application updates approximately every five years, but your eligibility isn’t automatically terminated because five years have passed. Instead, your clearance remains valid as long as you continue meeting the requirements of sponsorship, access, and ongoing vetting.
If You Leave Your Cleared Job
Things change a bit if you separate from your employer. When you leave a cleared position, your clearance typically moves from active to current because you no longer have a sponsoring employer or need to know since you aren’t on contract.
The good news? You generally have 24 months – or potentially longer- for another cleared employer to pick up your eligibility before it becomes inactive and may require a new investigation. That’s why you’ll often hear recruiters ask questions like, “When was your last cleared position?” or “How long have you been out of access?” They’re trying to determine whether your eligibility can be transferred.
How Can You Check?
If you’re unsure of your status, your best resources are:
- A company’s Facility Security Officer (FSO) – or your last one, which can verify your information in DISS
- A privacy act request from the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA)
Those sources can tell you whether your clearance is active, current, or inactive and when your most recent investigation and Continuous Vetting updates occurred.
If you’re uncertain about your clearance status but have worked in a cleared role within the past several years, my advice is apply anyway. Don’t talk yourself out of applying because you’re trying to figure out whether your clearance is technically current. I’ve seen far too many candidates pass on great opportunities because they assumed their clearance had “expired.” In reality, the recruiter or FSO could have quickly determined they were still eligible for transfer. Let the employer do that work. Apply.
If your clearance needs additional processing, the recruiter or security team will tell you. If it’s still current, great, the clearance can easily be reinstated without new investigative work. When in doubt, submit the application. Let the recruiter and FSO determine your clearance status, not Google, not guesswork, and definitely not an old investigation date on your paperwork.
Much about the clearance process resembles the Pirate’s Code: “more what you’d call guidelines than actual rules.” For this reason, we maintain ClearanceJobsBlog.com – a forum where clearance seekers can ask the cleared community for advice on their specific security concerns. Ask CJ explores questions posed on the ClearanceJobs Blog forum, emails received, and comments from this site. This article is intended as general information only and should not be construed as legal advice. Consult an attorney regarding your specific situation.
