TTPRADARIf your Global Entry card is lost, stolen, damaged, or expired, the first thing to check is whether you actually need it. For most members flying into the US, the answer is no.
The card doesn't work at Global Entry kiosks
CBP is explicit about this: Global Entry cards are not accepted at Global Entry kiosks. The kiosks read your passport or, for lawful permanent residents, your green card. CBP's own FAQ states plainly that "Global Entry cards do not work when entering the U.S. by air."
That means a missing, stolen, damaged, or expired card has no effect on your ability to use Global Entry at the airport. As long as your membership is active and you have a valid passport, you can walk up to a kiosk and use it exactly as before.
The card is really a physical artifact of your membership, not a key that unlocks the kiosk. Plenty of members carry it out of habit, but it isn't doing any work at the airport itself.
NEXUS and SENTRI lanes work differently
Land border crossings are not the same as airport kiosks. CBP's guidance for NEXUS lanes tells members to hold the physical card up to a proximity, or RFID, reader at the lane, and SENTRI lanes work the same way. That reader is how the lane identifies you and pulls up your record.
So at a land border, the card has an actual job to do. If it's lost or stolen, you won't have anything to present to the reader, and you'll need to use a regular lane with your passport instead until a replacement arrives.
CBP's published guidance doesn't specifically address what happens if the card itself has expired while the underlying membership is still active. If you're due to cross a land border and your card's printed expiration date has passed, it's worth confirming your membership status directly with CBP or through your Trusted Traveler Programs account rather than assuming the reader will accept it.
Replacing a lost, stolen, or damaged card
Replacing a lost or stolen card is done online. Log into your Trusted Traveler Programs account, go to "Manage Membership," and select "Request for Global Entry Card." The fee is $25, and once you request a replacement, the original card is deactivated.
Damaged cards are handled differently. CBP guidance indicates a damaged card can be replaced free of charge, but only in person at an enrollment center, rather than through the online request.
Replacement cards typically arrive within 8 to 10 business days, though it can take as long as 6 to 8 weeks in some cases. The card ships in a plain white envelope that cannot be forwarded, so make sure your mailing address on file is current. If it hasn't shown up after about 8 weeks, select "Card Never Received" in your TTP account.
An expired card is really a membership question
Global Entry membership runs for five years from approval. When people say their card is "expired," they usually mean the membership itself is approaching, or has passed, its expiration date, not that the plastic card has a separate lifespan.
If you file your renewal application before your membership expires, CBP allows you to keep using your Global Entry benefits for up to 24 months past the listed expiration date while the renewal is processed. That grace period only applies if you submit the renewal ahead of the expiration date, so don't wait until the last week.
What to actually do
If you fly and your card is lost, stolen, damaged, or expired, don't worry about your next flight. Your passport and active membership are what matter at the kiosk.
If you regularly use NEXUS or SENTRI lanes at a land border, replace a lost or stolen card sooner rather than later, since you'll need the physical card at the reader.
Either way, request the replacement through your Trusted Traveler Programs account, or visit an enrollment center for a damaged card, and keep flying with your passport in the meantime. If you're tracking appointment availability for other Global Entry needs, TTPRadar's live wait times by enrollment center and free appointment alerts can help you plan around enrollment center visits.