PCII Authorized User Training

To access Protected Critical Infrastructure Information (PCII), you must be a PCII Authorized User. However, access to individual items of PCII will be determined by your need to know that information. The holder of the PCII or an appropriate federal, state, tribal, or local government official will make this decision each time a request for access to or disclosure of PCII is made.

To apply for PCII Authorized User status, you must:

  • Be a federal, state, tribal, or local government employee (or contractor);
  • Complete training on the proper handling and safeguarding of PCII;
  • Have homeland security responsibilities; and
  • Sign a non-disclosure agreement (non-Federal employees only).

If you are unsure of your entity's status as belonging to either the public sector (e.g., a government entity) or private sector, please contact the Department of Homeland Security PCII Program at PCII-Assist@cisa.dhs.gov.

Government contractors must also modify relevant contracts to comply with requirements of the PCII Program. Contract modification is not a prerequisite to accessing PCII; however, the contractor must contractually acknowledge his or her responsibilities with respect to PCII as soon as practicable. The PCII Officer certifies that contractors are engaged in activities supporting their accredited entity.

Registration for Training

Register for access to the PCII Authorized User Training on the PCII Management System (PCIIMS). You will have to register for a PCIIMS account before proceeding to the training. 

Please note that once you reach the point where you can select your appropriate training module, users without a PCIIMS account will be selecting the "New User" Authorized User training.

If you run into problems with the registration process, the Authorized User training, or obtaining a PCII Authorized User Certificate, please contact the CISA Gateway Consolidated Help Desk at PCII-Assist@cisa.dhs.gov or 866-844-8163.

Renewing PCII Authorized User Training

PCII Authorized Users are required to renew your training once a year. To take the refresher training, log in to the PCIIMS website and click on the refresher training link on the main PCIIMS webpage.

As the expiration date for your training approaches, PCIIMS will remind you via email. After the renewal deadline, your account will become inactive, and you will have 30 days to retake the training. You are no longer authorized to view PCII at this point. After 30 days, your account will be deleted. If you need to take the training again at a later time, you will have to re-register within PCIIMS.

PCII Authorized User Frequently Asked Questions

I Recently Registered an Account, But I Can’t Log In?

For your account to activate, it will need to be approved, and then you will need to click on an activation link provided to you in an email from PCIIMS when you registered. Some email systems block this automated email. If you have registered on PCIIMS and have not received an email, contact the CISA Gateway Consolidated Help Desk at PCII-Assist@cisa.dhs.gov or 866-844-8163.

How Do I Reset My Password?

Select the "Forgot Password?" link from the PCIIMS log-in screen. You will be asked for your username and the answer to your security question. Your password will then be sent to the email address linked to the account.

Can I Change the Username, Email Address, or Last Name Associated with My Account?

You cannot change the username, email address, or last name within PCIIMS. If they need to be changed, you will need to have your account revoked so that you can recreate it. Please ask the CISA Gateway Consolidated Help Desk (PCII-Assist@cisa.dhs.gov or 866-844-8163) or your PCII Officers for assistance to revoke your account. (You will not have to retake the standard training module.) The other personal information attached to your PCIIMS account can be changed.

Contact Information

To learn more about how the PCII Program can support your organization's homeland security efforts, please contact PCII-Assist@cisa.dhs.gov.