HSIN accounts are available to the public upon completion of identity proofing and successful registration. Access to any Communities of Interest (COIs) and Sensitive but Unclassified (SBU) information requires additional vetting that is at the discretion of the Community of Interest owners.
DHS employees can create, or register for, a HSIN account using their DHS-issued PIV card. You may not use a PIV card and a Login.gov account as an alternate method of authentication for the same HSIN account. They will be treated as two separate accounts. This is because one is going through DHS and the other is going through Login.gov to authenticate your identity.
Existing HSIN users with DHS credentials must sign in with their PIV cards. All Common Access Card (CAC) users must use Login.gov at this time (unless you are a federated partner).
For step-by-step instructions on how to register for a HSIN account as a DHS user, please refer to the DHS Registration Quick Reference Guide.
U.S. citizens who are not employed by DHS must register for a secure Login.gov account to access the HSIN platform.
For all Login.gov scenarios, keep three things in mind:
- You must have a registered Login.gov account.
- You must register for a HSIN account.
- Your Login.gov email address must match your primary HSIN email address.
To create a Login.gov account you will need these items:
- Your smart phone
- Your state-issued photo ID
- Your Social Security Number (SSN)
Some additional guidance for users:
- If you have a lock or freeze on your credit report, please disable it and retry.
- If you have moved within 24-48 months, please enter your previous address to retry ID validation with Login.gov.
- You must use a state issued ID. Federal, military, and passport IDs are NOT accepted by Login.gov as valid forms of identification.
- Use your personal information, including address and phone number.
- If you are a Law Enforcement Officer, your personal data may be “scrubbed” to protect your identity.
For step-by-step instructions on how to register for a HSIN account as a Login.gov user, please refer to the Login.gov Registration Quick Reference Guide.
Non-U.S. citizens are ineligible for self-service registration due to the additional vetting for security validation. This process can take time, so HSIN encourages these users to plan.
Important information about the non-U.S. citizen registration process:
- Non-U.S. citizens looking to register for a HSIN account require a federal sponsor. The sponsor must be a federal employee and cannot be a contractor.
- Once the sponsor has been identified, please contact the HSIN Help Desk at HSIN.helpdesk@hq.dhs.gov with the name and contact information (including professional email address and phone number) of the federal sponsor before requesting access to the platform.
Once the help desk has confirmed registration with the user, the individual will use the alternate sign-in method. First time non-citizen users will be prompted to set up OKTA Verify upon first sign-in. All non-U.S. citizen users must renew their HSIN registration every two years in accordance with governance requirements. For step-by-step instructions on how to register for HSIN as a non-U.S. citizen HSIN user, please email HSIN.helpdesk@hq.dhs.gov for assistance.
After you create a HSIN account, you can browse the Community Directory on HSIN and directly request access to visible Communities of Interest (COIs) related to your mission area. If the COI you are looking for is not visible in the Community Directory, you will need an access code from the COI Owner or Access Approver. If you are having any issues, please email HSIN@hq.dhs.gov to request the COI point of contact.
If your needs are not being met by an existing COI and you would like to speak with a Stakeholder Engagement Specialist to create a new Community of Interest, please contact HSIN@hq.dhs.gov.
For step-by-step instructions on how to access and browse the Community Directory, please refer to the Community Directory and COI Access for HSIN Users Quick Reference Guide.
For general information or if your needs are not being met by an existing COI and you would like to speak with a Stakeholder Engagement Specialist to create a new Community of Interest, please contact HSIN@hq.dhs.gov.
If you experience problems with your HSIN account, call the HSIN Service Desk at 866-430-0162 or via email at HSIN.HelpDesk@hq.dhs.gov.