Who grants interim clearances?

• A. SECCEN
• B. CO
• C. DHS
• D. NSA

Answer: (A)

Interim clearances provide temporary access to classified information when a full background investigation is still in progress, so operations aren’t stalled waiting for the final decision. The authority to grant these interim clearances in this context rests with SECCEN, the central security clearance center, which can issue provisional access based on the information available and a risk assessment. A commanding officer doesn’t grant interim clearances themselves; they may manage duties and access within their unit, but the formal interim determination comes from the central clearance authority. DHS and NSA handle security within their own organizations, but they aren’t the centralized body that issues interim clearances across programs. SECCEN is the entity designed to authorize these temporary clearances.