What is an interim security clearance?
Interim clearance (also known as “interim eligibility”) is a temporary security clearance. Interim clearance is granted pending the completion of the full investigative requirements for the final clearance. If you work for a defense contractor, you will be considered for interim security clearance. To get interim clearance, you must complete the minimum investigative requirements. Once the authority providing the clearance receives a properly completed SF86, you may be granted an interim Secret and Top Secret clearance within five to ten days.
With a security interim clearance, you have access to classified material at all levels up to the level of the clearance you were granted. However, you cannot use an interim Secret clearance to access special categories of classified information, such as COMSEC, Restricted Data, and NATO. On the other hand, you may use interim Top Secret clearance to access most Top Secret information as well as COMSEC, Restricted Data, and NATO information at the Secret and Confidential (but not Top Secret) levels.
If your interim clearance wasn’t granted, it’s called “Eligibility Pending.” Denial of interim security can be made for any reason. Also, the granting agency can withdraw your interim security clearances at any time, especially if they uncover significant unfavorable information during the investigation. You may not appeal the denial or withdrawal of your interim clearance. The DoD CAF is not required to give you a reason for denying or withdrawing your interim clearance, but you can get this information by requesting it through the Privacy Act.