Department of Defense
INSTRUCTION
NUMBER 5200.46
September 9, 2014
USD(I)
SUBJECT: DoD Investigative and Adjudicative Guidance for Issuing the Common Access
Card (CAC)
References: See Enclosure 1
1. PURPOSE. In accordance with the authority in DoD Directive (DoDD) 5143.01 (Reference
(a)), this instruction establishes policy, assigns responsibilities, and prescribes procedures for
investigating and adjudicating eligibility to hold a CAC consistent with References (b) through
(n). The CAC is the DoD personal identity verification (PIV) credential. This instruction
incorporates and cancels Enclosure 4, DoD Instruction 5200.02 (Reference (o)).
2. APPLICABILITY. This instruction applies to:
a. OSD, the Military Departments (including the Coast Guard at all times, including when it
is a Service in the Department of Homeland Security by agreement with that Department), the
Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Staff, the Combatant
Commands, the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Defense, the Defense
Agencies, the DoD Field Activities, and all other organizational entities within the DoD
(hereinafter referred to collectively as the “DoD Components”).
b. The commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS), under agreement
with the Department of Health and Human Services, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), under agreement with the Department of Commerce.
3. POLICY. It is DoD policy that:
a. Individuals appropriately sponsored for a CAC consistent with DoD Manual 1000.13,
Volume 1 (Reference (b)) must be investigated and adjudicated in accordance with this
instruction. Individuals not CAC eligible may be processed for local or regional base passes in
accordance with Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence (USD(I)) policy guidance for DoD
physical access control DoD 5200.08-R (Reference (p)) and local installation security policies
and procedures.
