The TSA has proposed a new $18 charge for travelers who arrive at security without acceptable ID to fund biometric kiosks designed to speed identity checks. The fee would be optional but non-refundable and would not guarantee clearance to fly. If adopted, the $18 credential would be valid for 10 days and the kiosks would serve as an alternative to the current manual verification process. The program would be separate from existing voluntary facial-recognition services, and further guidance from the agency is expected soon.
TSA Proposes $18 Fee for Travelers Without Proper ID to Use Biometric Kiosks
The TSA has proposed a new $18 charge for travelers who arrive at security without acceptable ID to fund biometric kiosks designed to speed identity checks. The fee would be optional but non-refundable and would not guarantee clearance to fly. If adopted, the $18 credential would be valid for 10 days and the kiosks would serve as an alternative to the current manual verification process. The program would be separate from existing voluntary facial-recognition services, and further guidance from the agency is expected soon.
08:10 AM, 11/21/2025Security
The Transportation Security Administration has proposed charging travelers $18 at airport security checkpoints if they arrive without an acceptable form of identification. The fee would fund biometric kiosks intended to speed identity verification and reduce delays associated with manual checks.
How it would work
Under the proposal, travelers who do not present a REAL ID or another acceptable credential — such as a passport or permanent resident card — could opt to pay $18 to use a biometric kiosk. The kiosk would compare a traveler's biometric data to government records to attempt a faster identity match than the current manual process.
Key conditions
- The fee is optional but non-refundable: paying does not guarantee clearance to fly, and travelers who cannot be verified through any means would not be refunded.
- The $18 credential would be valid for 10 days, so a traveler might not need to pay again for subsequent trips within that window.
- The kiosks are intended as an alternative to the longer manual verification process, which can require providing personal details and answering multiple questions to match records. Travelers without IDs may still face additional screening of carry-ons and persons.
- The program would be separate from the TSA's existing voluntary facial-recognition initiatives already in use at dozens of airports.
Program details and unknowns
The filing says the fee would cover investments in data infrastructure, software development, program management, and compliance. The agency also said it may limit how many times an individual can use the kiosk service. It is not yet clear where or how the fee would be collected or which payment methods would be accepted.
"This notice serves as a next step in the process in REAL ID compliance," a TSA spokesperson said, noting that REAL ID requirements were enacted more than two decades ago and were fully implemented nationwide in 2025. The agency said REAL ID compliance is roughly 94 percent and promised additional guidance in the coming days.
The proposal will take effect once the TSA opens registrations for the kiosk option on its website. In May, the TSA began enforcing the requirement that travelers present a REAL ID or another approved form of government ID to pass through airport security checkpoints.