The TSA will begin charging a $45 fee on Feb. 1 for air travelers who do not present a Real ID or other federally acceptable identification, to cover enhanced screening and verification. The agency originally proposed an $18 fee in November but raised it after revising cost estimates. Travelers without acceptable IDs must register through TSA ConfirmID before travel; the TSA says about 94% of passengers already meet the new requirements. Passengers unsure about their ID should contact their state DMV.
TSA Will Charge $45 For Travelers Without Real ID Starting Feb. 1
A traveler glances at a Real ID sign posted at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago in May. (Nam Y. Huh/AP)
Airline passengers who do not present a Real ID or another federally acceptable form of identification will be charged a $45 fee beginning Feb. 1 under a new Transportation Security Administration policy. The charge is intended to cover the additional screening and verification steps required when travelers lack acceptable IDs.
What Changed
The TSA first proposed charging a smaller $18 fee in November to offset the "government-incurred costs" of extra screening for travelers without compliant credentials. Agency officials later raised the amount to $45 after determining the cost of enhanced screenings and identity checks was higher than originally estimated.
"Identity verification is essential to traveler safety, because it keeps terrorists, criminals, and illegal aliens out of the skies and other domestic transportation systems such as rail," said Adam Stahl, a senior TSA official, announcing the fee. "This fee ensures the cost to cover verification of an insufficient ID will come from the traveler, not the taxpayer."
How It Works
Travelers who lack an acceptable ID must register through the TSA ConfirmID online portal before travel and will undergo enhanced identity verification at the checkpoint. The TSA says the policy affects a small minority of travelers: about 94% of passengers already use a Real ID or other acceptable identification.
Acceptable IDs And Timing
Acceptable credentials include Real ID–compliant driver’s licenses, valid passports, tribal IDs and certain other government-issued documents. Although all U.S. states and territories now issue Real ID–compliant licenses, older IDs issued before states updated their systems may not meet the federal standard. The TSA advises passengers who are unsure whether their license qualifies to contact their state Department of Motor Vehicles well before traveling.
Background
Congress passed the Real ID Act in 2005 to create federal standards for state-issued IDs in response to the Sept. 11 attacks. Enforcement of Real ID requirements was delayed for nearly two decades; the rules finally went into effect in May 2025.
Bottom line: If you plan to fly domestically, check your ID now. If it isn't Real ID–compliant, expect to register with TSA ConfirmID and pay a $45 fee for the required additional screening starting Feb. 1.
Help us improve.
