In a significant change to domestic air travel rules in the United States, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will begin charging a $45 fee to passengers who arrive at airport security checkpoints without a REAL ID-compliant form of identification or another acceptable document, starting February 1, 2026. The new measure, aimed at strengthening identity verification and recouping the costs of TSA’s alternative screening process, is part of the broader enforcement of the REAL ID Act that has been phased in since May 2025.
Under the updated policy, travelers who do not present a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, state-issued ID, passport book, passport card, or other federally approved identification will be referred to TSA’s modernized identity verification system known as TSA ConfirmID. To proceed through security and board their flight, these passengers must pay the non-refundable $45 fee, which covers a 10-day travel period and can apply to multiple flights within that time frame.
The fee marks a shift from previous procedures, where passengers lacking compliant identification were allowed to fly after undergoing additional screenings — a process that TSA officials said consumed significant time and resources. The agency clarified that charging passengers for the ConfirmID process ensures that travelers rather than taxpayers bear the administrative and technology costs associated with alternate identity checks.
TSA has outlined that the ConfirmID process may involve online identity verification steps, which travelers are encouraged to complete before arriving at the airport to avoid delays, as the in-person process at security checkpoints can take up to 30 minutes or more in some cases. Even after paying the $45 fee and completing the ConfirmID process, TSA retains discretion over whether a traveler is permitted to board, meaning that payment does not guarantee clearance if identity cannot be satisfactorily verified.
Officials stress that most passengers already carry compliant IDs, with approximately 94% of travelers using REAL ID-compliant identification or passports, but the new rule applies to all adults 18 and older who lack the required documentation when checking in for domestic flights. Travelers who have passport books, passport cards, or other accepted credentials will not be subject to the fee, though a passport card — while valid for domestic flights — cannot be used for international air travel.
The Real ID program was introduced after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks to enhance security standards for identification used in federally regulated activities such as boarding aircraft and entering certain federal facilities. After years of postponements due to logistical and pandemic-related delays, full enforcement of the REAL ID requirements began in May 2025.
Critics of the new fee argue that it effectively penalizes travelers who have not yet secured compliant identification, potentially creating financial and logistical burdens for infrequent flyers or those with limited access to DMV resources. Supporters, however, maintain that the fee encourages timely compliance with national security standards and helps streamline security operations at increasingly busy airports.
Air travelers planning trips in early 2026 and beyond are being urged to check their identification documents well in advance, use the TSA ConfirmID option if necessary, and consider obtaining REAL ID-compliant licenses or passports to avoid the additional charges and potential delays at security checkpoints.
