US air travelers without REAL IDs will be charged a $45 fee
Starting Feb. 1, 2026, travelers without a REAL ID or acceptable ID must pay $45 for TSA Confirm identity verification valid for 10 days, TSA said 94% already comply.
- On Monday, the Transportation Security Administration announced that beginning Feb. 1, 2026, travelers without a REAL ID or other acceptable ID will pay a $45 fee at U.S. airport security checkpoints.
- A Nov. 20 Federal Register notice explained the $45 fee will fund the modernized alternative identity verification program and cover technology and administrative costs, rising from the previously proposed $18 fee.
- TSA described the Confirm process as using biometric kiosks and online uploads to verify identities, taking 10 to 15 minutes with a 10-day verification window.
- About 6% of flyers lack REAL ID compliance, TSA and DHS said, and affected travelers may face longer lines, delays, or denied boarding even after paying the $45 fee.
- TSA urged travelers to obtain REAL ID before travel to avoid fees, missed flights and longer security lines, noting digital wallets work at more than 250 airports since May 7, 2025.
292 Articles
292 Articles
TSA to Charge $45 Fee for Travelers Without REAL ID Starting Feb. 1
Air travelers who show up to U.S. airports without a REAL ID will soon be met with a new cost. Beginning Feb. 1, the Transportation Security Administration will charge a $45 fee to verify the identities of passengers 18 and older who attempt to fly domestically without a REAL ID or another accepted form of government identification. The agency rolled out the REAL ID requirement in May, though travelers without the updated identification have sti…
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