The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced on Monday that beginning February 1, 2026, air travelers aged 18 and older who arrive at security checkpoints without a compliant identification — such as a federally-approved REAL ID license or passport — will be required to pay a non-refundable $45 fee to access a special identity verification process.
The fee is tied to the agency’s new “Confirm.ID” (or “modernised alternative identity verification”) programme, designed for travellers who forget or do not possess acceptable ID documentation. In effect, the process grants the paying passenger access to a 10-day travel window after their identity verification is approved.
TSA officials emphasise that the fee is meant to cover the additional technology and administrative costs required to verify identities for those without standard ID. In prior notices, the fee was initially proposed at $18, but the final amount was raised to $45.
Under the new rule, travelers who do not have a REAL ID or other acceptable credential (such as a U.S. passport, permanent resident card, Department of Defense ID, or certain trusted-traveller cards) will be required either to use the regular process (if allowed) or opt into the alternative verification and pay the fee. The agency further warns that paying the fee does not guarantee access through the checkpoint — identity verification must succeed for cleared passage.
The REAL ID requirement itself stems from the 2005 law enacted in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks, which mandated stricter standards for state-issued identification cards. Enforcement for air travel in the U.S. began in May 2025.
According to the TSA, approximately 94 % of air travelers already present an acceptable form of identification, meaning that this new fee is expected to affect a relatively small segment of flyers — for example, someone who forgot their ID, uses a state licence not yet REAL ID-compliant, or unexpectedly loses their passport.
Travel experts are advising passengers to check their state’s criteria for REAL ID compliance, or to carry an alternative acceptable ID, to avoid delays or additional cost. Those who believe they may fall into the non-compliant group should consider upgrading their ID ahead of travel or budget the extra fee and added processing time. The TSA warns that on-site payment and verification may add up to 30 minutes of delay.
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