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Topline
Starting February 1, air travelers aged 18 and older without a REAL ID or an acceptable alternative form of identification will face an additional fee at airports, as announced by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
Travelers without a REAL ID will be required to pay a $45 fee to utilize TSA’s alternative identity verification system, known as TSA ConfirmID. This process is essential for domestic passengers and must be completed before they proceed through security checkpoints. The fee must be paid digitally for each verification.
The TSA strongly advises travelers to verify their REAL ID compliance status prior to their journey. Those who are not compliant should visit tsa.gov/ConfirmID, pay the necessary fee, and present the digital receipt to a TSA officer at the airport.
The ConfirmID process can also be initiated at airports using QR codes, though it’s important to note that procedures may vary from one airport to another, according to TSA.
The TSA ConfirmID system confirms a traveler’s identity through biometric methods and biographic checks, including verifying their name, date of birth, and other identifying information.
The option to complete the process can also be found at airports through QR codes, though TSA said the procedure will differ between airports.
According to TSA, the ConfirmID process verifies a traveler’s identity using biometric methods and biographic checks, including name, date of birth and other identifying details.
Originally proposed at $18, the ConfirmID fee was upped to $45 after a review found the original proposal would not fully cover the expenses associated with implementing and operating the system.
Crucial Quote
“The fee was needed. We started reinforcing REAL ID on May 7, and this is kind of the next step, and a $45 fee now puts the financial burden on the traveler instead of all the taxpayers and a $45 covers the cost of the service,” Gervais Joubert, a spokesperson with TSA, told THV11.
Key Background
The REAL ID requirement stems from the REAL ID Act of 2005, passed in Congress in response to recommendations from the 9/11 Commission to strengthen identification standards. It took until 2020 for all states to make the driver’s licenses REAL ID-compliant, with the COVID-19 pandemic further delaying the enforcement deadline. The ConfirmID process comes after the 2025 requirement for REAL ID and years of phased rollouts and extensions.
What Other Forms Of Id Are Compliant?
If travelers do not have a REAL ID, other forms of identification include passport; passport card; Department of Homeland Security-issued trusted traveler card (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST); U.S. Department of Defense ID (military ID, including identification issued to dependents); U.S. permanent resident card (green card); border crossing card; Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe photo ID (including Enhanced Tribal Cards); HSPD-12 PIV Card (issued to federal employees and contractors); foreign government-issued passport; Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card; transportation worker ID credential; U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766); U.S. merchant mariner credential; or a Veteran Health ID card (VHIC).
Big Number
94%. That’s the percentage of Americans who, as of December, had a REAL ID-compliant form of identification.
Further Reading
TSA Proposes Air Passengers Without A REAL ID Can Pay $18 For Biometric Scan Instead (Forbes)
‘We Are Doing This’: TSA Warns Travelers Without REAL ID Could Miss Their Flights Beginning May 7 (Forbes)
