Starting Sunday, February 1st, travelers flying within the United States without a REAL ID or other accepted forms of identification must pay a $45 fee for identity verification through the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)’s new ConfirmID program. The fee, valid for 10 days, applies to adults 18 and older and is intended to cover the cost of alternate identity verification that was previously funded by taxpayers.
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The new policy follows the full implementation of the REAL ID Act, which Congress passed in 2005 in response to recommendations from the 9/11 Commission to enhance security at airports. Travelers have been required to present REAL ID-compliant identification or an acceptable alternative at airport checkpoints since May 7, 2025.
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TSA estimates roughly six percent of passengers will need to use the ConfirmID option. Travelers can pay the $45 fee in advance online through Pay.gov or at airport checkpoints, though TSA strongly recommends prepayment to minimize delays. The verification process can take between 10 and 30 minutes, and there is no guarantee TSA will be able to confirm a traveler’s identity. Passengers who arrive without compliant identification or do not participate in ConfirmID may be denied access through security checkpoints.
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Acting Executive Assistant Administrator Steve Lorincz emphasized that “ID verification is critical to TSA and critical to TSA’s layered security approach,” highlighting the agency’s focus on maintaining airport security.
Travelers can avoid the fee by using other accepted forms of identification, including a U.S. passport or passport card, an enhanced driver’s license issued by select states, military IDs, or trusted traveler cards such as Global Entry or NEXUS. Temporary paper licenses are not accepted.
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