Travelers Without A Real ID Will Have To Pay TSA's Fee For Alternative Screening

After the slow rollout of the Real ID, the new form of identification required for travelers as of May 2025, the TSA is now taking its implementation very seriously. Starting on February 1, 2026, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is introducing a new requirement that could affect millions of air travelers across the U.S. If you're flying through an airport in the United States without a REAL ID–compliant form of identification, you will have to pay a $45 fee for the TSA's alternative screening process. Up until now, travelers could fly without a REAL ID, as they'd only have to undergo additional screening at no extra cost. With this new policy, if you don't have the right kind of ID, you'll need to pay up if you want the TSA to verify your identity another way.

While the situation might make some travelers wonder what's the deal with TSA's inconsistencies, note that TSA says this move is safety-inspired. The new program, called TSA Confirm.ID, is a verification system meant to simplify the confirmation of travelers' identities at security checkpoints for people without Real IDs. Once you pay the Confirm.ID fee, your alternative verification will be approved for 10 days. This means you can take multiple flights within that period without paying again.

TSA says the $45 fee is a measure to ensure that the people who need the extra verification are the ones bearing the costs themselves, rather than the taxpayers. Fortunately, more than 94% of U.S. flyers already have the proper ID, which means that only a small fraction of travelers will need this fee-based screening option. Still, this is undoubtedly a big change in how air travel security works.

Under the new rules, if you don't have a REAL ID-compliant document, you can pay the $45 fee online before you head to the airport at all (in fact, you can factor this into the list of things you should do before you go on vacation). Honestly, paying the fee ahead of time might just be the best move, and even TSA recommends it to help keep things moving with less delay at security. You can pay at the airport too, either at a kiosk or a special checkpoint, but note that this tends to take longer and could slow you down.

Even after you pay up and finish the Confirm.ID verification process, it's important to understand that you still may not be in the clear. If the TSA can't confirm who you are, you still might not get through security. The simplest way to skip the fee and avoid the headache is to show up with the right ID. You can use a REAL ID driver's license, a state-issued enhanced ID, a U.S. passport (book or card), or DHS trusted traveler cards such as Global Entry or SENTRI. Some states even let you use a digital ID at certain airports, which is super handy if you've set it up.

In short, anyone who's 18 years or older planning a flight in the U.S. after February 1, 2026, should ensure they have a REAL ID or any other ID accepted by the TSA, if they truly want to avoid the $45 Confirm.ID fee. Considering it costs less than $50 to get a Real ID in most states, it's probably easier, and less expensive in the long run, to get the proper identification.