TSA to offer $45 identity check option for flyers without REAL ID or other acceptable ID starting Feb. 1
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Transportation Security Administration will roll out a modernized identity verification option starting Feb. 1, 2026, allowing travelers who arrive at airport checkpoints without a REAL ID or other acceptable identification to pay a $45 fee to attempt to verify their identity and fly, the agency said.
The program, called TSA ConfirmID, is an optional alternative identity verification system intended for passengers who do not have a REAL ID or other acceptable form of identification at the checkpoint and still want to travel, TSA said.
“TSA ConfirmID will be an option for travelers that do not bring a REAL ID or other acceptable form of ID to the TSA checkpoint and still want to fly,” said Senior Official Performing the Duties of Deputy Administrator for TSA Adam Stahl. “Impacted travelers will have the option to pay $45 and use the TSA ConfirmID process. This fee ensures that non-compliant travelers, not taxpayers, cover the cost of processing travelers without acceptable IDs. To avoid delays or missed flights, all travelers should obtain a REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification before heading to the airport.”
TSA said all airline travelers who use ConfirmID will be subject to additional identity verification and screening measures and could experience delays. Travelers who arrive at the checkpoint without a REAL ID or other acceptable ID and have not already paid the ConfirmID fee should expect additional delays that could result in a missed flight, the agency said. TSA said the process can take up to 30 minutes and urged passengers to plan ahead and bring acceptable identification.
TSA said its full list of acceptable identification is posted at TSA.gov/ID and that travelers with acceptable ID do not need to use ConfirmID. Travelers unsure whether their credential is REAL ID-compliant should check with their state’s Department of Motor Vehicles, the agency said.
For more information, TSA directed travelers to TSA.gov/real-id, to text 275-872 (“AskTSA”), call the TSA Contact Center at 866-289-9673, or submit inquiries through the agency’s website.
