As much as we hate them, we’re used to all those taxes and fees tacked on to our airline ticket. But soon you may have a new fee to pay — this time to the Transportation Security Administration.
If you still don’t have a REAL ID and you’re flying after February 1, 2026, you may have to pay a fee of $45 to the Department of Homeland Security, the department that runs the TSA. The deadline to get a REAL ID for flying was extended a number of times over the years to allow people to update their licenses, but we’re finally at the point of consequences if you don’t have the proper identification for flying. Here’s how the fee works, and how you can avoid it.
What Is a REAL ID?
A REAL ID is a drivers license or identification card issued by all states. They meet higher levels of identity verification standards. That means that when you apply for one, you have to show more documents to prove your identity.
The minimum security standards were set with the REAL ID Act in 2005, which was enacted as a recommendation from the 9/11 Commission. A REAL ID is required to get into all federal facilities, and that now includes going through the TSA screening process at the airport.
In order to tell if your drivers license or state-issued ID card is REAL ID compliant, look for a star on the top portion of your card. All REAL IDs will have a star on them, though exactly what that star looks like can vary from state to state. According to the TSA, 6% of travelers don’t use a REAL ID at the airport.
What Is the New $45 TSA Fee?
If you plan to fly in the U.S. on February 1, 2026 or later, you’ll need to show a REAL ID or other acceptable form of identification at the TSA checkpoint in order to board the plane. If you don’t, you will have to pay a $45 fee to have your identity verified using a TSA service called ConfirmID.
You can pay and use ConfirmID online before you go to the airport in order to avoid delays. But the TSA notes prominently that ConfirmID is both optional and not a guarantee that you will be able to board your flight. TSA may not be able to verify your identity even if you pay the $45 — but you definitely won’t be boarding any flight if you don’t have a REAL ID or other acceptable form of identification.
If the TSA needs to verify your identity at the airport, you will still need to pay the $45 fee. The process may take up to 30 minutes, so make sure to plan ahead if you tend to head to the airport late.
How Can I Avoid the Fee?
Besides the obvious advice of “take another mode of transportation,” you do have other options if you don’t have a REAL compliant drivers license or state-issued ID card.
These other forms of identification meet all the same standards of a REAL ID, and will also get you through TSA checkpoints without a $45 fee.
- U.S. passport
- U.S. passport card
- DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
- U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
- Permanent resident card
- Border crossing card
- An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe, including Enhanced Tribal Cards (ETCs)
- HSPD-12 PIV card
- Foreign government-issued passport
- Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
- Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
- U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential
- Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)
- Apple Digital ID
- Clear ID
- Google ID pass
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