TSA is About to Start Charging $45 if You Don’t Have This One Travel Item With You for Your Next Flight
Starting February 1st, travelers who show up at airport security without a REAL ID will face a new reality: Pay $45 for the chance to fly, or don’t fly at all.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced this week that its new ConfirmID program will roll out nationwide next month, offering a backup option for passengers who arrive at security checkpoints without proper identification.
But here’s the catch: Paying the fee doesn’t guarantee you’ll actually be cleared to fly 😳 Keep reading for all the details.
What is the TSA Confirm ID Program?
The ConfirmID program is TSA’s solution for travelers who don’t have a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, passport, or other acceptable form of identification.
Under the new system, passengers without proper ID can pay $45 and undergo additional identity verification screening.
TSA will attempt to confirm the traveler’s identity through this enhanced process, but the agency has made it clear that clearance is not guaranteed.
“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 Adam Stahl, the senior official performing the duties of deputy administrator for TSA, in a statement.
“Impacted travelers will have the option to pay $45 and use the TSA ConfirmID process.”
Translation: If you forget your ID or don’t have a REAL ID yet, you can pay nearly $50 for the privilege of *maybe* getting through security.
What Does “Additional Verification” Actually Mean to TSA? (3 Things to Keep in Mind)
The TSA hasn’t provided extensive details about what the additional identity verification process entails, but travelers should expect several things.
First, expect delays; potentially significant ones.
The agency specifically warns that passengers using ConfirmID should anticipate extra screening procedures beyond the standard security process.
This could mean answering personal questions to verify your identity, providing additional documentation if available, or undergoing more thorough physical screening.
Second, expect uncertainty (exactly what you need on a travel day 🙄).
Unlike presenting a valid ID, which guarantees you can proceed through security (assuming you pass the regular screening), ConfirmID offers no such guarantee.
You could pay the $45 fee and still be denied boarding.
Third, expect that you might possibly miss your flight.
TSA explicitly warns that travelers who arrive without acceptable ID and haven’t already paid the ConfirmID fee will face additional delays and may risk missing their flights.
The message is clear: This isn’t a convenient backup plan; it’s a last resort that might not even work.
Who Needs a REAL ID?
The REAL ID requirement went into effect in May 2025 for *ALL* U.S. air travelers aged 18 and older.
If you’re flying domestically within the U.S., and you’re 18 or older, you will need to have one of the following:
- REAL ID-compliant driver’s license
- Valid U.S. passort
- Another acceptable form of identification, like those listed here
How do you know if your driver’s license is REAL ID-compliant?
Look for a gold star in the upper right-hand corner of your license (and keep scrolling for a visual because we have photos of two REAL IDs).
That star indicates your license meets the federal security standards established by the REAL ID Act, which was passed by Congress in 2005 following the 9/11 Commission’s recommendations.
If your license doesn’t have that gold star, it won’t work for air travel anymore.
What are the Alternatives to REAL ID?
You don’t necessarily need to get a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license to fly. Several other forms of identification are acceptable at TSA checkpoints:
- U.S. passport or passport card
- State-issued enhanced driver’s license (EDL)
- Department of Defense ID
- Permanent resident card
- Border crossing card
- DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
- Certain mobile driver’s licenses (in states where TSA accepts them)
- Other TSA-approved documents listed here
For most travelers, a passport or REAL ID-compliant driver’s license will be the most convenient option.
Passports, though more expensive, have the added benefit of being useful for international travel. They also have all the other benefits of a REAL ID.
REAL IDs work for flying, and you also now need them to enter certain federal facilities like courthouses.
Why is TSA Charging $45 to Fly Now?
According to TSA, the $45 fee is designed to ensure that travelers who fail to comply with identification requirements — rather than taxpayers — cover the cost of additional screening.
This is a significant shift in how TSA handles passengers without proper ID.
Previously, travelers without identification could still fly after undergoing additional screening at no extra cost.
The process, while inconvenient and time-consuming, didn’t hit your wallet.
Now, forgetting your ID or not having a REAL ID will cost you nearly $50, with no guarantee you’ll even make your flight.
The fee structure appears designed to incentivize compliance with REAL ID requirements rather than providing a genuine alternative.
At $45 per incident, travelers who frequently forget their ID or resist getting a REAL ID could rack up hundreds of dollars in fees annually.
The Bigger Picture: REAL ID Has Been Coming for Years
The REAL ID requirement didn’t sneak up on anyone. Congress passed the REAL ID Act in 2005 — more than 20 years ago.
The implementation has been delayed multiple times, with deadlines pushed back repeatedly to give states more time to issue compliant licenses and give travelers more time to prepare.
The most recent deadline was originally set for October 2020, then postponed to October 2021, then May 2023, and finally to May 2025 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and state-level implementation challenges.
Despite decades of advance notice and multiple deadline extensions, millions of Americans still don’t have REAL ID-compliant licenses.
Some people genuinely haven’t gotten around to it.
Others philosophically oppose the REAL ID Act, viewing it as federal overreach or a privacy concern.
Still others simply don’t fly often enough to prioritize getting a compliant license.
The new ConfirmID fee appears aimed at this last group: Occasional flyers who might procrastinate on getting a REAL ID but would rather pay $45 than miss their annual vacation flight.
Criticism and Concerns
The ConfirmID program has already generated criticism from consumer advocates and travelers.
The main concern is the fee-for-maybe-service model. Paying $45 for something that might not work feels like a scam to many people.
If TSA charged $45 and guaranteed you could fly (assuming you pass normal security screening, of course), that would be one thing.
But charging $45 for additional screening *that still might still result in you being denied boarding* feels exploitative.
There are also questions about equity. For wealthy travelers, $45 is an annoying but manageable inconvenience.
For budget-conscious travelers or families, an unexpected $45 fee per person could be financially significant.
A family of four showing up without proper ID would face $180 in fees just for the chance to fly — potentially on top of having to rebook flights if they’re denied clearance.
Additionally, some travelers worry about the discretionary nature of the program, citing valid criticisms like these:
- What criteria are used when screening travelers without a REAL ID?
- Since clearance isn’t guaranteed, who decides whether someone gets approved?
- Is there potential for bias or discrimination in the decision-making process?
Sadly for travelers, TSA hasn’t provided detailed answers to these questions.
What Should Travelers Do? (2 Options)
The message from TSA is unambiguous: Get a REAL ID or acceptable alternative before you fly.
“To avoid delays or missed flights, all travelers should obtain a REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification before heading to the airport,” Stahl said.
For most people, this means one of two things:
⭐️ First, check your current driver’s license for the gold star.
See the image above for a visual, but if it has a gold star in the upper right-hand corner, you’re all set as you already have your REAL ID.
If it doesn’t, visit your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles website to find out how to get a REAL ID-compliant license.
The process typically requires bringing documents to prove your identity, such as a birth certificate, Social Security card, tax forms, and proof of residency.
Requirements vary by state, so check your state’s specific requirements.
🎫 Second, consider getting a passport if you don’t already have one.
Passports work for both domestic and international flights, and they’re valid for 10 years for adults.
While the upfront cost ($130 for a passport book, or $30 for a passport card that works for land and sea travel to Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean) is higher than getting a REAL ID, it’s a one-time expense that covers you for a decade.
The Bottom Line for Travelers on the TSA Confirm ID Program
Starting February 1st, showing up at the airport without proper ID just got a lot more expensive, and even worse, a lot less certain.
The $45 ConfirmID fee is clearly designed to push the remaining holdouts to get compliant identification rather than to provide a legitimate alternative.
If you haven’t already gotten a REAL ID or passport, now is the time.
The deadline has passed, the grace period is over, and TSA is making it clear that non-compliance will cost you — both in money and potentially in missed flights.
Don’t wait until you’re standing at a TSA checkpoint trying to decide whether to pay $45 for a maybe.
Get your REAL ID or passport now, and save yourself the stress, the expense, and the very real possibility of not being able to fly.
More information about the ConfirmID program is available on TSA’s website, and make sure to check out our other TSA-related travel articles: