Summary
Starting February 1, 2026, travelers in the United States without a REAL ID, passport, or another accepted ID will have to pay a $45 fee. This fee is for identity verification at airport checkpoints. Almost all travelers already have compliant IDs, but those who don't will need to follow this new process.
Key Facts
- The $45 fee starts on February 1, 2026, for travelers without a REAL ID, passport, or approved digital ID.
- Standard driver's licenses will not be accepted for domestic flights starting May 7, 2025.
- The fee covers costs for verifying a traveler’s identity and must be paid through pay.gov.
- TSA Confirm ID allows those without proper identification to verify their identity at the airport.
- Travelers need to pay the fee and complete verification before reaching security checkpoints.
- Once verified, the verification is valid for up to 10 days; travelers must pay again after that if still without proper ID.
- TSA officials recommend getting a REAL ID from the DMV as soon as possible.
- Mobile and digital IDs from companies like Google and Apple are also accepted.
