No REAL ID? Get Ready to Pay $45 and Face Extra Airport Screening

Passengers without a REAL ID could face a $45 charge and heightened screening at airports.

If you’re planning to board a plane in the coming weeks and aren’t REAL ID‑compliant, you could soon find yourself forking over a $45 fee and facing extra screening at the airport — on top of potential delays. That’s because, starting February 1, 2026, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is formally enforcing the long‑planned REAL ID requirements at U.S. airport security checkpoints.

Anyone 18 or older who doesn’t present a REAL ID‑compliant driver’s license or another approved form of identification will be directed to use the agency’s TSA ConfirmID identity‑verification process —Bottom line? No REAL ID? Get Ready to Pay a mandatory $45 fee. ConfirmID isn’t just a walk‑through: it involves additional identity checks before you can enter the TSA security line, which could add extra time and significant delay to your airport experience. The REAL ID rule — tied to security standards set nearly two decades ago — has been in effect since May 7, 2025, but until now most travelers without compliant IDs were allowed through with extra questioning. The new policy shifts the cost of that extra work onto the traveler rather than taxpayers. What counts as acceptable ID (so you don’t pay $45)?

• A REAL ID‑compliant driver’s license or state ID
• A U.S. passport or passport card
• Military ID, trusted traveler cards, and other TSA‑approved credentials If you show up with a non‑REAL ID license and no alternative accepted ID, you’ll still be able to fly — but expect extra scrutiny, potential delays and the $45 ConfirmID charge unless you get compliant before you travel.

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