Travelers who show up to the airport without a REAL ID or other approved identification may soon have to pay an $18 fee at Transportation Security Administration checkpoints. A newly proposed rule outlines how the fee would support TSA's updated identity-verification system and what passengers can expect if they arrive unprepared.
REAL ID Is Already in Effect
The federal REAL ID requirement, first passed in 2005, officially took effect in May 2025 after years of delays. That means state-issued driver's licenses and IDs that aren't REAL ID–compliant are no longer valid at airport security.
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Travelers can still use acceptable alternatives — such as a U.S. passport, passport card, or trusted traveler card — but if they don't have any of those documents, they typically must go through TSA's identity-verification process. The Department of Homeland Security says this current method of verification is "time and resource intensive," prompting the agency to modernize the system.
Why TSA Is Charging an $18 Fee
Under the new rule, travelers who show up to the airport without an acceptable form of ID will be directed to a new biometric kiosk to complete identity verification, according to DHS. The kiosk is designed to confirm a traveler's identity before they can move beyond the standard TSA checkpoint and enter the airport's secure area, which includes gates, concourses, and other post-screening locations reserved for ticketed passengers.
The $18 fee helps fund the technology and the infrastructure behind it. DHS says the charge supports software development, data systems, identity-validation tools, program management, customer service, and the overall operations of what it calls a "modernized alternative identity verification program." The agency says the upgraded process is intended to increase capacity and reduce the time required to verify a traveler's identity.
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The fee is non-refundable, even if TSA cannot verify a traveler's identity or ultimately denies access to the secure area.
How the New Verification System Works
Travelers directed to the kiosk will have their biographic or biometric information collected, which TSA uses to attempt to match the individual to their Secure Flight screening result. Completing this process does not guarantee clearance to proceed.
DHS says that some individuals may still face delays, additional screening, or, in certain cases, denial of entry into the secure area.
Travelers who decline to participate in the identity-verification process — or whose identities cannot be verified — will not be allowed to continue through security.
Once paid, the $18 fee remains valid for 10 days, allowing a traveler to use the verification system again for additional flights within that window if they still lack proper ID.
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Accepted Forms of Identification
TSA's approved forms of ID include:
- REAL ID–compliant driver's licenses or state ID cards
- U.S. passports and passport cards
- DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
- Permanent resident cards
- Foreign passports
- Enhanced driver's licenses
- Department of Defense IDs, Tribal IDs, and other federally recognized documents
Temporary licenses are not accepted, and children under 18 do not need ID for domestic travel.
What Travelers Should Consider
With REAL ID now fully enforced and the new fee under consideration, TSA encourages travelers to verify that their documents are compliant before heading to the airport. Carrying a valid passport or REAL ID can help avoid delays — and potentially save $18 — when passing through security.
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