People traveling within the United States will soon face a new fee if they don’t have proper identification, such as REAL ID, at airport security checkpoints.
Some airports have continued to accept certain forms of identification other than REAL ID since May 2025, when the REAL ID requirement first went into effect, but starting Feb. 1 the Transportation Security Administration will begin charging a fee to passengers passing through airport security checkpoints who don’t have a REAL ID or other approved identification.
Travelers without a REAL ID or other form of approved identification at U.S. airports for domestic flights will face a $45 fee, dubbed the “TSA ConfirmID Fee,” as part of TSA’s next phase of the REAL ID implementation process.
Individuals who don’t have a REAL ID will need to go online to TSA.gov and follow the prompts listed to verify their identity before paying the $45 ConfirmID fee. Once that verification is completed, the traveler will receive a confirmation email to show the TSA officer before they can pass through the checkpoint.
Once a ConfirmID receipt is obtained, it is valid for 10 days, according to the TSA website. After the 10-day period has passed, travelers without a compliant ID will need to revisit the TSA website to obtain a new ConfirmID receipt in order to pass through a TSA checkpoint.
Full enforcement of the REAL ID Act went into effect May 7. DHS previously delayed the implementation of REAL ID several times over the past few years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.