This browser does not support the Video element.
What to know about the new TSA Real ID fee
Air travelers in the U.S. without a REAL ID will be charged a $45 fee beginning in February, the Transportation Security Administration announced Monday. Steve Lorincz, the TSA executive assistant administrator for security operations joined LiveNOW's Josh Breslow to explain how it works.
The REAL ID deadline is in effect, after years of delay during the pandemic.
And now the Transportation Security Administration is charging passengers without REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification to fly.
Here are the details:
TSA charging $45 fee
Big picture view:
Beginning Sunday, Feb. 1, travelers 18 and older must present a Real ID or another form of acceptable identification to get through airport security. If travelers show up at the airport without one of the acceptable forms of ID, they’ll be charged a fee to go through an extra verification process, which is called ConfirmID.
FILE - A video of Kristi Noem, secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), speaking about the REAL ID near the security line at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in Arlington, Virginia, US, on Thursday, July 3, 2025. Phot …
By the numbers:
Travelers will be charged $45 to use TSA ConfirmID, which will keep their identity verified for a 10-day travel period.
Of note:
Paying the fee, however, does not guarantee access to U.S. air travel, and passengers whose identities cannot be verified may be turned away at airport security.
RELATED: What to do if your flight gets canceled due to winter storms
How ConfirmID works
The details:
The $45 fee is paid online at tsa.gov/ConfirmID. Travelers will have to enter their legal name and the start date of their travel. Accepted payment methods include debit and credit cards, Venmo and PayPal.
Someone other than the traveler can make the payment, according to TSA, but the traveler’s information must be entered correctly.
Passengers will then receive an emailed payment receipt from pay.gov.
At the airport checkpoint, show a government-issued ID and a digital or printed copy of the receipt to begin the verification process.
Timeline:
TSA says the extra identification process takes on average 10-15 minutes, but could take 30 minutes or more. They recommend travelers pay the fee at home before arriving at the airport to save on time, and plan to arrive at the airport earlier than normal.
Of note:
ConfirmID is also available for travelers who have lost their ID.
What is a REAL ID?
Big picture view:
A REAL ID is a federally compliant state-issued license or identification card that meets enhanced requirements mandated in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The updated ID is indicated by a white star in a yellow circle in most U.S. states.
How do I get a REAL ID?
Obtaining the ID means taking more documents to the motor vehicle agency than most states require for regular IDs.
Other accepted forms of ID
Dig deeper:
For those without a REAL ID, you can still fly without paying the $45 fee if they bring along one of these forms of identification:
- Passport or passport card
- Permanent resident cards
- Trusted traveler cards, such as Global Entry or NEXUS
- Military IDs
- Photo IDs from federally recognized tribal nations
The Source: Information in this article was taken from the Transportation Security Administration, The Associated Press and previous FOX Television Station reportings. This story was reported from Detroit.