Real ID update: Travelers without one must pay $45 from Feb 2026 – what to know
Travelers flying within the US are set to face a new penalty for arriving at the airport without a REAL ID starting February 1, 2026, according to the TSA.
Travelers flying within the US are set to face a new penalty for arriving at the airport without a REAL ID. According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), passengers who don’t present a REAL ID–compliant document, or another acceptable ID, will be charged a $45 fee to board a domestic flight from February 1, 2026. The new fee happens to be even more than double earlier estimates.
“Travelers will be able to pay $45 to use TSA Confirm.ID for a 10-day travel period. TSA urges travelers who do not have a REAL ID to schedule an appointment at their local DMV to update their ID as soon as possible,” the TSA said in a press release.
What are the acceptable forms of ID?
As listed by the TSA, here are the acceptable forms of ID:
- REAL ID-compliant driver's licenses or other state photo identity cards issued by Department of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent)
- If you are not sure if your ID complies with REAL ID, check with your state Department of Motor Vehicles.
- A temporary driver’s license is not an acceptable form of identification.
- State-issued Enhanced Driver's License (EDL) or Enhanced ID (EID)
- U.S. passport
- U.S. passport card
- DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
- U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
- Permanent resident card
- Border crossing card
- An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe, including Enhanced Tribal Cards (ETCs)
- HSPD-12 PIV card
- Foreign government-issued passport
- Canadian provincial driver's license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
- Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
- U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential
- Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)
What happens to those without an acceptable ID?
Those without an acceptable ID, including people who present a non-REAL ID-compliant state driver’s license or ID, “will be referred to the optional TSA Confirm.ID process for identity verification upon TSA check-in and prior to entering the security line,” TSA stated. This process, however, is expected to differ from airport to airport.
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Over 94% of passengers already use their REAL ID or other acceptable forms of identification, TSA said, adding that there could be increased wait times for those who do not provide an acceptable ID.
“Identity verification is essential to traveler safety, because it keeps terrorists, criminals, and illegal aliens out of the skies and other domestic transportation systems such as rail,” said Senior Official Performing the Duties of Deputy Administrator for TSA Adam Stahl.
Read More | Is Enhanced ID the same as a Real ID? What you should know
Stahl added, “The vast majority of travelers present acceptable identification like REAL IDs and passports, but we must ensure everyone who flies is who they say they are. Beginning February 1, travelers who do not present an acceptable form of ID at our security checkpoints and still want to fly can pay a $45 fee and undergo the TSA Confirm.ID process. This fee ensures the cost to cover verification of an insufficient ID will come from the traveler, not the taxpayer. The security of the traveling public is our top priority, so we urge all travelers to get a REAL ID or other acceptable form of ID as soon as possible to avoid delays and potentially miss flights.”
TSA has urged travelers with no REAL ID to pay the fee online before traveling. Passengers who come to the airport without paying the fee can find information about how to pay for the TSA Confirm.ID option at “marked locations at or near the checkpoint in most airports,” TSA stated.
