As summer draws to a close, many families are planning that final getaway before the school bell rings and autumn’s chill arrives. Yet, navigating airport security without the proper identification could turn your vacation into an expensive ordeal.
In May 2025, REAL ID requirements were officially implemented. Although travelers received grace period warnings initially, many still find themselves unprepared for the regulations.
The Transportation Security Administration announced last year that passengers lacking a REAL ID-compliant identification would face a $45 fee just to board their flight, marking a significant shift in travel protocols.
This past February, the TSA introduced TSA ConfirmID, formalizing the requirement and offering a clearer resolution for those caught without the necessary credentials.
Now, those without a REAL ID-compliant form of identification are encouraged to complete the optional TSA ConfirmID process before arriving at the airport. Your “biographic and/or biometric information” is used to confirm your identity and confirm that you are not on a Secure Flight watch list, the agency previously explained.
You’ll also have to pay a $45 fee, which is meant “to cover verification of an insufficient ID,” Adam Stahl, the senior official performing the duties of deputy administrator for TSA, explained.
After completing the ConfirmID process and paying the fee, you receive a receipt to show at the TSA checkpoint. Once there, you’ll undergo “additional ID verification, screening measures and potential delays,” TSA warned.
While the ConfirmID process is optional, if you decline to use it and do not have a REAL ID-compliant ID, “you may not be allowed through security and may miss your flight,” according to TSA.
Do I have a REAL ID?
Chances are, yes.
REAL IDs have been rolling out for several years, meaning you likely already have one in your wallet or purse.
If there is a star on your driver’s license or state ID card, you have a REAL ID-compliant card. The star may be black or gold, completely filled in or only an outline. Either way, you’re compliant.
Some states — Minnesota, Michigan, New York, and Vermont — issue REAL ID-compliant IDs and enhanced driver’s licenses (Washington only issues the latter). State-enhanced driver’s licenses are marked with a flag rather than a star and include a chip that can make it easier to enter the U.S. by land or sea from Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean, according to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. REAL IDs cannot be used for crossing the borders.
If you are without a REAL ID, TSA accepts multiple other forms of identification, including a passport, a Department of Defense ID (including those issued to dependents), and photo IDs issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe, including Enhanced Tribal Cards.
You can find more details about TSA’s screening process and other accepted forms of ID here.
If you’re planning to fly domestically this year and have one of the aforementioned forms of ID, you don’t necessarily need a REAL ID. Ultimately, they are optional and the need for one varies based on your situation.
At select airports, Clear ID, Apple Digital ID, and Google ID passes will also be accepted, according to TSA. Expired IDs are accepted for up to two years past date.