Travelers in the United States who find themselves at airport security without a REAL ID or passport will soon need to pay a $45 fee.

Starting February 1, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will begin charging this fee to those who lack federally compliant identification. This fee will cover the cost of verifying their identity through either biometric or biographic systems.

Previously, passengers who arrived without proper identification could still get through security by undergoing additional screening, a process that was free of charge.

This new fee marks a significant step in the second phase of the REAL ID rollout, a program initially authorized back in 2005 but only started being enforced in May of this year after several delays.

To avoid the $45 fee, travelers are encouraged to bring a REAL ID-compliant license or any of the numerous federally approved identification alternatives.

TSA stresses that passports, Enhanced Driver’s Licenses, Global Entry cards, Permanent Resident Cards, Border Crossing Cards, Tribal IDs, Veterans Health Identification Cards, TWIC cards, and several other DHS‑issued documents all qualify at security.

REAL ID‑compliant licenses are marked with a star – gold, black, or placed inside a state symbol such as California’s bear.

Officials argue the new fee is necessary because the manual identity check is slow and labor‑intensive. 

TSA will begin charging travelers $45 starting February 1 if they show up to airport security without a REAL ID or passport

The announcement marks the second part of the agency’s rollout of the REAL ID

TSA originally considered an $18 charge, but raised it to $45 after calculating the cost of its ConfirmID system, including administrative and IT expenses.

The agency says the fee ensures taxpayers are not subsidizing the process.

‘We needed to modernize the system. We needed to make sure the systems are safe,’ Steve Lorinez, TSA’s deputy executive assistant administrator for security operations, told ABC News.

However, a senior TSA official told Fox News the $45 fee is nonrefundable and does not guarantee clearance. Travelers can still be turned away if their identity cannot be verified, even after paying.

Beginning one week from today, passengers who lack a REAL ID or passport are encouraged to visit TSA.gov, complete the ConfirmID steps, and pay the fee before returning to the checkpoint. 

TSA says the process takes 10 to 30 minutes. Those who arrive at the airport without acceptable ID will be pulled out of the line to complete the same steps.

Even travelers whose documents are lost or stolen must use the system – and approval still isn’t guaranteed. 

For those who are verified, the $45 payment grants access through TSA checkpoints for 10 days before another fee is required.

REAL ID‑compliant licenses are marked with a star – gold, black, or inside a state symbol such as California’s bear

TSA emphasizes that ConfirmID is optional, but warns that passengers who skip it risk missing their flights if officers cannot confirm their identity.

All travelers aged 18 and older must present a REAL ID‑compliant document to board domestic flights. 

A REAL ID is not a substitute for a passport on international trips, but a passport will allow travelers without a compliant license to fly domestically.

Foreign nationals must show a passport, passport card, or border crossing card. Canadian citizens may use provincial driver’s licenses or an Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card.

TSA notes that 94 percent of travelers are already carrying compliant ID and says it is working with airlines to alert passengers to the new rules when they book flights.