Overview
- Travelers who lack a REAL ID or another acceptable ID can prepay $45 via Pay.gov or TSA’s website, receive a digital receipt, and present it at the checkpoint to begin identity verification.
- An approval through ConfirmID is valid for 10 days, which can cover a round trip within that window; travel outside 10 days requires another payment.
- TSA says the verification typically takes 10–15 minutes but can run 30 minutes or more, payment must be completed before screening, and paying the fee does not ensure identity can be verified or that boarding will be allowed.
- About 94%–97% of passengers already use compliant identification, and states are adding appointments and extended hours to boost REAL ID uptake as a cheaper, surer alternative to repeated fees.
- TSA has proposed biometric kiosks to support the program but their availability varies, some airports are adding touchless facial-recognition options for PreCheck, and TSA expects longer waits for those arriving without acceptable ID.