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2d ago

TSA’s $45 ConfirmID Fee Now in Effect for Travelers Without REAL ID

The paid identity‑verification option shifts the cost of extra checks to travelers and can add meaningful time at security without guaranteeing clearance.

TSA agents check for REAL ID compliance at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on May 7.
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Overview

  • Effective Feb. 1, adults 18 and older who arrive for U.S. domestic flights without a REAL ID or another acceptable ID must pay a nonrefundable $45 to use TSA’s ConfirmID process.
  • Travelers are urged to prepay at tsa.gov/ConfirmID (via Pay.gov) or by scanning a checkpoint QR code, then show the emailed or printed receipt at screening; no cash is accepted.
  • ConfirmID typically adds 10–15 minutes and can exceed 30, payment does not ensure TSA can verify identity, and those who do not prepay may have to exit the line and risk missing flights.
  • A payment covers a 10‑day travel window; trips extending beyond that may require paying again, and payment can be made by someone else using cards, PayPal or Venmo if traveler details are correct.
  • Acceptable alternatives to avoid the fee include U.S. passports or passport cards, DHS trusted‑traveler cards, permanent resident cards and certain tribal IDs, and TSA says about 94% of passengers already present compliant ID.