Travelers might want to have a REAL ID to board their subsequent US home flight or face a $45 fee from the Transportation Security Administration starting on February 1.
Last year, TSA began enforcement of its REAL ID requirement. Several months later, it proposed charging a fee to vacationers who haven’t obtained a REAL ID.
Now, TSA is rolling out ConfirmID, a course of to streamline the identification examine and fee fee for these with out a REAL ID. Travelers with out a REAL ID can enter their info on-line and pay the fee, set at $45, earlier than heading to the airport to streamline a doubtlessly prolonged compliance course of.
The REAL ID Act, which was handed by Congress in 2005, enacted the 9/11 Commission’s suggestion that the federal authorities improve safety requirements for identification.
NCS sat down with Steve Lorincz, deputy government assistant administrator of TSA to debate what modifications vacationers may see starting in February.
Here’s a few of what he needed to say, together with some extra particulars in regards to the new coverage.
“February 1 is really the next phase of REAL ID compliance enforcement. We rolled out REAL ID in May of 2025. About 94% of the population, or the passengers that transit through a TSA checkpoint today, have a REAL ID compliant driver’s license or an acceptable form of ID, like a passport. So that leaves us about 6%,” Lorincz mentioned.
That 6% has a couple of choices now. Of course, these vacationers can go to the Department of Motor Vehicles, or wherever their state points IDs, and procure a REAL ID. But for these vacationers who haven’t executed that by February 1, TSA ConfirmID is an online system the place they will enter their identify and journey begin date and pay a $45 fee.
“Once they pay that $45 fee, they will get a receipt. They will bring that receipt to a TSA checkpoint,” Lorincz mentioned, the place a TSA agent will use that receipt, plus a authorities ID, to course of the traveler by way of the safety checkpoint.
At the checkpoint, vacationers ought to be ready to offer their authorized identify, handle and date of start to finish the ConfirmID verification process.
TSA ConfirmID is designed to streamline id verification for air vacationers who don’t have an appropriate type of ID, according to the TSA website. The identification course of takes a mean of 10-Quarter-hour, TSA mentioned. However, it may take half-hour or extra.
“When you look at your driver’s license, there’s usually an indicator at the top of the driver’s license, which is a star,” mentioned Lorincz. “Some states, like California, have the golden bear. So look at that, make sure that you might have a compliant REAL ID driver’s license. If you’re not sure, there’s also a lot of information on the sites for both the DMVs and Secretary of State offices as far as that.”
“The $45 fee is good for 10 days from the date of travel,” Lorincz mentioned. “But if you have future dates of travel coming up, I would encourage those individuals to make sure that they spend some time at the DMVs and Secretary of State offices to get their REAL ID-compliant driver’s license.”
In different phrases, vacationers have 10 days from the beginning date of their journey, which is entered into the ConfirmID system. So they may journey spherical journey inside 10 days, however one other fee could be required after that interval is over.
“Yes,” Lorincz mentioned, the $45 is non-refundable.
“A mobile ID, passports, military IDs, but there’s a very detailed list on TSA.gov that provides all the acceptable forms of ID,” Lorincz mentioned.
Other alternate options listed on the TSA website embrace DHS trusted traveler playing cards, everlasting resident card, border crossing card, a international authorities issued passport and others.
“It does not change. So it’s 18 years or older that is required to kind of move forward in this space,” Lorincz mentioned.
ID isn’t required for kids underneath 18 for home flights.
“There is an option at the checkpoint, but we want to make sure that they’re prepared for their flight, so if they could do it ahead of time, I think it’s more convenient for them,” Lorincz mentioned.
Travelers who decide to pay on the airport will lose their place in line whereas they full the method, in keeping with TSA’s record of frequently asked questions about ConfirmID.
At the checkpoint for verification purposes, vacationers ought to be ready to offer their authorized identify, handle and date of start.