TSA to Charge $45 Fee for Non-REAL ID Travelers Starting February

ARLINGTON, Va. — Beginning February 1, travelers without a REAL ID or passport will incur a $45 fee at airport security checkpoints, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced Monday.

The fee is part of the TSA’s ongoing implementation of the REAL ID Act, a regulation requiring compliant forms of identification for air travel. Individuals lacking a compliant ID will have to verify their identity using a biometric or biographic system, according to TSA officials.

This announcement follows a proposed rule published in the Federal Register last month, where the initially suggested fee was only $18. “The fee was necessary because we needed to modernize the system. We needed to make sure that the system is safe,” said Steve Lorincz, TSA’s deputy executive assistant administrator for security operations, in an interview with ABC News.

The TSA explained that the fee will cover costs associated with the ID verification program, ensuring that travelers bear the expense rather than taxpayers. Travelers will need to go online to complete identity verification, and once they pay the fee, they will receive confirmation via email to present to TSA officers.

The verification can take between 10 and 30 minutes, but it does not guarantee passage through security. “We still need to go through the process to make sure that we verify who you are. And for whatever reason, if we can’t do that, then you can’t go through,” Lorincz added.

Passengers who arrive at checkpoints without an acceptable ID will be directed to exit the line and complete the online verification process. Those who have lost their REAL ID or passport will also be subject to the fee. Once verified, the fee includes access through the TSA checkpoint for 10 days. After that, additional fees will apply for subsequent travel without a REAL ID.

The TSA noted that approximately 94% of travelers already possess a REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification, a requirement that has been in place since May 2025.