If getting a REAL ID is still on your to-do list, now is the time to make an appointment.
On February 1st, 2026, TSA will begin implementing a new $45 fee option for any traveler who does not present an acceptable form of ID.
Travelers without acceptable ID will have the option to pay $45 to use TSA ConfirmID, an identity verification system that is valid for a 10-day travel period. The verification system involves biometrics like facial recognition software and fingerprints, and could add another 30 minutes to your wait time before security.
Travelers can pay the fee online before they arrive at the airport, which may help to reduce delays.
If you do not have a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, you may also present a passport as an acceptable form of ID. See the full list of acceptable IDs below.
According to a TSA press release, 94% of travelers already use REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification.
Acceptable forms of ID
Per the TSA website, here is the full list of acceptable forms of ID.
- REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses or other state photo identity cards
- State-issued Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL) or Enhanced ID (EID)
- U.S. passport
- U.S. passport card
- DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
- U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
- Permanent resident card
- Border crossing card
- An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe, including Enhanced Tribal Cards (ETCs)
- HSPD-12 PIV card
- Foreign government-issued passport
- Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
- Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
- U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential
- Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)