TSA finalizes $45 Confirm.ID fee for flyers without acceptable ID starting Feb. 1, 2026
TSA will charge a $45 fee for travelers without acceptable identification to use its Confirm.ID verification system, covering a 10-day travel period and taking effect Feb. 1, 2026; acceptable IDs that avoid the fee include REAL ID, passports and trusted traveler cards, and REAL ID compliance began in May 2025. TSA urges passengers to pay online before arriving (airport payment options and signage will be available but delays are expected) and says the fee shifts costs from taxpayers to travelers, according to TSA’s Adam Stahl.
📌 Key Facts
- TSA will charge a $45 fee for travelers without acceptable identification who use its Confirm.ID verification system.
- The $45 fee covers a 10-day travel period and takes effect Feb. 1, 2026.
- TSA urges travelers to pay the fee online before arriving; airport payment options and signage will be available, but delays are expected for passengers who pay at the airport.
- Acceptable IDs that avoid the fee include REAL ID‑compliant driver’s licenses, passports, and trusted traveler cards; REAL ID compliance began in May 2025.
- TSA official Adam Stahl framed the fee as shifting costs from taxpayers to travelers.
📊 Relevant Data
Undocumented immigrants are ineligible for REAL ID compliant driver's licenses or identification cards, as they cannot provide proof of lawful status.
Real ID Public FAQs — U.S. Department of Homeland Security
The unauthorized immigrant population in the United States reached a record 14 million in 2023.
U.S. unauthorized immigrant population reached a record 14 million in 2023 — Pew Research Center
6.2% of Black non-Hispanic voting-age U.S. citizens lack a non-expired government-issued photo ID, compared to 6.1% of Hispanic voting-age U.S. citizens and 2.3% of White non-Hispanic voting-age U.S. citizens.
UMD Analysis: Millions of Americans Don’t Have ID Required to Vote — University of Maryland
11% of American citizens of color of voting age lack ready access to documentary proof of citizenship, compared to 8% of White American citizens of voting age; this disparity may arise from barriers in obtaining birth certificates or other documents, particularly among low-income groups.
21.3 Million American Citizens of Voting Age Don’t Have Ready Access to Citizenship Documents — Brennan Center for Justice
📰 Sources (2)
- TSA will charge a $45 fee for travelers without acceptable ID to use its Confirm.ID verification system.
- The fee covers a 10-day travel period and takes effect Feb. 1, 2026.
- TSA urges travelers to pay online before arriving; airport payment options and signage will be available, but delays are expected.
- Official quote from TSA’s Adam Stahl framing the fee as shifting costs from taxpayers to travelers.
- Clarifies acceptable IDs (e.g., REAL ID, passports, trusted traveler cards) that avoid the fee; notes REAL ID compliance began in May 2025.