TSA to enforce fee against travelers without REAL ID

The Transportation Security Administration plans to impose a $45 fee next year on air travelers without a REAL ID or an acceptable alternative ID, according to a Monday statement. Starting in February, travelers who don’t present an approved form of identification, like a REAL ID, at security checks will need to use the identity verification system TSA Confirm.ID to fly.

Identity verification is essential for keeping travelers safe from terrorists and criminals, according to TSA official Adam Stahl. Travelers without an acceptable form of ID will receive a 10-day travel window after confirming their identity via TSA Confirm.ID. The $45 fee will ensure travelers pay for the extra verification instead of taxpayers, Stahl said.

Officials stopped accepting non-REAL ID state driver’s licenses in May, about 20 years after Congress first passed the REAL ID ACT in 2005 to beef up airport security after the 9/11 terror attacks. A REAL ID, denoted by a gold star in the upper right-hand corner, requires more documentation from recipients and is therefore thought to provide a higher level of security.

Is REAL ID the only acceptable ID to fly now? Although officials list the REAL ID as the top preferred identification form, U.S. passports and U.S. passport cards are also still acceptable identification to travel. Certain government ID cards and immigration permits may also be used as an acceptable alternative to the REAL ID, according to the TSA. More than 94% of passengers currently use a REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification.

So how will the TSA Confirm.ID process work? Travelers without an acceptable ID will be referred to complete the TSA Confirm.ID online upon arrival at the TSA check-in and before entering the security line. Officials noted that the process may vary by airport, but TSA was working with the private sector to allow online payment options before arriving at the airport, according to the statement.

Dig deeper: Read my previous report about the REAL ID’s enforcement for more background on the security requirement.