The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) confirmed on December 1 that it will begin charging air passengers a US$45 fee if they arrive at security checkpoints without a REAL ID–compliant driver’s license or another federally-accepted credential. The fee will take effect on February 1, 2026, and applies to all adults flying from U.S. airports who cannot present a REAL ID, passport, Global Entry card, permanent-resident card or other secure identification.
Under the program—branded “TSA Confirm.ID”—travelers who forgot or never obtained a compliant ID must pre-pay on Pay.gov, print or download the receipt, and show it at the checkpoint. A secondary identity-verification procedure that cross-references biographic and, where available, biometric data with government databases will then be performed. If the fee is paid on-site, TSA warns travelers they could wait up to 30 minutes, potentially jeopardizing flight connections. The temporary “verification pass” is valid for 10 days, covering most round-trip itineraries, but is non-refundable even if the individual is ultimately denied boarding.
![TSA to Impose $45 REAL ID Verification Fee Starting February 2026]()
TSA first floated an $18 charge in an August Federal Register notice, but internal cost modeling showed the agency would lose money administering the program. Senior Official-Performing-the-Duties Deputy Administrator Adam Stahl said overhead, staffing and continued system maintenance pushed the break-even point to $45. TSA may waive the fee in “extraordinary circumstances” such as medical emergencies; children under 18 remain exempt from REAL ID rules when traveling with an adult.
From a mobility-management perspective, the announcement intensifies pressure on employers to audit corporate travelers’ identification readiness. Since TSA began full REAL ID enforcement in May 2025, 94 percent of passengers have presented compliant IDs, leaving roughly 1.6 million monthly travelers potentially subject to the new charge. Companies with high domestic travel volume should update pre-trip approval workflows to confirm whether employees possess compliant documents or will need advance payment. Multinationals moving foreign staff into the U.S. on short rotations should note that a passport still satisfies TSA rules; however, dependents over 18 on domestic segments without passports will need compliant state IDs or risk the fee.
Looking ahead, the REAL ID mandate will expand in 2027 to cover access to most federal facilities. Organizations using government installations—defense contractors, research labs, or firms with GSA leases—should incorporate REAL ID education into onboarding and relocation packets now, avoiding last-minute surprises in 2026–27 as grace periods disappear.
Under the program—branded “TSA Confirm.ID”—travelers who forgot or never obtained a compliant ID must pre-pay on Pay.gov, print or download the receipt, and show it at the checkpoint. A secondary identity-verification procedure that cross-references biographic and, where available, biometric data with government databases will then be performed. If the fee is paid on-site, TSA warns travelers they could wait up to 30 minutes, potentially jeopardizing flight connections. The temporary “verification pass” is valid for 10 days, covering most round-trip itineraries, but is non-refundable even if the individual is ultimately denied boarding.
TSA first floated an $18 charge in an August Federal Register notice, but internal cost modeling showed the agency would lose money administering the program. Senior Official-Performing-the-Duties Deputy Administrator Adam Stahl said overhead, staffing and continued system maintenance pushed the break-even point to $45. TSA may waive the fee in “extraordinary circumstances” such as medical emergencies; children under 18 remain exempt from REAL ID rules when traveling with an adult.
From a mobility-management perspective, the announcement intensifies pressure on employers to audit corporate travelers’ identification readiness. Since TSA began full REAL ID enforcement in May 2025, 94 percent of passengers have presented compliant IDs, leaving roughly 1.6 million monthly travelers potentially subject to the new charge. Companies with high domestic travel volume should update pre-trip approval workflows to confirm whether employees possess compliant documents or will need advance payment. Multinationals moving foreign staff into the U.S. on short rotations should note that a passport still satisfies TSA rules; however, dependents over 18 on domestic segments without passports will need compliant state IDs or risk the fee.
Looking ahead, the REAL ID mandate will expand in 2027 to cover access to most federal facilities. Organizations using government installations—defense contractors, research labs, or firms with GSA leases—should incorporate REAL ID education into onboarding and relocation packets now, avoiding last-minute surprises in 2026–27 as grace periods disappear.
