Millions of U.S. air travelers face a new layer of complexity and cost at the airport in 2026, as the Transportation Security Administration prepares to introduce a 45 dollar charge for passengers who show up at security without an acceptable form of identification. The new fee, tied to TSA’s Confirm.ID identity verification system and arriving on the heels of full REAL ID enforcement, is set to begin on February 1, 2026, raising concerns about longer wait times, stricter payment rules and fresh confusion at already busy checkpoints.

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A New 45 Dollar Charge For Forgetful Or Noncompliant Flyers

Beginning February 1, 2026, travelers who arrive at U.S. airport security checkpoints without a REAL ID compliant license or another TSA approved form of identification will no longer be limited to enhanced questioning and manual verification. Instead, they will be directed to use TSA’s Confirm.ID system, a formalized backup process that will carry a flat 45 dollar fee and cover a 10 day travel window. The move effectively turns what was once an ad hoc courtesy into a standardized, fee based option.

TSA officials describe Confirm.ID as a modernized identity verification pathway intended for those who, for any reason, cannot present an acceptable ID at the checkpoint. While the agency stresses that the program is optional in the sense that travelers can always choose not to fly, in practice it will function as the primary route to the gate for anyone who misplaces a wallet, forgets a passport or has not yet upgraded to a REAL ID compliant credential.

The 45 dollar payment will not be collected at the checkpoint. Instead, passengers will be expected to pay electronically, primarily through the federal Pay.gov system, before or during their trip. The fee will then allow them to use Confirm.ID for multiple flights over a 10 day period, a design that appears to account for round trips, short vacations and business travel that spans several days.

REAL ID Enforcement Sets The Stage For Tighter Airport ID Rules

The new fee structure arrives against the backdrop of a major tightening of federal identification rules. The Department of Homeland Security and TSA began fully enforcing the REAL ID Act for domestic air travel on May 7, 2025, after nearly two decades of delays and phased rollouts. That enforcement date marked the point at which standard state driver’s licenses that do not meet REAL ID security standards ceased to be accepted for boarding commercial flights.

Under those rules, all airline passengers aged 18 and older must present either a REAL ID compliant state license or another accepted document, such as a U.S. passport, U.S. passport card, military ID, trusted traveler card or certain tribal and immigration documents. Travelers who arrive at checkpoints with a conventional, noncompliant license are now subject to additional screening, potential rerouting into secondary lines and, depending on circumstances, the risk of being denied entry to the secure area.

Federal officials have noted that a large majority of travelers already carry REAL ID compliant identification. Before and after the 2025 deadline, TSA said that more than four in five passengers were presenting acceptable IDs, and that figure has continued to climb as states issue updated cards marked with stars or other symbols indicating compliance. Nonetheless, with hundreds of millions of trips taken each year, even a small percentage of noncompliant travelers translates into millions of people who could be affected by the new 45 dollar fee.

How TSA Confirm.ID Works And Who Will Be Affected

Confirm.ID is described by TSA as an enhanced identity verification process that leverages federal databases and additional documentation to validate a traveler’s identity when a standard credential is not available. While specific technical details are not fully public, the process generally involves collecting biographic data, cross checking government records and, where possible, comparing against information on file from previous screenings or trusted traveler programs.

In practice, travelers without acceptable ID will be referred to a dedicated area or lane where Confirm.ID checks can be carried out. The 45 dollar fee effectively funds this extra work, including the use of systems and personnel that go beyond routine document inspection at the podium. TSA emphasizes that paying the fee does not mean bypassing security; passengers will still go through the same physical screening, bag checks and other procedures as everyone else once their identity is confirmed.

The travelers most likely to encounter Confirm.ID are those who arrive at the airport having forgotten their REAL ID license or passport, those whose ID is lost or stolen shortly before travel, and those who have delayed obtaining a compliant credential despite the 2025 enforcement date. It may also catch infrequent travelers who are only now returning to the skies after several years away and are unaware of how much the rules have changed.

Longer Wait Times Loom As Secondary Screening Grows

The introduction of a formalized, fee based identity verification route raises a fresh question for passengers and airlines alike: what effect will this have on wait times at already crowded checkpoints. Even before the REAL ID deadline, TSA warned that noncompliant travelers could face longer lines and more intensive questioning as officers worked to verify their identities without standard documents.

With Confirm.ID, that ad hoc scrutiny is channeled into a more structured process, but it still requires time. Each traveler who is routed into Confirm.ID occupies staff who might otherwise be handling routine screening. In peak periods, such as holiday weekends or Monday morning business travel at major hubs, even a relatively small surge of passengers needing secondary ID checks could slow the overall flow, particularly if large numbers arrive unaware of the new requirements or the need to pay in advance.

Airport authorities and airlines are watching closely, as delays at security can cascade into missed flights, gate holds and schedule disruptions. Many carriers are expected to update their pre trip communications to highlight the importance of bringing REAL ID compliant documents and to warn that arriving without proper identification could lead not only to a 45 dollar fee but also to a longer and more uncertain journey through the checkpoint.

Strict Payment Rules: No Cash And Limited Onsite Options

Perhaps the most contentious element of the new policy is not the amount of the fee, but how it can be paid. According to TSA guidance, travelers will be required to pay the 45 dollars electronically, largely through Pay.gov, using a bank account, debit or credit card, or supported digital payment services such as certain app based wallets. Cash will not be accepted at checkpoints or by transportation security officers.

For connected travelers who routinely manage finances on their smartphones, this may be a manageable inconvenience. For others, especially infrequent flyers, older passengers or those with limited access to banking and digital payment tools, it poses a more serious barrier. A traveler who reaches the airport with no valid ID and no compatible payment method could find themselves effectively grounded, unable to complete the Confirm.ID process and barred from boarding.

Consumer advocates have already begun to question whether the lack of a cash option could unfairly impact lower income travelers or those unaccustomed to managing online government transactions. The policy also raises practical questions about what happens when payment systems experience outages or travelers are dealing with frozen accounts, declined cards or other last minute payment issues with little time before departure.

Accepted IDs, Expired Licenses And Digital Alternatives

While the new fee is designed to catch those who arrive at the checkpoint empty handed, TSA has quietly expanded the range of documents and formats that can be used to avoid that situation in the first place. In addition to REAL ID compliant licenses and passports, travelers may present enhanced driver’s licenses issued by certain states, permanent resident cards, military IDs and a variety of border and trusted traveler documents.

The agency has also moved to recognize more digital identification tools. At a growing list of airports, passengers enrolled in programs such as mobile driver’s licenses, Apple and Google digital IDs or private sector identity offerings like Clear can present their credentials using smartphones or kiosks, subject to state approval and TSA rollout timelines. These digital IDs are meant to complement, not replace, physical documents, but they can provide a crucial backup if a wallet is forgotten at home.

Another subtle but important shift involves expired identification. Under updated policies, TSA will accept certain IDs that are up to two years past their printed expiration date, a move intended to ease the burden on travelers who may have postponed renewals during the pandemic or who face long waits for appointments at state motor vehicle offices. That grace period could significantly reduce the number of passengers forced into Confirm.ID and the associated fee, provided they still have the old card in hand.

Airports And Airlines Scramble To Get The Word Out

The success or failure of the new system may hinge on how well it is communicated to the traveling public in the months ahead. TSA has already been running a national awareness campaign around REAL ID, placing signs at checkpoints and using media interviews, social channels and partnerships with state motor vehicle departments to urge travelers to upgrade their licenses or travel with passports.

Now, airport operators and airlines are expected to join in more forcefully, incorporating the 45 dollar Confirm.ID fee into confirmation emails, mobile app notifications and check in scripts. For carriers, there is a strong financial incentive to minimize last minute disruptions caused by passengers turned away at security. For airports, maintaining smooth flows through checkpoints is central to everything from concession sales to on time performance statistics.

Travel industry analysts anticipate that, as February 1, 2026 approaches, flyers will see more pointed reminders about checking their IDs before leaving for the airport, along with clear warnings that arriving without acceptable documentation could mean both a new expense and the risk of missing a flight. Some airports may also experiment with dedicated information booths or roving staff to assist confused travelers at landside entrances and ticketing halls.

What U.S. Travelers Can Do Now To Avoid The 45 Dollar Hit

For U.S. travelers planning trips in 2026 and beyond, the message from security officials and industry experts is consistent: treat your ID with the same importance as your boarding pass. That means confirming in advance that your driver’s license or state ID is REAL ID compliant, looking for the appropriate star or state specific marking, and renewing or upgrading if it is not. Those who prefer not to update state documents should ensure passports or other federal IDs are current and easily accessible on travel days.

Travelers who know they are at risk of arriving without proper ID, whether due to pending renewals, delays in document processing or personal circumstances, may want to build in extra time at the airport and familiarize themselves with how to access Pay.gov or other accepted payment channels from their phones. While Confirm.ID offers a safety net, using it will come at a cost not only in dollars but also in time and uncertainty at the checkpoint.

With full REAL ID enforcement now embedded in the system and the 45 dollar Confirm.ID fee set to activate on February 1, 2026, the era of improvising one’s way through airport security with partial or outdated documentation is drawing to a close. For millions of U.S. flyers, the most effective strategy to avoid new charges and long waits is also the simplest: carry a compliant ID, and check it before you leave home.