The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) plans to roll out a new identity verification option for air travelers who arrive at the airport without a REAL ID or another accepted form of identification.
Beginning February 1, 2026, passengers without valid ID may use TSA Confirm.ID, an optional verification process available at select airports. The service will cost $45 and will cover travel for a 10-day period.
TSA says procedures may vary by airport. The agency is also working with private partners to allow travelers to pay the fee online before arriving at the airport.
The REAL ID requirement has been years in the making, after being passed into law in 2005 and delayed multiple times. TSA estimates that more than 94% of passengers already present a REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification.
According to TSA leadership, the paid verification option is intended to maintain security while ensuring the added cost of screening travelers without proper ID is not borne by taxpayers. Passengers are strongly encouraged to travel with a REAL ID or another accepted document to avoid delays or missed flights.
Accepted forms of identification
- REAL ID—compliant driver’s licenses or state-issued ID cards
- State-issued Enhanced Driver’s Licenses (EDL) or Enhanced IDs (EID)
- U.S. passport or passport card
- DHS Trusted Traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
- U.S. Department of Defense IDs, including dependent IDs
- Permanent resident cards
- Border crossing cards
- Tribal Nation—issued photo IDs
- HSPD-12 PIV cards
- Foreign government-issued passports
- Canadian provincial driver’s licenses or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada cards
- Transportation Worker Identification Credentials (TWIC)
- Employment Authorization Cards (I-766)
- U.S. Merchant Mariner Credentials
- Veteran Health Identification Cards (VHIC)
Temporary driver’s licenses are not accepted.