Published 13 days ago • loading... • Updated 10 days ago

How to avoid paying an extra $45 fee at U.S. airports

Starting Feb. 1, Transportation Security Administration will charge adult travelers 18 and older $45 for TSA ConfirmID if lacking acceptable ID, covering a 10-day travel window.
Nearly 20 years in the making, REAL ID requirements trace to post-9/11 legislation, with implementation delayed and TSA tightening rules after making them mandatory in May 2025.
Paying ahead at tsa.gov/ConfirmID lets travelers prepay through Pay.gov, receive a payment confirmation email, and show the receipt plus a government ID to the TSA officer for verification that can take up to 30 minutes.
TSA officials say the policy ensures non-compliant travelers, not taxpayers, cover verification costs, but those without acceptable ID or prepayment face delays up to 30 minutes and federal penalties for fraud.
To avoid the $45 fee, TSA urges travelers to obtain a REAL ID or other acceptable ID before flying, as about 2% of 24,000 daily travelers lack approved ID.

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