IL Sec of State Criticizes TSA Fee Option, Extends REAL ID Facility Lease

Flying Without a REAL ID Will Soon Cost $45: What Changes for New Yorkers and U.S. Travelers

NEW YORK-In a major update for travelers and residents alike, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced on December 1, 2025 that starting February 1, 2026, passengers who do not present a REAL ID-compliant license, passport, or another acceptable form of ID may still fly, however, only after paying a new $45 fee to use an alternative identity verification system called TSA Confirm.ID. (TSA) Until now, travelers without REAL ID w…

IL Sec of State criticizes TSA fee option, extends REAL ID facility lease

(The Center Square) – Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is criticizing the federal government’s plan to offer travelers without proper identification the option of paying a fee.

TSA to impose $45 fee for non-REAL ID travelers

BOISE — Starting Feb. 1, the Transportation Security Administration will impose a $45 fee on passengers traveling without a REAL ID-compliant identification card, such as Idaho’s Star Card or another acceptable document. The fee applies to both international and domestic…

TSA Announces New $45 Fee for Passengers Without a Real ID

The Real ID deadline arrived in May. Starting Feb. 1, TSA will require travelers to pay $45 for Confirm.ID, an alternative identity service.

Important TSA Change effective Feb. 1. They must a REAL ID or Passport or pay a $45 fee.

As of February 1, 2026, the TSA will charge a $45 fee for travelers without a REAL ID or another acceptable ID (like a passport) to use their alternative identity verification system, TSA Confirm.ID, for a 10-day travel period, encouraging travelers to get their REAL ID from their state DMV before flying. What this means

US to charge $45 verification fee for travel without REAL ID starting February 2026

The United States Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is set to introduce a new form of identity verification for would-be air passengers lacking an acceptable form of ID in spring 2026. The TSA “Confirm.ID” system is being billed as an alternative to REAL ID, a card compliant with federal security standards established in 2005. From 1 February 2026, all potential flyers who present without a REAL ID will be referred to the “optional TS…