Showing Up At The Airport Without Proper ID May Soon Come With A New Charge

Since May 2025, Americans have been required to show a Real ID at the airport, even when flying domestically. We have previously reported on everything you can still use to board a flight at a U.S. airport instead of a Real ID, but if you show up without an acceptable document, you may now have to pay a fee. And, although the fee is relatively low, you could also be denied permission to fly.

The Federal Register announced that travelers who fail to present a Real ID at the airport may be charged. "To address the government-incurred costs, individuals who choose to use TSA's modernized alternative identity verification program will be required to pay an $18 fee," the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration said in a published statement via the Federal Register. "Participation in the modernized alternative identity verification program is optional and does not guarantee an individual will be granted access to the sterile area of an airport."

The notice took effect on November 20, 2025; however, fines have not begun yet as of this writing. If your license is not an updated, Real ID-compliant version, you'll need to travel with your passport or other form of approved ID. Before you head to the airport, confirm that your identification is not the one type of Real ID that people are still having problems with at TSA.

As of right now, the additional charge is still a proposal. Should the $18 fee be put into effect, the best way to avoid paying another surcharge at the airport is to make sure you always travel with a Real ID. Not all driver's licenses are compliant with the Real ID rules. Before flying, ensure that your license is up to date and is an enhanced license, or that you're traveling with an in-date passport. If you still have yet to update your driver's license, now is the time to do so. Other forms of acceptable identification include permanent resident cards, border crossing cards, U.S. passport cards, DHS Trusted Traveler cards, and Tribal Nation cards. Unsure if your driver's license is a Real ID? Look for a small star or golden bear symbol (for California) in the top corner of your card. 

The TSA has said that the fee is intended to reimburse the government for the additional cost of validating the identity of travelers, which would allow flyers without a valid Real ID to access TSA checkpoints for a period of 10 days. After those 10 days, a traveler would likely be required to pay the $18 fee again. Participation in this program is entirely optional and also does not guarantee that you'll be allowed to fly. If the TSA proposal is accepted, this may be a reality that affects travelers who think they have a Real ID but don't. And even if you do have compliant identification, there's still a chance your Real ID could get rejected by the TSA, so it's important to arrive to the airport prepared.