US adds $18 identity-verification fee for travelers without valid ID

If you’re an air traveler in the US who shows up to airport security without any acceptable form of identification — because you lost your wallet, misplaced your passport, or neglected to upgrade your driver’s license before the REAL ID deadline — the Transportation Security Administration now says you may still be able to fly. But it will cost you: $18, to be exact. 

The TSA is rolling out the new fee for travelers who arrive at the checkpoint without acceptable ID. The charge is tied to a modernized identity-verification program that replaces TSA’s older, labor-intensive process for confirming a traveler’s identity at security. 

The system, announced in a Federal Register notice effective November 20, 2025, lets passengers who lack proper ID opt into biographic or biometric identity verification. The TSA said the upgrade is meant to streamline the process, expand capacity, and reduce strain on its personnel, but emphasized that it’s optional and does not guarantee access to the sterile area of an airport. 

Under the program, travelers who choose the option will pay an $18 non-refundable fee when they go through security without an acceptable ID. TSA said the fee will cover the cost of identity-verification technology, IT infrastructure, software development, system integration, data security, and program administration. The agency said the charge is required under a congressional mandate directing the TSA to recover the costs of any “registered traveler program” from the people who use it. 

Even if a traveler’s identity is verified, the TSA said they may face additional screening. The agency also warned it may limit repeat use for people who frequently show up at checkpoints without proper ID. 

The program replaces the existing system in which TSA personnel at the National Transportation Vetting Center confirmed identities over the phone using knowledge-based questions — a method the TSA said was slow, resource-intensive, and able to serve only a limited number of travelers. 

The modernized version uses biographic or biometric data to verify identity in real time and match the traveler to their Secure Flight prescreening profile. The TSA said it expects the shift to cut verification times significantly and allow more travelers to be processed during peak periods.  Travelers do not need to register in advance to use the new system, nor do they need to be US citizens. The identity-verification process begins at the checkpoint when a passenger arrives without an acceptable ID and chooses to opt in. The agency collects the $18 fee at that point and performs real-time biographic or biometric verification. The agency noted that an online pre-registration option may be added later, but it will be optional and not required. 

The TSA emphasized that the fee only supports the identity-verification service and does not guarantee a particular screening outcome. Travelers who cannot verify their identity — even after paying — will not be allowed beyond the checkpoint. 

The agency said it will begin collecting the fee once registration opens on TSA.gov. The $18 charge covers a 10-day window, allowing travelers to use the service more than once during that period if needed. The post US adds $18 identity-verification fee for travelers without valid ID appeared first on AeroTime.

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