No REAL ID? It could cost you $18 to go through TSA checkpoints under proposed rule
Airplane passengers without a REAL ID or passport could face an $18 fee under a new rule proposed by the Transportation Security Administration.
Under the proposed rule, set to be published in the Federal Register on Thursday, travelers without the required identification will have their identity verified on a new biometric kiosk system before they're permitted to pass through the checkpoint.
The $18 fee -- which will allow passengers to access TSA checkpoints for 10 days -- will be used to help pay for the new technology, according to the notice.
It's unclear when exactly the new system -- and accompanying $18 fee -- will roll out. The publication of the new rule in the Federal Register kicks off a public comment period on the proposed change.
The federal REAL ID Act was passed by Congress in 2005 in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. After years of delays, the Department of Homeland Security in May finally began enforcing the REAL ID requirement for travelers on domestic flights.
Regarding the plans for a new identity verification fee, a TSA spokesperson told ABC News: "This notice serves as a next step in the process in REAL ID compliance, which was signed into law more than 20 years ago and finally implemented by Secretary [Kristi] Noem as of May 2025. TSA is working with stakeholders and partners to ensure both security and efficiency at our checkpoints. Additional guidance will be announced in the coming days."
How the new system will work
If a traveler goes to a TSA security checkpoint without a REAL ID or passport, TSA plans to use what it's referring to as a "modernized alternative identity verification program" to verify their identity using the individual's biometrics/biographic information, according to the notice.
However, the agency notes this does not guarantee "that an individual's identity will be verified or that the individual will be provided access to the sterile area of the airport," according to the notice. Travelers could face additional security screening and may encounter delays if they use an alternative form of ID, the notice states.
TSA says the new system which replaces its current system to verify identity will help reduce time and help streamline the process. The fee is being charged to compensate for the cost and resources being used for the new technology.
The $18 non-refundable fee is valid for 10 days and if you travel again during that time period without a REAL ID or passport, you would not have to pay the fee again, according to the proposed rule.
