TSA introduces $45 fee for travelers without REAL ID

Beginning February 1, travelers who attempt to pass through airport security without a REAL ID or passport will be charged a $45 fee, the Transportation Security Administration stated on Monday. This fee represents the next stage of TSAs REAL ID rollout and mandates identity verification through either biometric or biographic methods for those without approved identification before they can proceed through security checkpoints.

The announcement follows a proposed rule released in the Federal Register last month, although the fee was raised from the initially suggested $18.

Steve Lorincz, TSAs deputy executive assistant administrator for security operations, explained, The fee was necessary because we needed to modernize the system. We needed to ensure that the system is secure. According to the agency, the collected fees will fund the administrative and IT expenses associated with the identity verification program, ensuring that the cost is borne by travelers rather than taxpayers.

Travelers who do not have a REAL ID can visit TSA.gov to follow instructions for verifying their identity and paying the fee once it takes effect next year. After completing the process, travelers will receive an email confirmation to present to TSA officers before being allowed through the checkpoint. Typically, the procedure takes 10 to 15 minutes but can extend to 30 minutes or more.

Lorincz emphasized that completing the online verification does not guarantee access through the checkpoint. We still need to go through the process to make sure that we verify who you are. And for whatever reason, if we can't do that, then you can't go through the process, he stated. Travelers arriving at security without a valid ID will be redirected to complete the verification online before continuing.

Individuals with a lost or stolen REAL ID or passport are also subject to the $45 fee. Once verified, the fee allows access through TSA checkpoints for up to ten days. Subsequent trips without a REAL ID will require additional payments. Currently, the agency reports that approximately 94% of travelers already use a REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification.

Author: Sophia Brooks