TSA to Impose $18 Fee for Travelers Lacking Valid ID, Including Passport or REAL ID

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has announced a new $18 user fee for a modernized alternative identity verification program. This program is specifically designed for individuals who arrive at a TSA checkpoint without an Acceptable Form of Identification (AFOID), such as a REAL ID or passport.

The modernized alternative verification process provides an opportunity for these individuals to potentially gain access to the sterile area of an airport if the TSA can successfully establish their identity. This notice establishing the fee is effective immediately, beginning November 20, 2025.

The new fee is being imposed to recover the government-incurred costs associated with providing this unique security service. The TSA has determined that this new service, which allows travelers to register for the purpose of attempting alternative identity verification, qualifies as a “registered traveler program” as directed by Congress.

Consequently, the TSA is mandated to collect a non-refundable fee from individuals who use the modernized program , ensuring that the cost to administer it is recovered from the users who benefit from it. The fee is designed to fully recover the program’s costs, including initial development, deployment, information technology infrastructure, software development, identity verification, and administrative costs.

The fee is $18.00 per person and is non-refundable. Individuals must pay this fee at the time they register and request alternative identity verification. The fee will not be refunded, in whole or in part, even if a traveler’s identity is not verified or they are ultimately unable to enter the sterile area.

The fee covers a single use or up to a 10-day period (provided the individual successfully verifies their identity for each use during that time). Participation in this program is optional, but it does not guarantee identity verification or access to the sterile area. Individuals who do not have an AFOID and choose not to use the alternative process will not be allowed to enter the sterile area of the airport.

In addition to a REAL ID, the following cards are accepted as identification for domestic flights: U.S. passport, U.S. passport card, Trusted Traveler cards like Global Entry, Nexus, Sentri, and FAST, U.S. Department of Defense IDs, Green Card (Permanent Resident Card), Border Crossing Card, federally recognized tribal cards, foreign government-issued passports, Canadian provincial driver’s licenses, Transportation Worker Identification Credentials (TWIC), and U.S. work permits.