Overview

• The policy took effect nationwide on July 7, 2025, eliminating the nearly 20-year-old shoe removal mandate at standard TSA checkpoints
• Passengers without REAL ID credentials may still face secondary screening and shoe removal, and some security zones will continue requiring separate shoe scans during the rollout
• Travelers enrolled in TSA PreCheck, adults aged 75 and older, and children 12 and under remain exempt from removing shoes under the unchanged provisions
• Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem cited improved scanning technology and a multilayered security strategy as key enablers for preserving safety without removing footwear
• The phased implementation is designed to reduce wait times, streamline checkpoint flow and boost overall passenger satisfaction