Overview
- Published in the Federal Register, the proposed rule opens a public comment period with no set timeline for implementation.
- The $18 charge would be non‑refundable and valid for 10 days, with payment collected via TSA‑approved methods that may include third parties after registration opens on TSA.gov.
- The modernized program would verify identity using biographic and biometric data at kiosks and check against Secure Flight results, and participation would be optional.
- TSA notes the process does not guarantee identity can be verified or that access to the secure area will be granted, and travelers may face extra screening or delays.
- The agency says the fee would recover costs for technology replacing a time‑ and resource‑intensive manual process, reinforcing REAL ID enforcement that began in May 2025.