Overview
- Adults without a REAL ID or another federally accepted ID must pay a nonrefundable $45 to attempt identity verification through TSA’s Confirm.ID program.
- Travelers can pay online in advance or at the airport to complete biographic or biometric checks, which TSA says can add 10–30 minutes if handled at the checkpoint.
- Successful verification confers access for up to ten days of travel, after which another $45 payment is required if a compliant ID is still not presented.
- Passports, Global Entry cards, military IDs and other federally accepted documents remain valid for screening, and TSA reports more than 94% of passengers already use acceptable ID.
- Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias criticized the charge as a recurring burden and extended the lease of Chicago’s REAL ID supercenter through 2026 to help residents obtain compliant IDs.