Flying Without a REAL ID in 2026: the $45 Fee and What to Bring

Flying Without a REAL ID This Holiday Season: the $45 ConfirmID Fee and What to Bring

Flying without a REAL ID in 2026 is possible, but no longer free or quick. Since February 1, 2026, a traveler who reaches a TSA checkpoint without a REAL ID, a passport or another accepted ID can pay a $45 fee for TSA ConfirmID, and TSA then tries to verify who they are. TSA says verification is not guaranteed and usually takes 10 to 15 minutes, sometimes 30 or more. If you can bring a passport, passport card or another ID on TSA's list, you skip the fee entirely. Before a holiday trip, the useful move is to check every adult's ID now, while there is still time to fix it.

Can you fly without a REAL ID in 2026?

Yes, with conditions. REAL ID enforcement began May 7, 2025. Since then, state driver's licenses and ID cards that are not REAL ID compliant are no longer accepted at airport checkpoints, according to TSA's identification page. The same page says that starting February 1, 2026, travelers without an acceptable ID can pay $45 to use TSA ConfirmID.

So there are three ways through a checkpoint:

A REAL ID compliant license or ID. It has a star in the upper right or left corner.
Another ID on TSA's list, such as a U.S. passport or passport card. No fee.
TSA ConfirmID, for $45, when you have neither. TSA attempts to verify you. It may not succeed.

How TSA ConfirmID works

TSA's ConfirmID FAQ lays out the process:

You pay $45 on Pay.gov, ideally before you get to the airport. Pay.gov takes bank account, debit card, credit card, Venmo or PayPal. No cash, and TSA officers do not take payment at the checkpoint.
You can pay for someone else. Enter the traveler's first and last name and travel dates. The card does not need to match.
Keep the confirmation email. You have to show proof of payment at the checkpoint. TSA says that if you cannot show it, you may need to pay again.
At the checkpoint, be ready to give your legal name, address and date of birth.
It takes time. TSA's About ConfirmID page puts the average at 10 to 15 minutes, and says it could take 30 minutes or more.
It lasts 10 days from the date of travel on the receipt. A return flight two weeks after that date falls outside it.

If you arrive without an accepted ID and have not paid, TSA says you have to leave the line to pay, then go to the end of the line. On a holiday morning, that can be the difference between making the flight and not.

Which IDs let you skip the fee

TSA's list of acceptable IDs is longer than most people think. Among them:

REAL ID compliant state driver's license or ID card
State Enhanced Driver's License or Enhanced ID
U.S. passport or passport card
DHS trusted traveler cards: Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST
U.S. Department of Defense ID, including dependents' IDs
Permanent resident card
Photo ID from a federally recognized Tribal Nation
Certain mobile driver's licenses from approved states, based on a REAL ID

A few details trip people up:

A temporary driver's license is not accepted. The paper you get at the DMV while the card is mailed does not count.
Expired IDs are accepted up to two years after expiration, for the IDs on TSA's list.
Children under 18 do not need ID for flights within the U.S. Airlines can have their own rules for kids flying alone.
Digital IDs such as Apple Digital ID, Google ID pass and CLEAR ID are accepted as part of TSA's testing, but the ConfirmID FAQ says to bring your physical ID to the checkpoint too.

The list can change without notice, and TSA asks travelers to check it again before each trip.

The cheaper fix: a passport or a REAL ID

If you fly a few times a year, $45 per trip adds up fast. A family of four adults without accepted IDs would pay $180 for one round trip within 10 days, and again for the next trip. Compare that with the one-time cost of a REAL ID from your state DMV or a passport card, both of which last for years.

The catch is time: a DMV appointment or a passport application can take weeks to turn into a card in hand. If someone in your house is going to need a new ID for a spring trip, start now. Our guide to the passport six-month rule covers the other date that ruins trips abroad.

A document check for the whole family

Most holiday trips include someone whose ID nobody has looked at in years: a parent, a college kid coming home, a teen who just turned 18. Run this check once per trip, a week or two before the flight:

Every adult has a REAL ID or another ID on TSA's list. Look for the star on the license.
No one is relying on a temporary paper license.
No ID is more than two years past its expiration date.
Names on bookings match the IDs.
Anyone without an accepted ID has a plan: a passport, or a ConfirmID receipt paid in advance.
Kids under 18 need no ID for flights within the U.S., but a child flying alone follows the airline's own rules.

Keep the result with the trip. Our checklist of the four dates hiding in your trip confirmations covers what else to note from the booking.

Where Tracy fits

Tracy, the assistant in dEssence, does not check IDs against TSA's rules and does not pay fees. She keeps what you send her and comes back with it before the trip.

Forward the flight confirmation to Tracy, then send a photo of each traveler's ID from Telegram, Chrome or the web. She notes the flight date, who is traveling and when each ID expires. Ask her to remind you a week before the flight to run the ID check, and she does. If someone needs ConfirmID, send her the Pay.gov receipt too, so it is with the trip when you are in line.

Frequently asked questions

Can I fly without a REAL ID in 2026?

Yes, if you have another ID on TSA's list, like a passport. Without any accepted ID, you can pay $45 for TSA ConfirmID, and TSA will try to verify your identity. It is not guaranteed to work.

How much is the TSA fee without a REAL ID?

$45, paid on Pay.gov. It covers 10 days from the travel date on the receipt. You pay nothing if you bring a passport or another accepted ID.

Can I use an expired license to fly?

TSA accepts IDs on its list up to two years after expiration. A license that is not REAL ID compliant is not accepted, expired or not.

Do kids need a REAL ID to fly?

No. TSA does not require ID from children under 18 on flights within the U.S. Check the airline's rules for kids flying alone.

What happens if I forget my ID at the airport?

You can pay the $45 ConfirmID fee on your phone, but you will need to leave the line and go to the end once paid. TSA recommends paying before you arrive.