Passengers without Real ID will soon have to pay fee before flying

The new Department of Homeland Security policy will go into effect Sunday.

By MEGAN SWIFT
TribLive

Starting Sunday, travelers without a Real ID or Real ID-compliant document like a passport will be required to pay a $45 fee to verify their identity before passing security at TSA checkpoints.

The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Transportation Security Administration, is enacting the fee. This move will affect roughly 6% of passengers — those who aren’t already using Real ID at airports, USA Today reported.

The Real ID requirement went into effect May 7. Anyone 18 years of age or older needs a Real ID or another acceptable form of identification like a passport to fly domestically or visit certain federal and military facilities.

More than 94% of Pennsylvania passengers already use Real ID or other acceptable identification as of Friday, matching the national average, according to the TSA.

How to use ConfirmID

For those without Real ID or a Real ID-compliant document, they should use the ConfirmID process to verify their identity before going to the airport.

Using TSA ConfirmID is optional, according to TSA, but those who choose not to use it and also don’t have an acceptable form of identification may not be allowed through security and may miss their flights.

The payment portal can be accessed in advance to pay the $45 fee before arriving at the airport, according to TSA, by visiting tsa. gov/tsaconfirm-id.

Once paid, travelers should see a receipt via email from pay.gov, TSA said. They should show this receipt (printed or screenshot) and any government-issued ID to the TSA officer at the airport and follow their instructions to complete the ConfirmID process.

Passengers using TSA ConfirmID should expect increased wait times, as they will be subject to additional ID verification, screening measures and potential delays.

Anyone who hasn’t paid the fee ahead of time will also be subject to additional delays, which could result in a missed flight, TSA said.

The process can take up to 30 minutes, according to TSA, so travelers should plan ahead.