6 events in Passaic County with a date

Travelers without REAL ID must pay fee

TSA will now charge airline passengers $45

By: Eve Chen
USA Today

..... Time to pay up if you fly without a REAL ID or an accepted alternative.
..... Effective February 1, [2026] travelers lacking REAL ID-compliant identification must pay a new $45 fee to have their identity verified through the Transpiration Security Administration's new confirmID program.
..... "All travelers 18+ will need to pay the $45 fee for TSA ConfirmID to attempt to have their identities verified," the TSA told USA Today by email. "The fee goes toward the cost of the alternate identify verification, which until now has been shouldered by the taxpayers as a whole. The two options are et have a REAL ID or an acceptable ID, or to pay the $45 fee to participate in TSA ConfirmID. There is a not a free option."
..... Travelers have been required to present REAL ID or other acceptable identifications at airport security checkpoints since May, [2025] when the REAL ID Act too effect, after years of advance notice.
..... "It's the law, and this law has been in effect since 2005," acting TSA Executive Assistant Administrator Steve Lorincz said in a video the agency shared with news media. "It's one of the recommendations from the 9/11 commission. ID verification is critical to TSA and critical to TSA's layered security approach process. So for us, our security and safety is paramount, and this is one of those layers that is critical to make sure that the system is safe."
..... However, he noted that 6% of U.S. airline passengers still aren't complying.

How to tell if card is REAL ID

..... State-issued REAL ID-compliant cards feature a star at the top, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
..... In some instances, the star is incorporated into another image, such as a bear in California or the state of Maine and Michigan, among others.

How to get REAL ID

..... All 50 states, the District of Columbia, and all five permanently inhabited U.S. territories issue REAL ID-compliant driver's licenses and IDs.
..... Details on how to get one are available on the website of your Department of Motor Vehicles or equivalent licensing agency. At minimum, the TSA says, applicants will need to show proof of:
* Full legal name.
* Date of Birth.
* Social Security number.
* Primary address (two forms of proof).
* Legal residency status
..... Accepted documentation and additional requirements may vary.

Forms of ID accepted

..... Only travelers over the age of 17 need a REAL ID or an accepted alternative to fly domestically. "However, unaccompanied minors who are eligible for TSA PreCheck must show an acceptable ID to receive expedited screening," the TSA notes on its website.
..... Regardless of age, all travelers need a passport for international flights, and passport are REAL ID-compliant.
..... The federal agency lists the following forms of acceptable ID, as of January 30. [2026]
* State-issued REAL ID-compliant driver's license or identification card (temporary licenses do not count).
* State-issued Enhanced Driver's License or Enhanced Identification Card.
* Mobile driver's licenses based on a REAL ID, EDL or EID issued by states where they've been approved for federal use.
* Department of Homeland Security trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST).
* Acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized tribal nation. Indian tribe, including Enhanced Tribal Cards.
* U.S. passport or passport card.
* Permanent resident card.
* Border crossing card.
* Veteran Helaht Identification Card.
* U.S. Department of Defense ID, including those issued to dependents.
* U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization card (I-766).
* HSPD-12 PIV card
* U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential.
* Foreign government passport.
* Canadian provincial driver's license or Indian and Northern affairs Canada card.
..... The TSA's website says the following digital TSA's website says the as part of "ongoing testing efforts to strengthen identity security."
* Apple Digital ID.
* Clear ID.
* Google ID pases.
..... The list of acceptable IDs is subject to change without notice, so travelers planning to use REAL ID alternatives should check rsa.gov.id before their trips.

How to use ConfirmID

..... Travelers who don't have a REAL ID or accepted alternative will need to pay the new $45 ConfirmID fee Online before going through airport security. Each adult without acceptable identification must pay the fee.
..... "It does not cover multiple adults traveling in the same party, and no cash will be accepted at airport checkpoints in lieu of Online payment.
..... "That fee is to make suer that we have the most modern system. It's going to cover down not only technology but also the 6% of the population that does not currently have a REAL ID-compliant driver's license," Lorincz said, adding the fee also covers administrative costs. "For individuals that might not have the means to pay the $45 fee, we encourage them to outreach to a friend or a family member to make sure that - as long as they provide the right information, the accurate information - they will be able to complete the process."
..... ComfirmID payments are valid for 10 days, beginning with the first day of travel on the receipt you will receive from Pay.gov . You will need to present that receipt to the TSA at airport security.
..... "TSA will then att4enpt to verify your identity so you can go through security; however, there is no guarantee TSA can do so," according to the agency's website.
.... Travelers whose identities can not be verified may not be allowed to board their flights.

..... Contributing: Zach Wichter, Kathleen Wong, USA Today

HOME