A new $45 fee for travelers without Real IDs goes into effect Feb. 1

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Travelers who don't yet person a Real ID could face a caller $45 fee starting Feb. 1, erstwhile the Transportation Security Administration volition statesman imposing the further complaint connected passengers without the enhanced recognition to assistance offset the outgo of other screening.

Rather than turning travelers distant astatine airdrome checkpoints, TSA plans to taxable passengers without compliant recognition — specified arsenic a Real ID oregon passport — to further individuality screening. The program, called ConfirmID, asks passengers without Real IDs to reply a bid of questions astir themselves to verify their identity.

A Real ID is simply a federally compliant authorities driver's license, learner's licence oregon nondriver ID card, identified by a achromatic oregon golden prima successful the precocious close corner. Earlier this month, the TSA said that passengers who don't person Real IDs should program up to debar delays astatine airports starting Sunday, erstwhile the bureau rolls retired its caller ConfirmID program.

"TSA ConfirmID volition beryllium an enactment for travelers that bash not bring a Real ID oregon different acceptable signifier of ID to the TSA checkpoint and inactive privation to fly," elder authoritative performing the duties of lawman head for TSA Adam Stahl said successful a Jan. 15 statement.

The TSA is inactive encouraging each flyers to get Real IDs, describing the interest arsenic a fallback option. "To debar delays oregon missed flights, each travelers should get a Real ID oregon different acceptable signifier of recognition earlier heading to the airport," Stahl said.

Experts enactment that the ConfirmID programme could dilatory the screening process for everyone, though it volition assistance travelers without Real IDs to walk done security.

Here's what other to cognize astir the $45 Real ID fee, and however to debar paying it.

Who has to wage the fee?

Anyone without a Real ID, oregon a Real ID-compliant signifier of recognition —such arsenic a passport oregon DHS trusted traveler paper — whitethorn beryllium connected the hook for the other complaint astatine airdrome information screening checkpoints crossed the U.S.

The TSA announced the caller interest successful December, saying astatine the clip that it applies to "all passengers who bash not contiguous an acceptable signifier of ID and inactive privation to fly."

The fee-based strategy validates a passenger's individuality for 10 days, according to the TSA.

The ConfirmID process varies from airdrome to airport, the TSA noted. TSA has agelong relied connected alternate methods of verifying flyers' identities, allowing customers who, for example, suffer their IDs to fly.

"It's a longstanding policy. What has changed present is that they are present charging for it," said Julian Kheel, CEO and laminitis of Points Path, a supplier of travel insights.

When bash I wage the fee?

The TSA urged travelers to pay the interest online earlier arriving astatine the airport. The bureau said it's moving with third-party providers successful the backstage assemblage to facilitate outgo options.

If you don't person an acceptable signifier of ID, sojourn tsa.gov/ConfirmID earlier heading retired the doorway earlier your trip. You'll person a receipt by email, which should beryllium presented to a TSA serviceman astatine airdrome security. The ConfirmID tract accepts the pursuing types of payments:

Bank relationship (ACH)
PayPal account
Venmo account
Debit oregon recognition card

Travelers who don't wage up of clip whitethorn brushwood delays astatine the airport, expanding the hazard of missing their flights. Travel security holders shouldn't expect their policies to screen these kinds of mishaps, according to Kheel.

The TSA says passengers tin expect the full process to instrumentality an other 30 minutes, and should program accordingly.

Am I Real ID compliant?

About 94% of travelers are Real ID compliant, according to the TSA. That means they clasp either a Real ID oregon different signifier of acceptable identification, which includes a passport from immoderate country. Kheel notes that galore travelers whitethorn not beryllium alert that they are successful compliance, adjacent if they person not yet obtained a Real ID.

"You whitethorn already person a Real ID substitute successful your wallet and not adjacent cognize it," helium said.

You tin cheque the TSA's full list of acceptable forms of ID to spot if you mightiness request to wage the fee.

The $45 complaint isn't expected to beryllium a large gross generator for the TSA, fixed the precocious complaint of compliance with the policy. It does, however, guarantee that the outgo of ID verification is covered by the traveler, not the taxpayer, according to the TSA.

Edited by Aimee Picchi

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