The short version
- REAL ID enforcement began May 7, 2025. Since February 1, 2026, adults without an accepted ID are referred to TSA ConfirmID.
- ConfirmID costs $45, covers a 10-day travel window, and doesn't guarantee the traveler gets through.
- A passport, passport card or trusted traveler card works in place of a REAL ID license.
Most of your travelers have sorted out their REAL ID by now. The ones who haven't tend to find out at the worst possible moment: at the checkpoint, with a boarding time on their phone. Since February 1, 2026, that moment comes with a fee.
What changed
REAL ID enforcement for domestic flights started on May 7, 2025. For the first several months, travelers with a non-compliant license could usually get through with extra screening. That grace period is over. Starting February 1, 2026, TSA refers any adult who can't show an accepted ID to a paid identity check called TSA ConfirmID.
The details every travel arranger should know:
- The fee is $45 per traveler, and it covers a 10-day travel period starting on the date the traveler enters.
- It can be paid online ahead of time through Pay.gov, and TSA strongly recommends doing it that way. Paying at the airport adds more delay.
- Someone else can pay on the traveler's behalf, as long as the traveler's name and travel start date are entered correctly.
- Each adult 18 or older without an accepted ID goes through the process separately.
- Paying doesn't guarantee TSA can verify the traveler's identity. Travelers should expect extra screening and a longer wait.
- Temporary paper licenses are not accepted as ID.
The easy fix: other accepted IDs
A REAL ID-compliant license isn't the only option. A U.S. passport, a passport card, a state-issued enhanced driver's license, or a DHS trusted traveler card (like Global Entry) all work. TSA keeps the full list of accepted IDs on its site.
For frequent travelers, the simplest answer is to carry a passport card as a backup. It fits in a wallet and never needs to leave it.
What we recommend for travel arrangers
If you book travel for a department, a school or a team, add one question to your intake: does the traveler have a REAL ID or another accepted ID? It takes five seconds and saves $45 and a lot of stress.
It's also a good time to confirm that the name on every traveler profile matches their ID exactly. A mismatch between the ticket and the ID can cause trouble at the checkpoint whether or not the traveler has a REAL ID.
When you manage travel through us, we keep traveler profiles on file, including ID details, and we flag gaps before tickets are issued. That's part of what we do under travel program management, and it matters most for group trips, where one missing ID can hold up a whole team.
Keep our travel resources page bookmarked. We keep it current with the rules your travelers are most likely to run into.
Have a question about how this affects your travelers? Ask us, or learn more about our Athens corporate travel agency.