Travelers who arrive at a U.S. airport security checkpoint without a REAL ID or a valid passport could be required to pay an $18 fee to make their flight, according to a proposed rule by the Transportation Security Administration.
The non-refundable fee would go toward covering the costs of a "modernized alternative identity verification program" that will use a biometric kiosk, according to a notice published on Nov. 20. There is no set date for when the new program would start.
"This notice serves as a next step in the process in REAL ID compliance, which was signed into law more than 20 years ago and finally implemented by Secretary Noem as of May 2025," the TSA told USA TODAY in an email statement. "TSA is working with stakeholders and partners to ensure both security and efficiency at our checkpoints. Additional guidance will be announced in the coming days."
REAL ID took 20 years to become reality. What took so long?
The new system is set to replace and streamline the current option, which the agency said is "time and resource intensive" in the notice.
