Travelers, be warned: Starting Feb. 1, you may need to pay a fee of $45 or more for going through airport security checkpoints without a Real ID or another acceptable travel document.
“That’s not nothing,” John Breyault, vice president of public policy, telecommunications and fraud at the National Consumers League, a consumer advocacy group, said of the fee. “If you ever needed a reason to get a Real ID-compliant ID, now’s the time.”
The Real ID card is an upgraded driver’s license or state identification card that officials say carries more stringent security and helps prevent fraudulent identification. It is state-issued and marked with a star.
The federal government began requiring travelers to have a Real ID — or another document like a U.S. passport or passport card — to board a domestic flight, or enter certain federal facilities or nuclear power plants as of May 7, 2025.
However, Feb. 1 marks the first time the Transportation Security Administration will impose a fee to enforce the rule.
