New $45 TSA fee is now in effect for some travelers without REAL ID

Effective Sunday, Feb. 1, travelers lacking REAL ID-compliant identification must pay a new $45 fee to have their identity verified through the Transportation 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 fee goes towards the cost of the alternate identity verification, which until now has been shouldered by the taxpayers as a whole," TSA told USA TODAY by email. "The two options are to 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 IDs or other acceptable identification at airport security checkpoints since last May, when the REAL ID Act took full effect, after years of advance notice.

"It's the law, and this law has been effect since 2005," Acting Executive Assistant Administrator for TSA 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."

TSA agents check for REAL ID compliance at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on May 7.

However, he noted 6% of U.S. airline passengers still aren't complying.

Here's what to know before your next flight.

How do I tell if my card is a REAL ID?

In some instances, the star is incorporated into another image, like a bear in California or the states of Maine and Michigan, among others.

You can see examples of REAL IDs for each state and Washington, D.C., in the photo gallery below.

How do I get a real ID?

All 50 states, the District of Columbia, and all five 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, TSA says you'll need to show proof of:

• Full legal name
• Date of birth
• Social Security number
• Primary address (two forms of proof)
• Lawful status

Accepted documentation and additional requirements may vary.

What forms of ID are accepted by TSA?

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," TSA notes on its website.

Regardless of age, all travelers need a passport for international flights, and passports are REAL ID-compliant.

The federal agency lists the following forms of acceptable ID, as of Jan. 30.

• State-issued REAL ID-compliant driver's license or identification card (temporary licenses do not count)
• State-issued Enhanced Driver's License (EDL) or Enhanced Identification Card (EID)
• 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 Health Identification Card
• U.S. Department of Defense ID, including those issued to dependents
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
• Transportation Worker Identification Credential
• HSPD-12 PIV card
• U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential
• Foreign government-issued passport
• Canadian provincial driver's license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card

At present, TSA's website states the following digital IDs are also accepted as part of "ongoing testing efforts to strengthen identity security."

• Apple Digital ID
• Clear ID
• Google ID passes

The list of acceptable IDs is subject to change without notice, so travelers planning to use REAL ID alternatives should check tsa.gov/id before their trips.

How to use ConfirmID

If you don't have a REAL ID or accepted alternative, you'll need to pay the new $45 ConfirmID fee online through pay.gov 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 sure 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 that the fee also covers administrative costs. "For individuals that might not have the means to pay the $45 fee, we encourage them to reach out 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."

ConfirmID payments are valid for 10 days, beginning with the first date of travel on the receipt you will receive from Pay.gov. You will need to present that receipt to TSA at airport security.

"TSA will then attempt 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