Area travelers flying out of airports without a REAL ID-compliant identification card will soon face an unexpected fee at the security checkpoint.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced on this week that starting Feb. 1, passengers who haven’t secured the proper documentation will be charged a $45 fee to use an alternative verification system.
The fee is for a process the TSA calls Confirm.ID, which the agency will use for travelers who show up without a REAL ID driver’s license or a passport or other accepted documentation.
The fee covers up to a 10-day period of travel, and the TSA is asking travelers to pay it online before getting to the airport to avoid long lines and potential flight delays.
“This fee ensures the cost to cover verification of an insufficient ID will come from the traveler, not the taxpayer,” Senior Official Performing the Duties of Deputy Administrator for TSA Adam Stahl said in a statement.
“The security of the traveling public is our top priority, so we urge all travelers to get a REAL ID or other acceptable form of ID as soon as possible to avoid delays and potentially miss flights,” Stahl added.
While the federal requirement for the REAL ID went into effect back on May, travelers without the compliant ID have been allowed to fly after receiving extra screening.
PenNDOT and federal officials pushed residents earlier this year to get REAL ID ahead of the spring deadline.
PennDOT data from earlier this year showed that close to 3 million people in Pennsylvania have obtained a REAL ID.
According to the TSA, the vast majority of air travelers—more than 94 percent—already use a REAL ID or an alternative acceptable document.
To obtain a REAL ID in Pennsylvania, a resident must present proof of identity, two proofs of their current physical Pennsylvania address, and proof of their Social Security number. They must also show proof of all legal name changes, if their current legal name is different from the one on their primary proof of identity document.
Customers pay a one-time fee of $30 for their first REAL ID, plus the renewal fee.
An initial REAL ID card’s expiration date is structured to include any time remaining on their existing non-REAL ID product plus an additional four years.
PennDOT said subsequent renewals will only incur the standard renewal fees.
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More information about REAL ID document requirements and how to get one can be found on PennDOT’s REAL ID website.
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