Forgot your ID? TSA will soon have a backup option for travelers
Jan 19, 2026, 5:00 AM
Travelers go through security at an airport. (Photo: Grant Baldwin, Getty Images)
(Photo: Grant Baldwin, Getty Images)
Travelers who forget their ID at the airport will soon have a backup option.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is rolling out ConfirmID next month.
Starting Feb. 1, passengers without a REAL ID or other acceptable forms of identification will have the option to pay a $45 fee and use the TSA ConfirmID process.
“This fee ensures that non-compliant travelers, not taxpayers, cover the cost of processing travelers without acceptable IDs,” TSA explained in a news release.
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How ConfirmID works
Travelers can pay for ConfirmID on TSA’s website.
After completing the process, travelers will receive a receipt. They must present it, digitally or printed, to a TSA officer to begin identity verification.
“All airline travelers who use TSA ConfirmID will be subject to additional ID verification, screening measures, and potential delays,” officials stated.
TSA noted that passengers who use ConfirmID will need to plan ahead, as the extra process can take up to 30 minutes.
If someone doesn’t have the proper form of identification and chooses not to use ConfirmID, they may not be allowed through security, officials stated.
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