TSA proposes charging fliers without Real ID or passport an $18 fee to get through security: What to know

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration has quietly proposed a new rule that would require travelers without a Real ID to pay a $18 service fee to pass through airport security.

In a notice posted to the Federal Register on Thursday, the TSA said it is “launching a modernized alternative identity verification program” for fliers who show up at a TSA checkpoint without an acceptable form of identification, such as a Real ID or passport.

“To address the government-incurred costs, individuals who choose to use TSA’s modernized alternative identity verification program will be required to pay an $18 fee,” the notice said, adding that the nonrefundable payment “does not guarantee an individual will be granted access to the sterile area of an airport.”

The fee will cover 10 days of travel, “provided the individual can successfully verify their identity for each use,” according to the proposal.

It’s unclear when the new program will launch. According to a guide posted on the Federal Register’s website, the notice of the proposed rule initiates a public comment period that typically lasts from 30 to 60 days. But the time period can vary per agency.

Congress passed the Real ID Act in 2005 to set higher security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards in response to the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

After nearly two decades of delays, the Real ID program launched in May, requiring fliers to present the new standard identification card to board domestic flights. (Alternative forms of ID, like a U.S. passport or tribal identification, are still accepted.)

Travelers who currently present themselves at security checkpoints without a Real ID or passport are subject to alternative identity verification, which may result in additional screening or delays. The new rule would add an $18 fee for those traveling without the acceptable forms of identification.