TSA COLLECTION OF $45 FEE FROM PASSENGER TRAVELING WITHOUT REAL ID DRAWS SCRUTINY FROM LAWMAKERS
July 29, 2026
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On June 8, 2026, lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives targeted Transportation Security Administration’s new $45 fee for air travelers who do not have a REAL ID or other accepted form of identification, arguing that collection of such a fee lacks statutory authority. By way of brief background, TSA finalized plans last December to require passengers traveling without an acceptable form of ID to pay $45 with an option to pay this so-called TSA Confirm.ID fee at or near security checkpoints at most U.S. airports. While the new TSA Confirm.ID fee placed no new requirements on U.S. or foreign air carriers, there have been concerns about unnecessary disruptions to the traveling public, especially since there does not appear to be clear statutory authority for TSA to collect the fee in the first place. In defense of the new $45 fee, TSA officials contend that it is needed to cover the costs associated with validating identification for passengers who fail to present an acceptable form of identification (e.g., REAL ID, U.S. passport, foreign government-issued passport, permanent resident card, etc.) rather than requiring the American taxpayer to foot the bill. Members of the House Appropriations Committee appear unpersuaded by TSA’s argument and now seek to defund the program through the annual U.S. Department of Homeland Security appropriations process.
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