TSA’s New $45 “Confirm.ID” Program Formalizes Tech-Enabled ID Checks for Travelers Without Valid Documents

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration is rolling out a new, fee-based identity verification option called TSA Confirm.ID for passengers who arrive at airport security checkpoints without acceptable identification, including non-REAL ID compliant driver’s licenses. Starting February 1, 2026, travelers in this situation will be able to pay a 45-dollar fee for an alternative identity-verification process that is valid for a 10-day travel period.

Confirm.ID is the successor to TSA’s Modernized Alternative Identity Verification initiative described in a November 2025 Federal Register notice, which originally proposed an 18-dollar fee tied to a more automated identity verification workflow. The updated rule, also published in the Federal Register, formalizes TSA Confirm.ID as a distinct service with a higher fee, which TSA says is needed to cover technology development, IT infrastructure, data security, and ongoing operational costs.

TSA’s dedicated Confirm.ID page explains that travelers who do not present an acceptable form of ID at the checkpoint will be routed to the Confirm.ID process before entering the main security line. The 45-dollar payment can be made in advance via a federal payment portal or on site, and once completed, the traveler’s Confirm.ID authorization remains valid for 10 days to cover round trips and multi-segment itineraries. The agency stresses that paying the fee does not guarantee clearance: if a traveler’s identity cannot be verified, boarding can still be denied.

The underlying verification workflow builds on the earlier modernized alternative identity design, which leverages biographic and/or biometric information to validate a claimed identity and cross-check it against TSA’s Secure Flight prescreening data and watchlists. According to TSA officials quoted in multiple reports, the process is expected to take at least 10 to 15 minutes and may extend to 30 minutes or more, depending on airport implementation and queue volumes. The agency says about 94 percent of travelers already present REAL ID-compliant or otherwise acceptable ID, and positions Confirm.ID as a last-resort option rather than a replacement for compliant credentials.

Confirm.ID is notable because it effectively stands up a government-operated, fee-funded identity verification service that blends biographic and biometric checks at physical checkpoints. For CISOs and identity architects, the program underscores a broader trend: high-assurance identity proofing and watchlist screening are being pushed closer to the edge, with strong incentives (in this case, a 45-dollar fee and potential delays) for users to maintain compliant credentials such as REAL ID documents or mobile ID equivalents. It also raises questions about the long-term evolution of in-person identity proofing, including how TSA’s workflows and vendor relationships might intersect with remote digital identity ecosystems that rely on comparable risk signals and biometric checks.

Sources: TSA / PR Newswire, Federal Register, Business Insider, Statesman, Fox News

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By the ID Tech Editorial Team