The TSA’s new $18 fee is here, and millions of Americans aren’t ready

A New Biometric Kiosk Does the Checking

Twenty years after Congress told Americans to get more secure IDs, millions still haven’t done it. Now there’s a price for that.

The TSA announced on November 20, 2025, that travelers who arrive at airport security without a REAL ID or passport will have to pay $18 to use a new biometric kiosk system.

The machine scans your face, checks your information against federal watchlists, and decides whether to let you through.

Paying the fee doesn’t guarantee anything, and the whole system exists because a recommendation from the 9/11 Commission took nearly two decades to enforce.

Hijackers Used Fake IDs to Board Planes

The 9/11 Commission spent years studying how the attacks happened.

One finding stood out: 18 of the 19 hijackers had obtained some form of U.S. identification, and many got theirs through fraud.

They used these IDs to board commercial flights, rent cars, and move around the country without raising suspicion. The commission’s final report called it a major vulnerability.

If someone wanted to avoid terrorist watchlists, all they had to do was get a driver’s license from a state with loose requirements.

The commission recommended that the federal government set national standards for state IDs.

Congress Passes REAL ID in 2005

President George W. Bush signed the REAL ID Act on May 11, 2005.

The law required states to verify applicants’ identities, Social Security numbers, and legal status before issuing driver’s licenses.

Compliant IDs would carry a gold or black star in the corner.

The deadline was May 2008, giving states three years to overhaul their systems. Federal agencies, including the TSA, would stop accepting non-compliant licenses after that date.

Anyone without a proper ID would not be able to board a domestic flight. On paper, the fix seemed straightforward. In practice, it was anything but.

States Refuse to Comply With the Law

At least 14 states passed legislation rejecting REAL ID outright. Lawmakers called it an unfunded mandate that would cost billions to implement.

The National Governors Association estimated states would spend more than $11 billion over five years upgrading DMV systems, training staff, and verifying documents.

The federal government offered almost nothing to cover those costs. Privacy advocates also pushed back.

The ACLU called REAL ID a national ID card in disguise and warned it would consolidate personal information in ways that made identity theft easier.

Some states simply refused to participate.

The Deadline Keeps Getting Pushed Back

The 2008 deadline came and went. The Department of Homeland Security extended it to 2009, then 2011, then 2013, then 2017.

Each time, officials cited the slow pace of state compliance and the chaos that would result from suddenly barring millions of travelers from flying.

By 2019, the deadline had moved to October 2020. Then COVID-19 hit. DMV offices across the country closed or went to limited hours.

People couldn’t get appointments. In December 2022, DHS pushed the deadline to May 7, 2025, and said this time they meant it.

Enforcement Finally Begins in May 2025

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem refused another extension. On May 7, 2025, REAL ID enforcement started at every TSA checkpoint in the country.

Travelers 18 and older now needed a compliant driver’s license, a passport, or another approved form of ID to get through security.

TSA PreCheck members were not exempt.

Anyone who showed up with an old license faced additional screening, delays, and the possibility of missing their flight.

After 17 years of warnings, the law finally had teeth.

Millions of Americans Still Weren’t Ready

When enforcement began, only about 60% of state-issued IDs were REAL ID compliant. That left tens of millions of Americans without the right credentials.

Some states did better than others. Texas reported 98% compliance. Nebraska hit 99. 5% by making REAL ID the default option at their DMVs.

But New Jersey lagged far behind, though the state also has the highest passport ownership rate in the country at 69%.

Across the board, DMV offices saw surges in demand as travelers rushed to upgrade before their next flight.

700,000 People Fly Without ID Every Year

Even before REAL ID enforcement, people showed up at airports without proper identification all the time.

About 2,000 travelers per day went through an alternative verification process.

TSA agents would call a center, pull up questions about the traveler’s past addresses and employers, and make a judgment call.

The process was slow, inconsistent, and tied up agents who could have been screening other passengers. The system worked, but barely.

TSA wanted something faster and more reliable.

New Biometric Kiosks Replace Phone Calls

The $18 fee funds a biometric kiosk system that TSA calls a “modernized alternative identity verification program. ” Instead of answering questions from an agent, travelers without ID will step up to a machine.

The kiosk collects facial scans and personal information, then runs it against the Secure Flight watchlist and other databases.

If the system verifies your identity, you can proceed to screening.

TSA says the technology will process more people in less time and free up agents for other work. The fee covers infrastructure, software, and customer service costs.

Paying the Fee Doesn’t Guarantee Entry

The TSA made one thing clear in its Federal Register notice: the $18 is non-refundable, and using the kiosk does not mean you will get through.

If the biometric system cannot verify your identity, you may be denied access to the secure area of the airport. You may also face additional screening or delays even if the system clears you.

TSA can also limit how many times a single person uses the program if they keep showing up without proper ID.

The kiosk is an option, not a guarantee.

Ten Days of Access for One Payment

If you pass the biometric check, you don’t have to pay again right away. The $18 fee covers access to TSA checkpoints for 10 days.

That means a traveler on a round trip can use the verification once and fly home without paying twice, as long as both legs fall within the window.

TSA has not announced exactly when the kiosks will be available at airports nationwide. The agency said additional guidance would come in the days following the November announcement.

For now, travelers without REAL ID should expect the fee to become part of flying in America.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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