That little star on your US driver’s license is about to save you $45.
Starting Sunday, travelers will be able to fly into the United States without a visa Real identity Or any other acceptable form of identification, such as a passport, is subject to a new fee.
It’s not a penalty or fine — it’s a payment to non-compliant travelers for using TSA’s new alternative identity verification option called ConfirmID. But the process takes additional time, and paying the fee does not guarantee that you will be able to make your trip.
The Department of Homeland Security says most American travelers are already in compliance and that the fee is intended to encourage the rest — those without a starred Real ID — to get one.
However, the new fees may surprise some passengers, so here are the details:
It is a state-issued license or identification card that is compliant with the federal government and meets enhanced requirements imposed following the accident. September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Getting an ID card means taking more documents to a motor vehicle agency than most states require for regular ID cards. It was supposed to be introduced in 2008, but it was implemented Delayed repeatedly.
The updated ID is indicated by a white star in a yellow circle in most US states. it has been Required since Maybut travelers without it — and without another ID accepted by the TSA — are still allowed to pass through security with additional screening and a warning. That changes on Sunday.
Passengers 18 or older traveling domestically without proper identification will have to pay $45 to have their identity verified at the airport through the ConfirmID process. If approved, verification covers a 10-day travel period.
However, paying the fee does not guarantee access to air travel in the United States, and passengers whose identities cannot be verified may be turned away at airport security.
“These fees ensure that non-compliant travelers, not taxpayers, cover the cost of processing travelers who do not have acceptable identification,” said Adam Stahl, acting deputy administrator of TSA.
The service fee is paid online at tsa.gov/ConfirmID. Travelers will need to enter their legal name and start date of their travel. Accepted payment methods include debit and credit cards, Venmo and PayPal.
Someone other than the traveler can make the payment, according to TSA, but the traveler’s information must be entered correctly.
Passengers will then receive a payment receipt via email from pay.gov.
At the airport checkpoint, show your government-issued ID and a digital or printed copy of your receipt to begin the verification process.
TSA recommends that travelers pay the fee before arriving at the airport to save time, as the verification process alone can take up to 30 minutes.
TSA Accepts digital IDs Through platforms like Apple Wallet and Google Wallet on More than 250 checkpoints at the airport In the United States
The agency has a complete list of acceptable IDs On its website. They include:
– Passport or passport card
– Permanent residency cards
— Trusted traveler cards, such as Global Entry or NEXUS
– Military IDs
– Photo IDs from federally recognized tribal nations