UPDATE: No REAL ID? NC airline passengers face new TSA verification fee

RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — Airline passengers who do not have REAL ID compliant identification after Saturday, January 31st will have to pay fee at North Carolina airports.

Starting February 1st, the $45 fee for identity verification must be paid before getting to the TSA checkpoint. The fee covers the cost of a modernized alternative identity verification system, called TSA ConfirmID.

The verification will cover a 10-day travel period, so those who plan their return flight within that 10-day period will pay once for both flights.

The U.S. passport book and passport card are both considered REAL ID compliant.

“Those who do not want to pay the $45 fee for the modernized ID verification still have time to get their REAL ID compliant driver’s license or another acceptable form of ID,” said RDU Federal Security Director Jennifer Gordon. “Verifying identity is a critical component of transportation security. While most travelers provide acceptable identification, it is our responsibility to confirm that passengers are who they claim to be. Ensuring the safety of the traveling public continues to be our highest priority.”

Acceptable forms of ID include:

• REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses or other state photo identity cards issued by Department of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent)
  • If you are not sure if your ID complies with REAL ID, check with your state Department of Motor Vehicles.
  • A temporary driver’s license is not an acceptable form of identification.
• State-issued Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL) or Enhanced ID (EID)
• U.S. passport
• U.S. passport card
• DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
• U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
• Permanent resident card
• Border crossing card
• An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe, including Enhanced Tribal Cards (ETCs)
• HSPD-12 PIV card
• Foreign government-issued passport
• Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
• Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
• U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential
• Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)

North Carolina travelers without an acceptable ID are encouraged to visit the TSA ConfirmID program fee site and pay the $45 fee prior to travel on or after Sunday, Feb. 1. Take a printed copy or electronic copy of the receipt, along with another form of ID, and show it to the Transportation Security Officer verifying identification at the airport checkpoint.