If you’re 18 or older and flying within the U.S., you need one of two things at the TSA checkpoint: a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or state ID, or another ID on TSA’s accepted list, such as a U.S. passport. Show up without either and your only option is TSA ConfirmID, a $45 identity check you pay for in advance that doesn’t guarantee you’ll get through. Kids under 18 don’t need ID at all when they fly with an adult.
That’s the rule. The rest of this guide is about the situations that trip people up at the checkpoint: a license that just expired, a name that changed, a wallet left at home, or a teenager flying alone.
Is Your License a REAL ID?
Look at the top of the card. A REAL ID-compliant license or state ID has a star marking, usually a gold or black star, or a star inside a shape, depending on the state. A card that says “Federal Limits Apply” or “Not for Federal Identification” is not compliant and won’t get you through security on its own.
Enhanced driver’s licenses, issued by a handful of states such as Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, and Washington, are accepted even though they may not carry the star.
If your card isn’t compliant and you’ll fly within the next couple of months, the REAL ID documents checklist covers what the DMV needs, usually proof of identity, a Social Security number, and two proofs of address. If you don’t drive, the same rules apply to a state ID card.
Every ID TSA Accepts Instead
You only need one. These all work for domestic flights:
| ID | Good to know |
| U.S. passport book | The most common backup to a non-compliant license |
| U.S. passport card | Cheaper than a book and accepted for domestic flights |
| DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST) | The card itself, not the app or approval email |
| U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents | Military families: see military dependent ID documents |
| Permanent resident card (green card) | Also covered below if it’s expired |
| Border crossing card | |
| Photo ID from a federally recognized tribal nation | |
| HSPD-12 PIV card (federal employee ID) | |
| Foreign government-issued passport | |
| Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card | |
| Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) | Port and maritime workers; see TWIC card documents |
| USCIS Employment Authorization Card (I-766) | |
| U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential | |
| Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) | |
| State-issued Enhanced Driver’s License |
TSA can change this list without notice, so check tsa.gov before a trip if you’re relying on anything other than a REAL ID or passport.
Some airports also accept digital IDs, such as mobile driver’s licenses from participating states or a digital ID in a phone wallet, at checkpoints set up to read them. Carry the physical card anyway; not every lane or airport can read a digital one.
When Something’s Wrong With Your ID
It expired recently
TSA currently accepts IDs from its list for up to two years after they expire, for domestic flights only. So a passport that expired 18 months ago will still work at the checkpoint, but it won’t get you on an international flight. Airlines can apply their own rules at check-in, so don’t push your luck if you can renew. Here’s what to know about flying with an expired driver’s license.
Green card holders get a separate kind of protection: when you file to renew, USCIS issues a receipt notice that extends the card’s validity. Bring that notice with the card. Our guide to traveling with an expired green card explains how airlines and TSA treat it.
Your name doesn’t match your boarding pass
Small differences, such as a missing middle name or a suffix like Jr., usually aren’t a problem. A completely different last name can be. If you’ve married or changed your name and your ID hasn’t caught up, book the ticket in the name that matches your ID, and bring the marriage certificate or court order if you have it. The name change document guide covers the order to update your records so this doesn’t keep happening.
You lost your wallet, or your ID was stolen
This is what ConfirmID is for. See the next section, and file a police report if your ID was stolen; it won’t replace the ID, but it helps if someone tries to use it.
Your license is from another state
That’s fine, as long as it’s REAL ID compliant or you have another accepted ID. If you’ve moved, you’ll have to swap it eventually; check our guide to transferring a driver’s license to a new state.
How TSA ConfirmID Works
Since February 1, 2026, any traveler 18 or older without an acceptable ID who still wants to fly must use ConfirmID. Here’s what that involves:
- Pay the $45 fee online at Pay.gov before you get to the checkpoint. Each adult without an acceptable ID pays separately.
- Keep the receipt. You show it to TSA. One payment covers a 10-day travel window starting on your first travel date, so most round trips need only one fee.
- Go through TSA’s identity verification. Officers try to confirm who you are using other information. Bring anything you have that shows your name and photo, even if it’s not on the accepted list.
- Expect extra screening and extra time. Arrive well ahead of your flight.
The fee is nonrefundable, and paying it doesn’t guarantee you’ll be cleared. If TSA can’t verify your identity, you won’t be allowed through the checkpoint. The full breakdown is in our TSA ConfirmID fee guide.
The math favors getting a proper ID. A passport card costs $65 for a first-time adult application and lasts 10 years, which is cheaper than paying ConfirmID twice.
Kids and Teens
- Under 18 flying with an adult: No ID needed at TSA.
- Teens flying alone: TSA still doesn’t require ID, but airlines often do for unaccompanied minors and teens in their teen-traveler programs. Check the airline’s policy and bring a school ID, passport, or birth certificate.
- Teens with TSA PreCheck flying alone: They must show an acceptable ID to use the PreCheck lane.
- Lap infants: Airlines usually ask for proof of age, such as a birth certificate or passport.
Some parents traveling with a child alone carry a consent letter from the other parent. It isn’t a TSA requirement for domestic flights, but airlines may ask for it, especially when last names differ. Our child travel consent letter guide includes what to put in it.
A Two-Minute Check Before You Leave for the Airport
Run through this the night before, especially if you rarely fly:
- Find the star. If your license doesn’t have one, pack your passport book, passport card, or another ID from the table.
- Check the expiration date. Within two years past expiration is fine for TSA, but your airline may be stricter.
- Compare names. The name on your boarding pass should match the ID you’ll show. Fix the reservation now, not at the gate.
- Count adults. Every traveler 18 or older needs their own acceptable ID, or their own $45 ConfirmID payment.
- Plan for the return flight. If you’re flying home from a small airport, it may not have a lane that reads digital IDs. Carry the physical card.
If anything on that list fails and you can’t fix it in time, pay for ConfirmID before you leave home instead of at the airport, and add at least an hour to your arrival time.
Flying to Puerto Rico or Another U.S. Territory
Flights to Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands are domestic, so the same REAL ID rules apply and U.S. citizens don’t need a passport. Details are in our guides to REAL ID for Puerto Rico flights and whether you need a passport for Puerto Rico.
Quick Answers
| Question | Answer |
| Can I use a photo of my license on my phone? | No. A picture of your ID isn’t accepted. Only an approved digital ID at a lane that supports it. |
| Is a temporary paper license accepted? | Usually not on its own. Bring your old license or another accepted ID with it. |
| Does a birth certificate work for adults? | No. It isn’t a photo ID and isn’t on TSA’s list for adults. |
| Do I need ID to pick someone up at the gate? | Gate passes are up to each airport and airline, and you’ll need an accepted ID to get through security. |
| Can I fly with a REAL ID from a state I no longer live in? | Yes, for TSA purposes, as long as it’s valid or within the two-year grace period. |
| How long does getting a passport card take? | Routine processing is about 4 to 6 weeks. Start with the passport application documents. |