Traveling Is About to Get ‘REAL’ Without a REAL ID

Real ID deadline FILE PHOTO: Illinois residents enter the Real ID Super Center operated by the Secretary of State's office to apply for a Real ID on May 06, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. Starting May 7, a drivers license or state ID will no longer be considered acceptable forms of identification to board a domestic flight. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

By Shawn Knight

On May 7th, 2025, enforcement went into effect for all travelers to get a REAL ID. However, there are some individuals who still haven’t taken heed to the warning and now it’s going to cost them at the airport next year.

According to ABC News, on February 1st, 2026, travelers who does not have a Real ID or Passport will have to pay a $45 fee at airport checkpoints.

The agency announced that this fee will support the next phase of the REAL ID program that requires travelers without compliant travel identification to verify their identity through a biometric or biographic system and verified travelers will receive a confirmation email that will be valid for up to ten days.

What is a REAL ID:

It’s a driver’s license or ID card that meet stricter federal security standards that a standard state issued ID. It is needed to board domestic flights, to enter nuclear power plants and to gain access to certain federal facilities, like courthouses and military bases.

You can obtain a REAL ID at your local DMV office, and the items you will need is a U.S. Passport, birth certificate, or social security card.

We already know that traveling and going through airport security is a HUGE inconvenience. So, next time you plan on traveling make sure you have your REAL ID.