Real-name authentication rolled out: Here’s what it’s like to go through TSA without ID

Can I pass the security check without an ID card? Yes you can. I just did this at Miami International Airport (MIA) and it was actually pretty painless (other than costing $45).

I write this after going through security airside at Miami International Airport with not only no real ID, but no photo ID of any kind at all. That same week, the TSA launched its new ConfirmID program for those who don’t have REAL ID-compliant identification.

We wanted to test the new system and I can attest that it actually works.

As we reported, the TSA will now charge travelers a $45 fee to pass through security if they don’t have valid identification. This is just part of an effort to push more people to sign up for real-name authentication. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security now requires U.S. travelers to carry a REAL ID (or other acceptable, approved ID) when traveling at domestic airports.

This means that only driver’s licenses and state-issued REAL ID (current national standards) IDs, along with a few other acceptable IDs, are now eligible to pass through TSA checkpoints.

While enforcement of REAL ID requirements officially rolled out in May, there is now a workaround for those without acceptable identification: a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agent pulls you aside for a secondary inspection and verifies your identity. This is the process I followed before flying into Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) this morning.

Now, starting February 1, those without compliant ID will need to register with TSA’s ConfirmID program and pay a $45 fee before approaching the security line.

The process goes like this.

Register in advance

I started the process by visiting the TSA ConfirmID website. You will go to the Pay.gov website to register and pay the $45 fee, as shown in the image below.

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You will need to enter your name, address and other contact details, as well as your travel dates and payment method. After entering your payment method, you will receive an emailed receipt showing all of your details, including expiration date, Pay.gov Tracking ID, and Institutional Tracking ID. It was very fast; I received an email receipt in about five minutes. Please note that the receipt is valid for 10 days, even if you pass through security multiple times.

Once I received the email confirming I had paid, I headed off to security.

Expect TSA to conduct additional inspections

I eventually made it through the checkpoint at Gate H, which was very busy as I joined the regular security line. After waiting for about 10 minutes, I arrived at the TSA agent and explained that I had a ConfirmID receipt, not a photo ID. He called the supervisor and asked me to wait on the side near the Clear driveway. I only waited about four minutes before the supervisor called me over. He had a special laptop and asked me to fill out an identity verification form that included my flight record locator, home address and date of birth. After looking me up in his system, he asked me a series of questions that only I could answer (previous addresses, stuff like that).

Once he was done, he handed me a TSA Precheck flyer and sent me on my way to the TSA Precheck queue. The whole process lasts about 25 minutes. It was fairly relaxing and the staff were friendly and didn’t seem too bothered by the new steps.

bottom line

I’m delighted that the rollout of this new system is going well. The only thing that was a little annoying was the $45 fine, but if I lose my REAL ID driver’s license while traveling I can still get through security, which is a small price to pay.

If you don’t have a REAL ID-compliant ID card yet, don’t worry. The agency also accepts passports, Global Entry cards, or military IDs, but now might be the time to buy one so you don’t have to pay the extra $45.

The TSA estimates that 94% of passengers already have acceptable identification, so hopefully you’re one of them.

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