Alabama Travelers Can Pay Fee for REAL ID Alternative

TSA introduces new identity verification system for flyers without REAL ID-compliant IDs

Jan. 29, 2026 at 10:31pm

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Starting February 1, airline passengers in Alabama who do not have a REAL-ID-compliant identification will have to pay a $45 fee to use TSA's new ConfirmID identity verification system before arriving at airport security checkpoints. The fee covers the cost of the 10-day travel period verification process for those without REAL ID-compliant driver's licenses.

Why it matters

The new fee and identity verification system is aimed at addressing the roughly 6% of travelers at Alabama airports who do not have REAL ID-compliant identification, which will be required for domestic air travel starting in 2026. The TSA says the ConfirmID system will help modernize the administrative and technological processes to handle this segment of travelers.

The details

Under the new rules, airline passengers in Alabama without a REAL ID-compliant driver's license will have to pay a $45 fee to use TSA's ConfirmID identity verification system. This will cover a 10-day travel period, so flyers can avoid paying the fee again if their return flight is within that timeframe. Other forms of REAL ID-compliant identification include U.S. passports, permanent resident cards, and foreign government-issued passports.

  • The new fee and identity verification system goes into effect on February 1, 2026.

The players

TSA

The Transportation Security Administration, the federal agency responsible for security in the nation's transportation systems.

Steve Lorincz

TSA acting executive assistant administrator, who discussed the new ConfirmID identity verification system.

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What they’re saying

“The fee is all about making sure that we have the most modern system to handle not only the administrative processes, the technology, and handle the six percent of the volume that is coming through our checkpoints today that do not have real ID-compliant drivers' licenses.”

— Steve Lorincz, TSA acting executive assistant administrator

What’s next

The new REAL ID requirement for domestic air travel in the U.S. is scheduled to go into effect in 2026.

The takeaway

The new $45 fee and ConfirmID identity verification system in Alabama is an attempt by the TSA to modernize its processes and accommodate the roughly 6% of travelers who still lack REAL ID-compliant identification ahead of the 2026 federal deadline.