Can I use a passport instead of a Real ID for federal identification purposes?

1. Passport vs. REAL ID — the bottom line

A passport book or passport card is treated by federal authorities as “REAL ID compliant,” meaning you can use it instead of a REAL ID driver’s license to pass TSA checkpoints and to gain access to federal facilities that require identity verification ^{[1] [2] [3]}. Multiple official sources — the TSA’s REAL ID page and the State Department’s passport guidance — state passports are acceptable alternatives to a REAL ID for domestic travel and federal access ^{[1] [2]}.

2. What enforcement looks like now

REAL ID enforcement at airport security checkpoints began May 7, 2025; since then, airlines and TSA require travelers aged 18 and older to have a REAL ID-compliant license/ID or an accepted alternative like a passport ^{[1] [3]}. Reporting from outlets summarizing TSA guidance shows that more than 94% of passengers already use a REAL ID or another acceptable form such as a passport ^[5].

3. Passport book vs. passport card — practical differences

Both the passport book and the passport card are explicitly called “REAL ID compliant” by the State Department and accepted by TSA for domestic flights and federal-facility access ^{[2] [6]}. However, the passport card cannot be used for international air travel; it is valid for domestic flights and for land/sea travel to Canada, Mexico and parts of the Caribbean ^{[2] [4]}.

4. If you don’t bring either — the new TSA option and fee

If you arrive at a TSA checkpoint without a REAL ID and without another accepted form of ID (like a passport), TSA will offer an identity-verification alternative called TSA Confirm.ID for a fee beginning February 1, 2026; the announced fee is $45 to use Confirm.ID for travelers who lack acceptable ID but still want to fly ^{[7] [8]}. This is an operational fallback, not a replacement policy for carrying acceptable ID, and TSA materials note most travelers present acceptable identification ^{[8] [5]}.

5. Why people still get REAL IDs even if they have passports

State REAL ID driver’s licenses are convenient because you can keep a passport safe at home and use a wallet-sized license daily; officials and travel reporting note that REAL IDs avoid the need to carry a passport for routine domestic travel ^{[9] [10]}. Travel guides and state communications recommend passport cards as a lower-cost, wallet-friendly alternative if you want federal-compliant ID without a full passport book ^{[4] [10]}.

6. Competing perspectives and hidden incentives

Federal sources frame passports as fully acceptable alternatives, while some commercial and state messages emphasize convenience and the administrative hassle of getting a passport versus a state REAL ID ^{[1] [9]}. Local governments and clerks promoting passport cards highlight cost and access benefits ahead of REAL ID deadlines, which may encourage residents to obtain federal documents rather than navigate state DMV backlogs ^[4]. TSA’s new fee for lacking ID signals a policy nudge to increase compliance with REAL ID or to bring alternate accepted documents like passports ^{[8] [7]}.

7. Limits of the available reporting

Available sources repeatedly state passports are accepted alternatives to REAL ID for domestic air travel and federal facility access ^{[1] [2] [3]}. Available sources do not mention variations in acceptance at every single federal facility beyond the general rule, nor do they provide exhaustive lists of every agency’s on-site ID practices; for those specifics you must check the agency or facility in question (not found in current reporting).