What exact documents are on TSA’s current official list of acceptable IDs for airport checkpoints?
Executive summary
The Transportation Security Administration’s official list of acceptable identification for airport security checkpoints centers on REAL ID‑compliant state driver’s licenses or ID cards and a set of federal identity documents — including U.S. passports, passport cards, and certain DHS and military credentials — with additional options such as mobile/digital IDs in participating states and a fee‑based ConfirmID process for travelers who lack acceptable ID [1] [2] [3] [4]. For the verbatim, exhaustive list, TSA directs travelers to its Acceptable Identification page; enforcement of REAL ID compliance began May 7, 2025, and the optional TSA ConfirmID $45 verification rolls out February 1, 2026 [1] [5] [6].
1. What TSA says is the baseline: REAL ID‑compliant state IDs are now primary
TSA requires adult travelers (18 and older) to present a REAL ID‑compliant state driver’s license or identification card to use as the primary domestic checkpoint credential, and it has stopped accepting non‑REAL ID state driver’s licenses and IDs at airports since May 7, 2025 [1] [7].
2. Federal documents explicitly named by TSA as acceptable alternatives
TSA’s public materials list federal identity documents that serve as acceptable alternatives to a REAL ID; among those explicitly cited in reporting are a U.S. passport, U.S. passport card, DHS Trusted Traveler cards (for example, Global Entry), and U.S. military identification — each referenced as valid options on the TSA pages and coverage summarizing the updated policy [8] [2] [9].
3. Other accepted or programmatic credentials referenced by TSA
Beyond passports and military IDs, TSA documentation and related guidance reference enhanced driver’s licenses (EDLs) and enhanced identification cards (EIDs) as acceptable in contexts such as trusted‑traveler enrollment and other TSA programs, and TSA’s PreCheck guidance lists a range of citizenship/identity documents used in vetting [10] [8]. TSA also flags that temporary driver’s licenses are not acceptable forms of identification [1].
4. Digital and mobile IDs: a limited but growing option
TSA’s digital ID pilot allows mobile driver’s licenses (mDLs) or state digital IDs to be used at select checkpoints for travelers from participating states, and TSA recommends carrying a physical acceptable ID as a backup [3]. The program applies only at participating checkpoints and is not a universal substitute for a physical REAL ID unless explicitly supported at that airport [3].
5. If a traveler arrives without an acceptable ID: ConfirmID and caveats
TSA has established an optional, fee‑based identity verification pathway — TSA ConfirmID — that will be available to travelers who cannot present an acceptable ID; the agency will offer the service for a $45 fee beginning February 1, 2026, and warns there is no guarantee identity can be verified and that additional screening and delays may occur [4] [6] [5]. TSA advises travelers to obtain a REAL ID or alternative acceptable ID to avoid delays and possible missed flights [6] [5].
6. What the reporting does not provide verbatim and where to verify the complete list
Multiple sources repeatedly point readers to TSA.gov for the full, updated roster of acceptable documents — the official “Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint” page contains the definitive, detailed list and is the proper reference for edge cases and comprehensive enumeration [1] [5] [2]. Reporting summarizes common items but does not reproduce the entire TSA checklist verbatim in the available snippets, so this analysis stops short of quoting a full itemized list not present in the cited material [1] [2].
7. Balancing enforcement, traveler burden and transparency
Implementation shifts — from full enforcement of REAL ID to the ConfirmID fee option — have provoked practical concerns about traveler confusion, equity (costs for those lacking compliant IDs), and whether airports’ variable digital‑ID support will create patchwork experiences; TSA frames ConfirmID as a backstop while urging citizens to obtain REAL ID, but travel‑industry commentary and local authorities have warned of likely delays and the need to verify specific airport capabilities in advance [6] [8] [11].