How does TSA Confirm.ID work and what are the costs and privacy implications for travelers without REAL ID?
Executive summary
TSA ConfirmID is a paid, optional identity‑verification pathway launched Feb. 1, 2026 that lets travelers who lack a REAL ID or other acceptable documentation attempt to clear airport security for a non‑refundable $45 fee valid for a 10‑day travel window (TSA) [1][2]. The service requires additional verification and screening, can add 10–30+ minutes of delay, does not guarantee access, and raises privacy questions that the agency’s general digital‑ID guidance addresses but ConfirmID‑specific data‑retention details do not fully disclose in publicly available notices [3][4][5][6].
1. What ConfirmID actually does at the checkpoint
ConfirmID is described by TSA as a “modernized alternative identity verification” for passengers who present at checkpoint without an acceptable form of ID; participants undergo additional identity checks and screening measures before being allowed into the sterile area, and TSA warns the process may delay travel and is not guaranteed to grant access [3][2][5]. Airport signage and the TSA portal direct travelers to pay online in advance via Pay.gov and present the receipt at the checkpoint; airlines and airports advise pre‑payment to reduce wait times and note the verification can be performed in advance and is valid for 10 days [7][4][8].
2. The cost, who pays and what the fee covers
The fee is a non‑refundable $45 per passenger and covers a 10‑day travel period that can encompass round‑trips or multiple flights within that window; TSA and industry groups frame the charge as shifting the extra administrative cost of verifying identity from taxpayers to travelers who lack compliant ID [1][4][2]. Payment methods reported include credit/debit, ACH and third‑party wallets through Pay.gov or partner flows, and travelers must generally buy ConfirmID before arriving or expect to be removed from the security line until payment is completed [9][10].
3. Operational limits and practical impacts on travelers
TSA and airlines repeatedly warn that ConfirmID users should expect added processing time—commonly estimated at 10–30 minutes or potentially longer—and that arriving without a compliant ID and without pre‑paying can trigger delays or missed flights [4][2][5]. TSA’s Federal Register materials and fee‑development report set out that participation is optional and that the program does not guarantee access to the sterile area, underlining that ConfirmID is a backstop rather than a substitute for obtaining REAL ID or a passport [11][3].
4. What is said publicly about privacy, and the gaps reporters found
TSA’s broader digital‑ID guidance states that when TSA accepts digital IDs via wallets or state apps, “your photo and personal data are deleted after your identity is verified” and claims images are not used for law enforcement, surveillance or shared with other entities—language TSA uses to reassure travelers about biometric handling [6]. However, the public ConfirmID pages, press releases and fee notices emphasize operational and cost details and do not provide a granular, ConfirmID‑specific privacy or retention policy in the same places; the Federal Register fee notice references program documents but does not fully publish every technical privacy control in newsroom materials, creating an information gap for independent verification [3][11].
5. Competing perspectives and implicit agendas
TSA and aviation trade groups present ConfirmID as a pragmatic consumer option that preserves security and shifts verification costs to those who need it, while also urging DMV enrollment for REAL ID to avoid fees and delays [1][4]. Consumer advocates and privacy‑minded observers might view a paid workaround and reliance on digital verification as effectively penalizing people who face barriers to obtaining REAL ID; available reporting documents do not include independent audits of ConfirmID’s biometric handling or clear third‑party oversight language, so such critiques point to legitimate accountability questions that the current public materials don’t fully resolve [2][6][11].
6. Bottom line and what remains uncertain
ConfirmID is a functioning, paid alternative that permits some travelers to fly without REAL ID for $45 and a 10‑day verification window, but it is operationally disruptive for those unprepared and its privacy practices—beyond TSA’s general assurances about digital ID deletion—are not exhaustively documented in the consumer‑facing ConfirmID materials or press releases; the Federal Register and TSA guidance signal more detailed program documents exist but those public summaries leave open important questions about exact biometric retention, third‑party vendors, and oversight [1][6][11].