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As TSA Sets $45 Fee for Travelers Without Real ID, DMV ‘Supercenter’ Extended Through 2026

The Illinois Secretary of State’s office is aiming to make it easier for residents to obtain a REAL ID after the Transportation Security Administration announced earlier this week travelers would be charged a $45 fee for not having an acceptable form of ID at the airport.

“TSA and the federal government are adding burdensome travel costs for families that can least afford it,” Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said during a Wednesday news conference. “Please, don’t wait, get your REAL ID today and avoid the expensive and unnecessary federal upcharge.”

Air travelers in the U.S. without a REAL ID or another acceptable document, such as a passport, will be charged a $45 fee beginning in February, TSA announced Monday.

To help streamline the REAL ID process, the Illinois Secretary of State’s office announced it has extended its REAL ID walk-in supercenter, located at 191 N. Clark St., through the end of next year. The office has also established a dedicated helpline at 800-252-8980 to help residents confirm they have the documents they need to obtain a REAL ID. Visit the Illinois Secretary of State’s office’s website for a full list of acceptable documents.

REAL ID services continue to be offered at DMVs throughout the state, with most located in Chicago and the suburbs requiring an appointment.

Giannoulias is also partnering with Cook County Clerk Monica Gordon to help residents obtain documents – such as birth certificates and marriage licenses – with designated cashiers at each clerk’s office location for REAL ID-related requests. The Cook County Clerk’s office has also created a dedicated helpline at 312-603-6278 and email at [email protected] for REAL ID-related requests.

“We do encourage that appointments be made in advance, but for those arriving without an appointment, no one will be turned away,” Gordon said.

REAL ID is a federally compliant state-issued license or identification card that meets enhanced requirements mandated in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The updated ID has been required since May, but passengers without it have so far been allowed to clear security with additional screening and a warning. The Department of Homeland Security says 94% of passengers are already compliant and that the new fee is intended to encourage travelers to obtain the ID.

Obtaining the ID — indicated by a white star in a yellow circle in Illinois — means taking more documents to the DMV than most states require for regular IDs. REAL IDs were supposed to be rolled out in 2008 but the implementation had been repeatedly delayed.

Beginning Feb. 1, travelers 18 and older flying domestically without a REAL ID or another accepted form of ID will pay the non-refundable fee to verify their identity through TSA’s alternative “Confirm.ID” system. TSA officials said that paying the fee does not guarantee verification, and travelers whose identities cannot be verified may be turned away. If approved, however, the verification covers a 10-day travel period.

The fee can be paid online before arriving at the airport. Travelers can also pay online at the airport before entering the security line, but officials said the process may take up to 30 minutes.

The TSA initially proposed an $18 charge for passengers without a REAL ID, but officials said Monday they raised it after realizing the alternative identification program would cost more than anticipated.

Other acceptable forms of ID include passports, military IDs, permanent resident cards and photo IDs from federally recognized tribal nations.

TSA also accepts digital IDs through platforms such as Apple Wallet, Google Wallet and Samsung Wallet at more than 250 U.S. airports, including O’Hare and Midway.

Last month, the Illinois Secretary of State’s office launched digital IDs on Apple Wallet.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Contact Eunice Alpasan: [email protected]

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