FL Residents Without REAL ID To Face New Fee

Florida air travelers who haven’t yet gotten their REAL IDs will be charged a $45 fee beginning in February, according to an announcement Monday from the Transportation Security Administration.

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 percent of passengers are already compliant and that the new fee is intended to encourage travelers to obtain the ID.

To get a REAL ID in Florida, residents must go in person to a state-approved office. Visit the FLHSMV website to find a location. Appointments are recommended.

To apply for a REAL ID compliant license or ID card, U.S. residents must bring one of the following primary documents with them to establish identity and show proof of residence and date of birth:

• Valid, unexpired U.S. passport
• Original or certified copy of a birth certificate
• Consular report of birth abroad
• Certificate of naturalization issued by the Department of Homeland Security
• Certificate of citizenship

In cases where the current name and the name on the primary identity document are different, residents should also bring:

• Court-ordered name-change document
• Marriage certificate
• Divorce decree

Non-citizens should bring with them:

• Valid, unexpired permanent resident card
• Valid passport for non-immigrants, except for asylum applicants and refugees
• Other government-issued document showing the full name
• DHS document showing proof of lawful presence

If a non-citizen’s name has changed by divorce or marriage, they should have their name changed on their Citizen and Immigration Services documents, FLHSMV said.

Both citizens and non-citizens will also need their social security card or proof of social security number, and two documents that show their principal residence.

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. It was 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 and who don’t have another accepted form of ID on them, such as a passport, 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 takes 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 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 airports in the U.S.

Reporting by The Associated Press.