GA Residents Without REAL ID To Face New Fee

Georgia 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 Georgia, visit a Department of Driver Services Customer Service Center with an identity document (certified birth certificate, valid U.S. passport, etc.), Social Security number (provided via the online license/ID/permit form) and two Georgia residency documents (utility or phone bills dated within the last six months with name and address). People who are not citizens must provide proof of identity and lawful status. For more information, visit https://dds.georgia.gov/georgia-licenseid/real-id.

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.