TSA says Illinoisans have a choice: fly with a REAL ID or pay this fee at the gate
Travelers can still fly without a REAL ID from Illinois airports, but a new fee begins soon for those without compliant identification.
Beginning Sunday, Feb. 1, the Transportation Security Administration will institute a $45 fee for those without a REAL ID, passport or other acceptable form of ID. These travelers will use TSA ConfirmID, which the federal agency describes as a “modernized alternative identity verification system.”
The $45 fee covers use of TSA ConfirmID for 10 days, so people without a REAL ID taking longer trips will pay more.
“With costs rising across the board, Illinoisans shouldn’t have to pay a $45 penalty just to get on a plane, especially when that fee is higher than some flights themselves,” Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said in a Dec. 3 news release. “We’re doing everything possible to remove barriers, save people time and make getting a REAL ID simple and stress-free. With a REAL ID in your wallet, you avoid TSA’s penalty entirely and skip a massive travel headache.”
While REAL ID uptake has increased in the last year in the state, less than half of Illinois residents have one.
“Since launching Get REAL Illinois, the office has seen a surge in REAL ID adoption,” Max Walczyk, spokesperson for the secretary of state, told the News-Democrat in a Jan. 14 email. “In 2025 alone, the Secretary of State’s office issued 1.5 million REAL IDs, pushing the statewide total past 5 million. Compliance has jumped from 29% this time last year to nearly 44% today.”
Out of 11,517,616 valid unique driver’s licenses and state IDs in Illinois, 5,020,802 are REAL IDs and 6,496,814 are non-REAL IDs, Walczyk said as of Jan. 16.
Many of the state’s efforts to increase compliance have involved offering expanded DMV hours in Chicagoland.
Illinois residents who have a REAL ID and an iPhone can now add a REAL ID-compliant mobile ID to their phones. These mobile IDs are accepted at many airports, although physical driver’s licenses are still required for some purposes, including driving.
Here’s what to know about getting your REAL ID to avoid the $45 fee at the airport.
How can you get a REAL ID in Illinois?
People who have a valid U.S. passport or don’t fly domestically, access federal facilities or enter nuclear power plants can continue to use regular state identifications in lieu of a REAL ID.
Illinois residents who need a REAL ID will need to follow this process to get one:
1. Visit a driver services facility and take your picture and any required exams.
2. Provide proof of identity, such as a birth certificate, passport, employment authorization document, permanent resident card or foreign passport with an approved I-94 form. Name-change documents will be required for applicants whose birth certificate name is not the same as their current name.
3. Proof of full Social Security number, such as your Social Security card, W-2 or paystub that shows the whole number.
4. Provide two current residency documents with your name, such as a utility bill, lease agreement, deed/title or bank statement with visible account numbers.
5. Proof of signature, such as current Illinois ID, credit or debit card or a canceled check.
After providing these documents, you’ll receive a temporary, paper ID. You should receive your REAL ID card within 15 business days, and it will appear similar to a normal license or ID, but include a small star in the corner denoting it as a REAL ID.
Illinois officials report starting Feb. 1, TSA will only accept the permanent REAL ID card, and the temporary, paper one will not exempt you from the $45 fee. However, if you have already added your driver’s license or state ID to your Apple Wallet, your new REAL ID status will be automatically added to your mobile ID.
Illinois driver’s license fees vary based on age, but are the same for a standard or REAL ID. The fee is $5 for people ages 18 to 20 and 69 to 80, $30 for ages 21 to 68, $2 for ages 81 to 86 and free for people who are 87 or older.
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This story was originally published January 16, 2026 at 4:45 AM.
