ORLANDO, Fla. — If you are flying out of Orlando International Airport (MCO) this weekend, your trip through security could come with an unexpected price tag.
Starting **Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026**, the TSA is officially launching its “ConfirmID” phase. Travelers who do not have a REAL ID-compliant license (the one with the gold star), a passport, or another federally accepted ID will be required to pay a **$45 fee** to have their identity verified at the checkpoint.
TSA spokesperson Dan Velez says the fee is designed to shift the cost of identity verification from taxpayers to the individual traveler. However, for those visiting Orlando on a long vacation, the costs can add up quickly.
The $45 fee is only valid for **10 days**.
“If you’re going on a trip for two weeks, more than likely, if you want to get back, you’re going to have to pay that $45 fee so we can verify your identity again,” Velez said. For a family of four on a two-week trip, that could mean an extra $360 in fees just to get through security.
At MCO on Friday, many travelers were already prepared. David Hester, a traveler heading home to Illinois, showed off his gold star license.
“I think they should have to go through the process of getting a REAL ID, too. I had to. Everybody else has to,” Hester said. While he supports the security measures, he admitted he has concerns about the new process. “It’s gonna back things up and it’s gonna take longer to get to the airport.”
To avoid a 30-minute delay at the security checkpoint, the TSA is urging non-compliant travelers to pay the fee in advance through **Pay.gov**. Travelers who arrive at the airport without a receipt will be moved to a separate lane to complete the process, which could cause them to miss their flights.
“If you come to the line cold without that receipt, it could take up to half an hour,” Velez warned.
The easiest way to avoid the fee entirely is to ensure you have a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or a valid U.S. passport.
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