Acceptable Photo IDs for TSA and Domestic Air Travel

For a domestic flight, TSA will accept a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or state ID, a U.S. passport or passport card, or any one of roughly a dozen other federally approved photo IDs, including trusted traveler cards, military IDs, Green Cards, and tribal photo IDs. Since May 7, 2025, standard state licenses without the REAL ID marking are no longer accepted on their own.1Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID The full list of acceptable photo IDs for TSA is broader than most travelers realize, and any single document from it is enough.

Every ID TSA Currently Accepts

You don’t need a REAL ID driver’s license specifically. You need one item from the approved list below.2Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint

  • REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or state-issued ID card. Look for a star marking, usually gold or black, sometimes inside a circle or a state outline.
  • Enhanced Driver’s License or Enhanced ID card, issued by certain states. These also work for land and sea border crossings into Canada and Mexico.
  • U.S. passport or U.S. passport card. Both are REAL ID compliant. The passport card works for domestic flights even though it can’t be used for international air travel.
  • DHS trusted traveler cards: Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, and FAST.
  • U.S. Department of Defense ID, including cards issued to active duty, retirees, reservists, and dependents.
  • Permanent Resident Card (Green Card).
  • Foreign government-issued passport.
  • Border crossing card, issued by the U.S. State Department to Mexican nationals for short-term visits.
  • Federally recognized tribal photo ID, including Enhanced Tribal Cards.
  • HSPD-12 PIV card, the standard federal employee and contractor credential.
  • Canadian provincial driver’s license, or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card.
  • Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC).
  • Employment Authorization Card (Form I-766), issued by USCIS.
  • U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential, issued by the Coast Guard.
  • Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC), issued by the VA.

Veterans, federal employees, immigration cardholders, and maritime workers all have options beyond a driver’s license or passport.

What About a REAL ID

The REAL ID Act set minimum security standards for state-issued licenses and ID cards, and after years of delayed deadlines, enforcement began on May 7, 2025. A compliant card carries the star marking. Without it, the license alone won’t get you through security.1Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID

To upgrade, visit your state’s driver’s license office with documents proving identity, Social Security number, and address. Many states charge nothing extra for the upgrade, though fees vary. The physical card usually arrives by mail in about two to four weeks, so don’t cut it close before a trip. If your license isn’t compliant yet and you need to fly, a U.S. passport or passport card works at the checkpoint with no issue.3U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passports and REAL ID

Expired IDs and What Doesn’t Count

TSA accepts expired IDs for up to two years past the expiration date, as long as the document is otherwise on the approved list.2Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint So a REAL ID-compliant license that expired eight months ago still gets you through. An expired non-compliant state license does not, because it wasn’t acceptable to begin with.

A few things travelers often assume will work, but won’t:

  • Temporary paper licenses. If your state gave you a paper interim while the real card is being mailed, that paper isn’t accepted at the checkpoint.
  • Concealed carry permits, firearms permits, and similar state-issued permits.
  • Credit cards, work badges, gym IDs, school IDs, or anything else not on the TSA list, no matter how official it looks.

Digital IDs and Mobile Driver’s Licenses

TSA accepts digital IDs at more than 250 airports. Eligible state-issued licenses and ID cards can be added to Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, or Samsung Wallet, and some states run their own apps, such as California’s DMV Wallet, Louisiana’s LA Wallet, and New York’s NY MiD.4Transportation Security Administration. Digital Identity and Facial Comparison Technology TSA also accepts digital U.S. passports through Apple Wallet and Google Wallet.

Not every state participates. As of 2026, roughly two dozen states and territories have approved programs, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, New York, Ohio, and Virginia.5Transportation Security Administration. Participating States and Eligible Digital IDs The underlying license has to be REAL ID compliant or an Enhanced Driver’s License for the digital version to qualify.

One thing that trips travelers up: TSA still requires you to carry an acceptable physical ID even if you plan to use the digital one.4Transportation Security Administration. Digital Identity and Facial Comparison Technology The digital option is a convenience, not a replacement.

Children and Teens

Passengers under 18 don’t need ID for domestic flights, whether they’re with an adult or flying alone. The accompanying adult still needs their own valid ID. The one exception is that unaccompanied minors enrolled in TSA PreCheck must show an acceptable ID to receive expedited screening.2Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint Airlines often have their own documentation rules for minors flying alone; those come from the carrier, not TSA.

If You Show Up Without an ID

Losing an ID, having it stolen, or leaving it on the kitchen counter doesn’t automatically ground you. Since February 1, 2026, TSA has offered a paid identity verification service called TSA ConfirmID. You pre-pay a $45 fee on Pay.gov, bring the receipt to the checkpoint, and TSA attempts to verify your identity so you can proceed.6Transportation Security Administration. TSA ConfirmID

The receipt covers you for 10 days from your listed travel date, so it can handle a round trip. Each adult without an acceptable ID pays separately, the fee is non-refundable, and there’s no guarantee TSA can verify you. If verification fails, you won’t be allowed through security.6Transportation Security Administration. TSA ConfirmID

It’s a rough way to start a trip. A cheap hedge: keep a U.S. passport card in your carry-on as a permanent backup. It’s the size of a credit card, and you’ll forget it’s there until the one time you need it.