Flying Without A REAL ID Will Now Cost More in Minnesota

If you're one of the Minnesotans who doesn't yet have a REAL ID, get ready to pay more when you head to the airport to board your flight!

We've been hearing about REAL IDs for a while now in the North Star State. Twenty years, to be exact. According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety - Driver and Vehicle Services (MDPS-DVS), the REAL ID Act was first passed by Congress in 2005, as a response to the September 11th terror attacks.

Minnesota REAL ID Deadline: What’s Changing and When You Must Comply

Since then, though, the deadline for implementing the use of REAL IDs had been pushed back, then extended, then extended many different times until last spring. We were told that May 7th, 2025, was the date you needed to have a REAL ID or you wouldn't be able to fly. But even *that* ended up being pushed back.

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That deadline came and went, and nothing much changed because, as travel site Thrifty Traveler noted, 'full enforcement' now isn't set to start until 2027. Meaning that even if you still don't have a REAL or other enhanced ID, you *will* still be able to fly-- but it might take longer.

TSA Announces $45 Fee for Travelers Without a REAL ID

And now, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) says it'll cost more, too. According to a release dated December 1st,  if you don't have a REAL ID, you'll now have to pay a $45 fee to use your non-compliant ID:

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced today that it will refer all passengers who do not present an acceptable form of ID and still want to fly an option to pay a $45 fee to use a modernized alternative identity verification system, TSA Confirm.ID, to establish identity at security checkpoints beginning on February 1, 2026.

The release went on to say that all travelers without an acceptable REAL ID, 'including those who present a non-REAL ID-compliant state driver’s license or ID, will be referred to the optional TSA Confirm.ID process for identity verification upon TSA check-in and prior to entering the security line,' the release stated.

Of course, all this hoopla about getting a REAL ID doesn't apply to many of us in Minnesota right now, as the TSA also said that right now, over 94 percent of passengers already use their REAL ID or other acceptable forms of identification.

If you're in that 6 percent who don't yet have a REAL ID, not only will you pay more to board your flight, but you'll likely also have to spend more time at the airport as the TSA says it 'expects increased wait times for passengers who do not provide an acceptable ID.'

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How to Get a Minnesota REAL ID: Documents, Steps, and What to Expect

If you want to obtain a Minnesota REAL ID, the state of Minnesota says you'll need the following things:

• One document that proves your full legal name, date of birth, and legal presence (a passport works well).
• Two different documents that show your current Minnesota residence address.
• Know your Social Security Number (SSN).

And here are the steps you should take to start the process toward getting your REAL ID here in Minnesota:

• Start by filling out the pre-application information. (At the end of the pre-application, you can choose to have your documents reviewed before you visit an office.)
• Bring your documents to an office that takes REAL ID applications.
• Bring the appropriate fee.

A special note that while you can start filling out and uploading your pre-application information online, you *will* need to head to an MDPS-DVS office to actually apply for a REAL ID and complete the process.

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