The Transportation Security Administration will begin charging a $45 fee for travelers without REAL ID compliant identification starting Feb. 1, according to the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles.
Based on a release from S.C. Dept. of Motor Vehicles.
The South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV) is alerting residents to a new measure being implemented by the federal Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
Starting Feb. 1, the TSA will charge a $45 fee to travelers who use the “TSA ConfirmID” process at airport checkpoints if they fail to present a REAL ID compliant form of identification and still want to fly, according to the SCDMV.
According to the TSA, the new fee covers the cost of a modernized alternative identity verification system. The verification covers a 10-day travel period, so travelers who plan their return flight within that period will pay the fee once for both flights.
The TSA states on its website that the ConfirmID process could add as much as 30 minutes to security checkpoint timelines and encourages travelers to plan accordingly.
The SCDMV reminds residents they can avoid the fee by obtaining a REAL ID compliant credential at any SCDMV branch office. Customers need to allow time to receive their new REAL ID card, as the SCDMV now mails credentials to customers, usually within seven to 15 business days.
Customers receive a temporary certificate when they apply for or renew their driver’s license or ID card, and their existing card is returned to them with a hole punched in it, according to the SCDMV.
While a REAL ID compliant credential is not legally required to drive or vote, it is required to board a domestic flight, enter a military base or access a federal building, the SCDMV said.
Customers who want to obtain a REAL ID compliant card can visit the SCDMV’s website at dmv.sc.gov to check wait times at local offices and find a checklist of required documents. More information on the TSA ConfirmID fee and acceptable forms of ID is available at TSA.gov, according to the SCDMV.
