Airline passengers who do not have REAL ID compliant identification after Saturday, Jan. 31 at South Carolina airports must pay a $45 fee for identity verification before they get to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint. This includes Beaufort County's Hilton Head Island Airport.

The fee covers the cost of a modernized alternative identity verification system, called TSA ConfirmID. The verification will cover a 10-day travel period, so travelers who plan their return flight within that 10-day period will pay once for both flights.

“Travelers and airports share the goals of smooth and safe travel," said Beaufort County Airports Director Jon Rembold. "We encourage anyone who travels by air to educate themselves on the best way to achieve that from their perspective as the traveler. The airport, TSA, and the airlines work daily to ensure we meet these objectives.”

Acceptable forms of ID include:

• REAL ID-compliant driver's licenses or other state photo identity cards issued by Department of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent)
  • If you are not sure if your ID complies with REAL ID, check with your state Department of Motor Vehicles.
  • A temporary driver’s license is not an acceptable form of identification.
• State-issued Enhanced Driver's License (EDL) or Enhanced ID (EID)
• U.S. passport
• U.S. passport card
• DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
• U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
• Permanent resident card
• Border crossing card
• An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe, including Enhanced Tribal Cards (ETCs)
• HSPD-12 PIV card
• Foreign government-issued passport
• Canadian provincial driver's license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
• Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
• U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential
• Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)

“Travelers who do not want to pay the $45 fee for the modernized ID verification still have time to get a state-issued REAL ID,” said Acting South Carolina Federal Security Director Rich Rzucidlo. “Identity verification is fundamental to transportation security, and most travelers provide acceptable forms of identification. To avoid delays, more travelers need to have REAL ID compliant IDs.”

South Carolina travelers without an acceptable ID are encouraged to visit the TSA ConfirmID program fee site and pay the $45 fee prior to travel on or after Sunday, Feb. 1. Take a printed copy or electronic copy of the receipt, along with another form of ID, and show it to the Transportation Security Officer verifying identification at the airport checkpoint.

In South Carolina, about 90% of passengers already use their REAL ID or another acceptable forms of identification. TSA expects that wait times will increase for passengers without a REAL ID Act compliant ID when ConfirmID goes into effect.

TSA’s list of acceptable forms of ID can be found at TSA.gov/travel/security-screening/identification.

For more information on REAL ID, please visit TSA.gov/real-id or text 275-872 (“AskTSA”) or @AskTSA with questions.

For more information on Beaufort County Airports, click here.