ATTORNEY ADVERTISING
SueTSAFee Refund Investigation Free attorney review

Class action investigation

Paid TSA’s $45 ConfirmID fee? You may be owed a refund.

We are investigating a class action to recover ConfirmID fees that we believe TSA collected without legal authority from travelers who arrived at airport security without a REAL ID or other accepted identification.

No cost to you. Takes about one minute.

Get a free attorney review

Free consultation. No cost to you.

Did you pay a TSA ConfirmID fee?

See our Privacy Policy. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

What is TSA ConfirmID?

TSA ConfirmID is the $45 identity check TSA charges travelers who arrive at airport security without a REAL ID, passport or other accepted ID. You pay online, bring the receipt to the checkpoint, and go through extra screening before you can fly.

  • Since February 1, 2026, TSA has charged travelers who arrive at a checkpoint without an accepted ID a $45 nonrefundable fee to attempt identity verification through a program called “TSA ConfirmID.” Travelers who don’t pay can be turned away.
  • TSA first announced the fee at $18 in a Federal Register notice on November 20, 2025. In December 2025, it raised the fee to $45 per person for each period of 10 days.
  • TSA keeps the fee even if it fails to verify you, and paying does not guarantee you’ll be allowed through security.
  • Before ConfirmID, TSA verified travelers without ID through its call center at no charge.

Why we believe the fee is illegal

Congress never authorized it.

Federal agencies can charge the public only fees that Congress authorizes. TSA’s only claimed authority is a 2005 appropriations provision allowing fees for “registered traveler” programs.

When Congress wrote that law, “Registered Traveler” meant a specific kind of program. Travelers enrolled in advance, passed a background check, and received a biometric card that got them through security faster. ConfirmID is the opposite. It gives you no card and no membership, only a payment receipt, and it subjects you to more screening, not less.

In June 2026, the House Appropriations Committee stated that “there is no valid statutory authority for TSA to collect a fee from these passengers.” (H.R. Rep. No. 119-697, at 56 (2026).)

Even if it were allowed, TSA charges too much.

The same law limits fees for registered traveler programs to what the program costs. We believe the $45 fee includes costs that have nothing to do with verifying travelers without ID, such as screening equipment used for all passengers.

What we’re doing

We are preparing a class action on behalf of everyone who has paid the ConfirmID fee, seeking a refund of those fees from the United States.

The legal claim is called “illegal exaction.” It allows people to recover money the federal government took without legal authority. A similar class action over the fees the federal courts charged for their online records system, PACER, resulted in a $125 million settlement.

We want to speak with travelers who paid the fee, especially those who still have their payment receipt or confirmation email.

Results in other cases do not guarantee a similar outcome in this one.

Who may qualify

  • You paid one or more TSA ConfirmID fees ($45, or $18 if applicable) on or after February 1, 2026.
  • It doesn’t matter whether TSA ultimately verified you or let you through.
  • You paid for yourself, or someone paid for you. Tell us either way.
  • Your Pay.gov receipt or confirmation email helps, but it isn’t required.

Get a free attorney review

Frequently asked questions

What is TSA ConfirmID?

TSA ConfirmID (sometimes written Confirm ID) is the $45 identity check TSA has required since February 1, 2026 from travelers who arrive at airport security without a REAL ID, passport or other accepted ID. Travelers pay online, bring the receipt to the checkpoint, and go through extra screening. One payment covers 10 days of travel.

Is the TSA ConfirmID fee refundable?

TSA says no. It keeps the $45 even when it cannot verify your identity or turns you away. We believe TSA had no legal authority to collect the fee in the first place, and the class action we are preparing would ask the court to order the United States to return it.

Does it cost anything?

No. There is no cost to you to submit information or to participate. The consultation is free, and the firm handles this matter on a contingency basis, so there is no attorney’s fee unless there is a recovery. Responsibility for court costs and litigation expenses is set out in the written engagement agreement, which you will see before you sign.

Is $45 really worth suing over?

One person’s $45 isn’t, but a class action combines everyone’s claims. TSA projected that millions of travelers would use the program.

I paid the fee more than once. Does that matter?

Yes. Each payment is a separate fee. If you paid for more than one trip, or were charged twice, tell us about each payment.

Am I suing TSA personally?

The claim is against the United States for a refund. You won’t be targeted or penalized for submitting this form.

Do I need my receipt?

It helps but isn’t required. Check your email for a Pay.gov confirmation.

Is this website affiliated with TSA?

No. This site is run by a private law firm and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to TSA, DHS, or any government agency.

Does submitting this form make you my lawyer?

No. Submitting information does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Get a free attorney review

Tell us a little about your trip so an attorney can review your fee. The consultation is free. Fields marked are required.

US number with area code

Did you pay a TSA ConfirmID fee?
Do you still have the receipt or confirmation email?

City or airport

City or airport

Month and year

Please don’t include your ID number, payment card number, or other sensitive information.

Up to 1,000 characters.

See our Privacy Policy. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.