Can you fly with a temporary paper license? Not as your standalone identification at a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint. TSA says that a temporary driver’s license is not an acceptable form of identification. For a domestic flight, use an eligible physical ID, a passport or another document on TSA’s accepted-ID list. If you have no acceptable ID, TSA ConfirmID may allow TSA to attempt to verify your identity, but it does not guarantee that you will be allowed through the checkpoint.
As of October 4, 2026, REAL ID enforcement has been in effect since May 7, 2025. Adults aged 18 or older generally need a REAL ID-compliant state driver’s license or identification card, an enhanced driver’s license or another form of identification accepted by TSA.
Choose the best option for the identification you still have
| What you have | Best next step |
|---|---|
| An intact expired REAL ID or other TSA-accepted physical ID | Bring it if it expired less than two years ago and has not been damaged or invalidated. |
| A passport, passport card or another TSA-listed document | Use it instead of the temporary paper license. |
| An eligible mobile driver’s license or digital ID | Confirm that TSA accepts it at your specific airport and checkpoint. |
| Only a temporary paper license or renewal receipt | Use TSA ConfirmID before travel if you have no other acceptable ID, and bring the payment receipt. |
| No acceptable identification | Allow extra time and understand that identity verification is not guaranteed. |
Take the temporary license and any renewal receipt with you anyway. They may help explain why your permanent card is unavailable, but they do not turn a temporary document into acceptable checkpoint identification.
Use an old physical ID or another accepted document first
An expired accepted ID may still work
If you still have an intact physical REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or state identification card, bring it. TSA currently accepts expired IDs from its accepted-ID list for up to two years after expiration. For example, a REAL ID that expired one month ago may be accepted even though a newly issued temporary paper renewal document is not.
This policy does not make every old card usable. A card that is damaged, altered, cancelled or visibly invalidated may not be accepted. TSA officers make the final decision at the checkpoint, so bring another accepted document when possible.
Do not rely on a hole-punched or invalidated card
Motor vehicle agency procedures vary by state. Some agencies return an old card intact after a renewal or replacement transaction, while others punch a hole in it or otherwise mark it as invalid. A state may permit a punched card and temporary document to be used together for driving or other state purposes, but that does not mean TSA will accept the combination.
A hole-punched card is not the same as an ordinarily expired card: it may show that the issuing agency has invalidated the credential. Bring it if it is your only photo credential, but do not depend on it as your sole way to establish identity at TSA. Use another accepted document or prepare to use TSA ConfirmID.
A passport or passport card is a practical substitute
A U.S. passport book and U.S. passport card are both accepted for domestic flights. TSA also lists documents such as permanent resident cards, U.S. Department of Defense identification, trusted traveler cards, certain federally recognized Tribal photo IDs, Transportation Worker Identification Credentials and foreign government-issued passports.
Check TSA’s current accepted-ID list before traveling rather than assuming that any government-issued document will qualify. A Social Security card, birth certificate, photocopy of a license or ordinary renewal receipt is not an accepted substitute at the checkpoint.
Check whether a mobile ID will work at your airport
TSA accepts certain mobile driver’s licenses and digital IDs at participating checkpoints. A photograph, scan or PDF copy of a driver’s license saved on a phone is not a mobile ID. The credential must be issued through a participating state program or supported digital wallet and be accepted by TSA at that location.
Before depending on a mobile credential, confirm all of the following:
- Your state-issued mobile driver’s license or digital ID is among those accepted by TSA.
- Your departure airport and checkpoint support that type of credential.
- The credential remains available and current after your renewal or replacement transaction.
Check the airport for your return journey as well. Participating locations and available equipment can differ, and a phone battery, reader or identity-verification transaction can fail. Carry an accepted physical ID when you have one. For a fuller explanation of wallet compatibility and airport limitations, see Can You Use a Digital Driver’s License at TSA Checkpoints.
Use TSA ConfirmID if you have no acceptable ID
TSA ConfirmID is available to travelers aged 18 or older who do not have a REAL ID, valid passport or another acceptable document. The fee is $45 for each traveler. Paying the fee allows TSA to attempt identity verification; it does not guarantee that TSA can confirm your identity or admit you to the screening checkpoint.
- Complete the official TSA ConfirmID payment form on Pay.gov before going to the airport.
- Enter the traveler’s legal name and the correct travel start date.
- Save the receipt sent by email and print a copy if possible.
- Show the printed or electronic receipt at each TSA checkpoint where you travel without acceptable identification.
- Cooperate with TSA’s identity-verification questions and any additional screening.
The payment is valid for ten days from the travel start date entered on the form. A round trip within that period can use the same payment, but you must show the receipt each time you travel without acceptable identification. If the return trip falls after the ten-day period, you must pay again unless you receive your permanent card or obtain another accepted ID.
TSA may ask for information such as your name and current address. If TSA cannot verify your identity, if you decline to cooperate or if you do not provide acceptable ID, you will not be allowed to enter the checkpoint. Read How TSA ConfirmID Works Without Acceptable Identification before paying.
Allow extra time and check the rules for every traveler
Arrive at least two hours before a domestic departure, and allow more time if you expect to use TSA ConfirmID or have uncertain identification. Identity verification and additional screening can take longer than ordinary processing. Do not plan your airport arrival around the time you would normally need with an accepted physical ID.
TSA PreCheck does not replace identification requirements. A TSA PreCheck membership, Known Traveler Number or TSA PreCheck marking on a boarding pass is not acceptable identification. Travelers who need identity verification should not assume they will receive expedited screening.
TSA generally does not require identification from children under 18 traveling within the United States. Airlines can set their own requirements, particularly for unaccompanied minors. An unaccompanied minor eligible for TSA PreCheck must show acceptable identification to receive expedited screening.
These domestic-travel options do not replace documents required for international air travel. A passport card is accepted for domestic flights but is not valid for international travel by air. For an international itinerary, travelers need a passport book and must meet the entry requirements of the destination and any transit country. TSA ConfirmID and a temporary paper license cannot replace those documents.
