TSA Accepts Passports as Valid ID for US Domestic Flights

Passengers boarding domestic flights across California, Florida, Texas, New York, and every other U.S. state can use a standard passport book or passport card as valid identification at all Transportation Security Administration checkpoints.

Authorities require an acceptable form of identification at every checkpoint, aligning with the federal enforcement of the Real ID Act. While regulations state that driver’s licenses must feature the official Real ID seal to be accepted for boarding, travelers nationwide can present alternative documents.

Valid Alternatives and Passport Acceptance

The TSA accepts these documents even if they are expired for up to two years.

Additional official documents accepted by authorities include:

• Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL) or Enhanced Identification Card (EID)
• Approved mobile driver’s licenses (mDL)
• DHS trusted traveler cards
• Permanent resident card
• Border crossing card
• Acceptable photo identification issued by a federally recognized tribal nation or indigenous community
• HSPD-12 PIV card
• Foreign 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
• Veterans Health Identification Card (VHIC)
• Apple Digital ID, Clear ID, and Google ID pass

Conditions That May Cause Rejection

Travelers must ensure their documents are in proper condition. Authorities explain that severely damaged passports can be rejected for travel if they feature considerable lacerations or stains. Normal wear and tear, such as fan-folded pages, does not disqualify the document.

When a passport is categorized as severely damaged, it cannot be renewed through the standard process. Instead, applicants must obtain a new document from scratch by submitting Form DS-11.