Children ID when flying?

[Mr. Brass Bonanza]

Do children need any form of identification when flying? My twins are four-years-old and I never gave it any thought until we started packing.

Thanks!

[TinkerbellT421]

I personally have not traveled with children before and I'm not sure if requirements are different airport to airport or anything but this info is according to the TSA main website:

ID Requirements for Airport Checkpoints
Airtravel
Identity Matters

Adult passengers (18 and over) are required to show a U.S. federal or state-issued photo ID in order to be allowed to go through the checkpoint and onto their flight.

We understand passengers occasionally arrive at the airport without an ID, due to lost items or inadvertently leaving them at home. Not having an ID, does not necessarily mean a passenger won’t be allowed to fly. If passengers are willing to provide additional information, we have other means of substantiating someone’s identity, like using publicly available databases.

Passengers who are cleared through this process may be subject to additional screening. Passengers whose identity cannot be verified by TSA may not be allowed to enter the screening checkpoint or onto an airplane.

Acceptable IDs include:

U.S. passport
U.S. passport card
DHS "Trusted Traveler" cards (NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
U.S. Military ID (active duty or retired military and their dependents, and DOD civilians)
Permanent Resident Card
Border Crossing Card
DHS-designated enhanced driver's license
Drivers Licenses or other state photo identity cards issued by Department of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent)
A Native American Tribal Photo ID
An airline or airport-issued ID (if issued under a TSA-approved security plan)
A foreign government-issued passport
Canadian provincial driver's license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) card
Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)
Non-US/Canadian citizens are not required to carry their passports if they have documents issued by the U.S. government such as Permanent Resident Cards. Those who do not should be carrying their passports while visiting the U.S.

This standardization of the list of accepted documents better aligns TSA with other DHS components, including Customs and Border Protection, and REAL ID benchmarks.

[Buttercup]

Okay I'm Canadian, so I'm quite familiar with travelling with kids to Florida.

I know that if I were to fly from Canada to Orlando, my kids would definitely need a passport since it's an international flight.

However, we often drive across the US/CANADA border into Michigan to fly to Orlando, so it's no longer an international flight (less expensive for Canadians!). And I can tell you that for domestic US flights, they don't need to see a passport for kids (I believe it's under 15 or 16 years old? but don't quote me on that). We always offer them the kids' passports to look at, and they sort-of brush them aside and don't even bother looking! I would, however, suggest having *some* kind of identification for your kids though, be it a birth certificate or otherwise.

[2Epcot]

We often fly between states with our 2 and 1/2 year old, and have not needed ID for him, though we do have a passport since we took him to China earlier this year. I had one TSA tell me, he is his own ID. I have carried his passport with us, and a copy of his birth certificate, but they haven't been needed.

[Trev&Ev Mom]

I always carried birth certificates for my boys but were never asked for them. My husband and I were asked for Drivers Licenses. Lately, I've just been grabbing our passports and again, they really don't look at the kids...they just ask who is who and that seems to be enough. I'd tuck in copies of birth certificates just to be on the safe side. Have a great trip!!

[BrerGnat]

Kids don't need them. TSA agents might ask "and who are you" to the child when they are checking the boarding passes. They just want the kid to say their first name. My kids have Autism, so they YELLED their name at the TSA agent (still working on those social skills). He was a bit taken aback, but then said "okay, then." This was the first time an agent did this, and it's likely due to the fact that our kids are older now (7 and 5). When they were younger, we would just point them out ("this is X and this is Y").

[kakn7294]

I have also always carried my girls' birth certificates but have never been asked to show them.

[mydisneygirls]

No. Minor children flying with an adult do not need any form of identification if traveling within the US.

[WDWCrazyKaren]

When the kids were little, we never had any form of ID with them. When they started getting into middle and high schools, we had them bring the school ID cards.

I was tempted to tatoo the bottoms of their feet with ID info when they were small.:thedolls:

[twinboyz]

The last time we traveling with our boys(also twins) they were 11. We brought along their birth certificates, but were never asked for them.
I have however seen some Orlando security agents ask children questions. for example, 'How old are you? What is your name? Do you know the adults you are traveling with?'

My kids are very shy, so I instructed them early on that they may have to answer questions and not to be shy if I am there with them. Of course, they were never asked any questions, but it was still good to know.

[Auroring Good Time]

I usually carry my son's birth certificate but haven't been asked for it in many years. On the last trip they did ask my son his name and they also asked him who I was. He said my name. The TSA guy asked, and "how do you know her?" My son gave him a funny look and answered as tweens do with that sarcastic face and sound to his voice, "she's my mother".

[MstngDrvnDsnyLvr]

A minor child travelling with a parent or guardian (grand parent) do not need Identification. Most Airlines do want 15 to 16 yr old children to have photo identification since that is the age for most states for getting their 1st learner's permit or driver's license.

[Dream'nDisney]

We have never even had an issue with this until last trip (if you want to even call it an issue). The TSA person checking my DD, DH and DD, asked my 15 year old DS what his name was and who we were. It caught him off guard, and the TSA kind of paused. Our DS finally spoke up once he realized why he wanted to know his name. I guess he was just taking us seriously when we told him not to give his name to strangers! LOL

[Septbride2002]

I've always put my daughters birth certificate in the carry on...just in case. I did have a TSA agent one time ask her some questions - her name, age, etc. My daughter is super shy and was not thrilled about the experience. I was glad I had the BC just in case the TSA lady decided to start a power trip.

For my son who is internationally adopted I carry his Permanent Resident Card. We are waiting on his certificate of citizenship and until it is received we carry the card just in case anyone questions an asian child with caucasian parents.

~Amanda