# Traveling with a 14 year old. Any ID needed for TSA? (Need answer kinda fast) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 16, 2022, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-a-14-year-old-any-id-needed-for-tsa-need-answer-kinda-fast/968050 "2022-07-16T13:48:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2022, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-a-14-year-old-any-id-needed-for-tsa-need-answer-kinda-fast/968050/1 "2022-07-16T13:48:45Z")
We are taking our 14 year granddaughter with us on vacation later today. Will she need any kind of ID for going through the TSA check point? I looked at the TSA website and all I could find was that children 13 or older go thru the same screening as adults, but I can’t seem to find anything about what kind of ID is needed. If anyone who has traveled with tween-age children can give me some tips it will be much appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2022, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-a-14-year-old-any-id-needed-for-tsa-need-answer-kinda-fast/968050/2 "2022-07-16T14:01:09Z")
No ID required for under 18. > **[Identification | Transportation Security Administration](https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification)** > > Adult passengers 18 and older must show valid identification at the airport checkpoint in order to travel. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2022, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-a-14-year-old-any-id-needed-for-tsa-need-answer-kinda-fast/968050/3 "2022-07-16T14:01:19Z")
If you’re flying domestically, she shouldn’t need anything. If international, she will need a passport, and you will need notarized letters of permission from her parents. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2022, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-a-14-year-old-any-id-needed-for-tsa-need-answer-kinda-fast/968050/4 "2022-07-16T14:05:25Z")
Thanks all! Don’t know why I had such a hard time finding that info. You think they’d have a section or link under the “Traveling with Children” section. They did have a link to the normal screening procedure for adults but even there all I could find was a link about RealID. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2022, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-a-14-year-old-any-id-needed-for-tsa-need-answer-kinda-fast/968050/5 "2022-07-16T14:51:02Z")
May you need to provide proof that you are, in fact, her grandparents? ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2022, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-a-14-year-old-any-id-needed-for-tsa-need-answer-kinda-fast/968050/6 "2022-07-16T16:48:43Z")
I don’t think that should be a problem. This is our fourth grandkid vacation (when they hit middle school we take them on a vacation of their choice, within reason) and we’ve never been asked for proof of grandparenthood. But this one is a couple years older than usual (the trip has been put off two years due to COVID) and I was a little unsure of ID requirements. I didn’t _think_ there would be a problem but didn’t want to find out otherwise once we were already at the airport. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2022, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-a-14-year-old-any-id-needed-for-tsa-need-answer-kinda-fast/968050/7 "2022-07-16T17:12:32Z")
A medical power of attorney is never a bad idea when travelling with minors, just in case something goes amiss. ---
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2022, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-a-14-year-old-any-id-needed-for-tsa-need-answer-kinda-fast/968050/8 "2022-07-16T18:28:00Z")
You really should have some form of ID for the child, but not for the TSA. There have been several cases where suspicious airport workers have called the police suspecting a young girl is being kidnapped or trafficked. (The one that comes to mind is a white woman with a mix-race child - the gate attendant did not think that was her child). The only time I’ve ever had a vehicle search in 60 years of crossing between the USA and Canada was when we had my 11yo niece in the car with me (22) and her grandparents, going to Ottawa. Mind you, her passport had a different last name than us. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2022, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-a-14-year-old-any-id-needed-for-tsa-need-answer-kinda-fast/968050/9 "2022-07-16T18:32:38Z")
Well we’re checked in at the airport and waiting at the gate, no issues checking in or going thru TSA (except I forgot to take my watch off! 🤦🏻‍♂️) ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2022, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-a-14-year-old-any-id-needed-for-tsa-need-answer-kinda-fast/968050/10 "2022-07-16T18:58:11Z")
> [@md-2000](#): > > You really should have some form of ID for the child, but not for the TSA. There have been several cases where suspicious airport workers have called the police suspecting a young girl is being kidnapped or trafficked. > … By Federal law all US airport workers, from janitors to cooks to cops to all airline employees are enlisted in the fight against human trafficking. We’re all supposed to have our eyes peeled and antennas on “sensitive” for any signs suggesting coercion or control by the possible trafficker, or of fear, compliance, depression, or druggedness by the possible traffickee. Just because the OP is past the TSA screening checkpoint does not mean they’re not under surveillance.