• The Transportation Security Administration is expanding its use of facial recognition technology at airports nationwide.
• This technology compares a live photo of a traveler with the image on their ID to verify their identity.
• If the facial comparison fails, a TSA agent will perform a standard manual ID check.

July is over, but summer is still going strong. If you’re traveling by air soon for your next vacation, keep in mind the Transportation Security Administration’s rules and which forms of identification to bring before you head to the airport.

TSA is testing facial recognition as part of your identification. But how does it work? Can you opt out of the process? Here’s what to know:

TSA is expanding facial recognition technology

According to Travel + Leisure, TSA is expanding its facial comparison technology across airports nationwide, and participating airports will be using the new technology.

How it works: TSA’s facial comparison technology will compare a live photo of you taken at the security checkpoint with the image on your identification document to verify that the person standing in front of the officer matches the identification given.

Because the system is being tested, it’s not always perfect ‒ if the facial comparison fails, TSA agents will do a standard manual ID check.

Can I opt out of TSA’s facial comparison?

The simple answer is yes: you can opt out of TSA’s facial-comparison technology.

According to Travel + Leisure, travelers have rights, including the right to opt out of facial scans.

TSA’s website says a traveler can “voluntarily” agree to use their face to verify their identity during screening when presenting their physical identification or passport. So, luckily for you, it won’t cause any delays if you choose not to use their facial comparison technology.

However, if you opt in to the new facial comparison technology, the photo is deleted immediately after a positive identity check is complete.

Make sure to have these acceptable forms of ID

If you don’t have a Real ID, here are some backup IDs you can show to TSA to avoid the $45 headache.

Other acceptable forms of identification include:

• U.S. passports
• U.S. passport cards
• Foreign passports
• Permanent resident cards
• Border crossing cards

A temporary driver’s license is not acceptable for traveling domestically.