Yes, you can get on some flights with a birth certificate, but adults almost always need government photo ID while kids often fly with none.
Can You Get On A Plane With A Birth Certificate? Basic Rules
In plain terms, a birth certificate helps in some travel situations, yet it rarely works as the only document you need to board a plane. For adults in the United States, airport security expects a government photo ID that meets current Real ID standards or another approved document such as a passport. A paper record of birth does not sit on that approved list, so an adult who walks up to the checkpoint holding only a birth certificate will usually be turned away or sent through an extra identity check with no guarantee of success.
The picture changes once children enter the story. For domestic trips inside the U.S., the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) does not require ID from travelers under 18 who fly with an adult. In that case, a birth certificate is mainly for the airline, which might ask to see it at check-in to prove a child’s age for a lap infant, a discounted child fare, or an unaccompanied minor booking. On international routes, planes follow passport rules for every age, so a birth certificate alone will not clear the gate.
Birth Certificate Rules By Flight Type
To see where a birth certificate fits, it helps to group air travel into a few common scenarios. This table gives a quick reference so you can spot, at a glance, when that piece of paper helps and when a different document decides whether you fly.
| Scenario | Role Of Birth Certificate | What Still Needed To Fly |
|---|---|---|
| Adult, domestic U.S. flight | Backup proof of identity only | Real ID license, passport, or other TSA-approved photo ID |
| Adult, domestic U.S. flight, ID lost | Extra document that may help during TSA identity screening | TSA identity-verification process and other data that match public records |
| Adult, international flight | May help with passport application, not boarding | Valid passport and any required visas |
| Child under 18, domestic flight with adult | Often used to prove age at check-in | Accompanying adult’s acceptable ID and boarding pass |
| Lap infant on domestic ticket | Common way to show child is under age two | Adult’s acceptable ID and airline infant notation |
| Unaccompanied minor on domestic route | Often requested by airline for age details | Unaccompanied minor forms and adult drop-off and pick-up ID |
| Any child on international flight | May help with passport or consent paperwork | Child’s own passport and, in some cases, consent letter |
How Adult Id Rules Work At Airport Security
For anyone 18 or older flying within the United States, TSA officers start from a simple expectation: every traveler reaches the checkpoint with one of the IDs listed on the official TSA identification page. So if you are wondering, “can you get on a plane with a birth certificate?”, the honest answer is that adults should not count on that paper alone to clear security. A standard birth certificate, even a long-form certified copy, does not appear there as a stand-alone option for boarding. The agency sees it as underlying proof of citizenship or age, not a travel pass by itself.
Since May 7, 2025, adult travelers have needed a Real ID-compliant license or another approved document to move through security screening. That can include a U.S. passport, a passport card, a permanent resident card, a Department of Defense ID, or trusted traveler cards. If the document has the Real ID star or falls on the TSA approved list, it can open the lane. A birth certificate alone does not.
When A Birth Certificate Helps An Adult Traveler
Life does not always line up with the rules. Wallets disappear, bags get stolen, or a driver’s license sits in a coat pocket at home. TSA gives adults a second chance through an identity-verification process now branded in public guidance as a way to confirm who you are when you arrive without acceptable ID. During that screening, officers ask detailed questions pulled from public and commercial records and may compare several documents that carry your name and birth date.
Here, a certified birth certificate can play a limited part. It can help show that the person standing at the checkpoint matches the details in those records. The catch: the process takes time, may carry a fee during the current Real ID push, and still may end with a denied boarding decision if officers cannot match everything. So while a birth certificate may keep the door slightly open, it does not work as a reliable ticket.
Why A Birth Certificate Is Not Enough For Adults
From a security stand-point, a birth certificate has gaps. It usually lacks a photo, does not list current home details, and in many cases was issued long ago. That makes it easier to borrow or copy than a current photo ID with security features. Airline and government rules lean on documents that tie your current face to an official record, which is why adults who rely on a birth certificate alone run into trouble at modern checkpoints.
Rules For Children And Teens Who Fly
When the traveler is under 18, the question “can you get on a plane with a birth certificate?” takes a different turn. Inside the United States, TSA guidance states that children under 18 do not need to show identification when they fly with an adult on a domestic route. The adult’s documents carry the load at the checkpoint, and kids walk through with them.
Airlines, on the other hand, care about the child’s age because it shapes seating, fare type, and who may pick the child up at the other end. Many carriers ask for a birth certificate during check-in for lap infants, discounted child fares, or unaccompanied minors. Staff match the name and birth date on that document to the booking record and then hand the paper back.
Domestic Trips With A Parent Or Guardian
For a typical domestic holiday flight with kids, the basic setup looks like this: the adult carries a Real ID or passport, the child has a boarding pass, and the birth certificate stays in a folder or travel wallet in case the airline wants proof of age. Ground staff might never ask for it, yet when a child seems close to the cutoff for a lap seat or a teen fare, that record can end a debate in seconds.
Some airports and port authorities spell this out in their public guidance, noting that children under 18 do not need ID for TSA screening on domestic flights and that birth certificates are not required to reach the gate. The document enters the picture mainly to keep airline records tidy and to show the relationship between the traveling adult and the child when questions arise.
International Flights And Birth Certificates
Once travel crosses a border by air, the rules tighten. Airlines must confirm that every traveler has the right passport and, when needed, a visa before they let anyone board. Border officers on both sides scan those passports and run them against watch lists. A birth certificate, even an official copy, does not plug into those systems.
U.S. guidance for travel with children reflects this. For air travel into or out of the United States, every citizen, including infants, needs a valid passport book in their own name, as explained in official international travel documents for children. A birth certificate might help when you apply for that passport or when you prove a relationship for a consent letter, yet it will not replace a passport at the gate. Airlines that overlook this risk fines and may have to carry the passenger back home at their own expense, so check-in staff treat the rule seriously.
Getting On A Plane With A Birth Certificate: Practical Tips
So where does all of this leave a traveler who wants to carry a birth certificate on a trip? The document still earns space in many travel folders, as long as you treat it as a helper and not the main pass. Used wisely, it can shorten age disputes, speed up passport paperwork, and add an extra layer of proof during rare identity problems.
For adults, the smart move is to treat a Real ID-compliant license or passport as non-negotiable for flights. The birth certificate can stay in a safe place at home, ready for passport renewals, name changes, or Real ID applications that need proof of birth. Some travelers keep a photocopy tucked away in a trip folder in case a bag goes missing, but the real goal is to avoid leaning on that paper at the checkpoint.
Parents handle things a little differently. Many like to slip a certified birth certificate or a clear copy into a plastic sleeve in the same folder as itineraries and vaccination cards. That small step can calm an airline agent who needs to confirm that a toddler is under two or that a teen qualifies for a fare. For international trips, the birth certificate often travels along with the child’s passport to back up any consent letters or custody documents that border agents might ask to see.
| Traveler | Flight Type | Best Practice For Birth Certificate |
|---|---|---|
| Adult, any destination | Domestic or international | Keep for Real ID or passport paperwork; do not rely on it at security |
| Child with parent on domestic trip | Within one country | Carry a certified copy to prove age if the airline asks |
| Unaccompanied minor | Domestic or regional | Bring a certified copy plus all airline forms and adult IDs |
| Infant or child on international flight | Cross-border by air | Treat the birth record as backup; never as a substitute for a passport |
| Adult who lost ID before flight | Domestic within Real ID countries | Bring any birth record you have, yet expect a slow TSA identity screening and no guarantee |