OK, I have to share some family problems (maybe we can appear on Dr Phil) to ask my question to prepare for my Monday morning phone calls to proper folks.

My cousin has an on-again off-again relationship with the family. She just agreed that her daughter (age 17) can fly solo from SEA to ATL in a couple of weeks for first visit with grandmother in 5 years. I don't know what has prompted the agreement and I wouldn't put it past her to sabotage the trip by pleading ignorance of ID requirements, having the kid turned back at the airport. So, I am going to try to assure she is properly prepared long distance.

The only photo ID I know for sure she has is her high school ID. I don't think this is sufficient, is it?

I've checked the TSA, Delta, Airtran, SEATAC, and ATL websites and all exceot TSA (which doesn't seem to cover the topic) seem to agree on is federal, state, or local issue photo ID with Delta providing some alternatives, but again, I don't want her to get stuck with something an airline says but the airport or TSA disagrees with. Who is the definitive source I should get an answer from?

Child used to have passport 5 years ago, so my first question to her is going to be if she still has it and if is still valid. (I've no experience with children's passports)

Assuming it isn't, I don't think renewal is feasible in just 2 weeks. I know they have the appointment office in Seattle for last minute passports, but her last minute trip is not international. Reasonable?

She doesn't have a driver's license or learner's permit. I've looked up the requirements for her to get a State of Washington photo ID. If her mother doesn't help with an in-person affidavit, then I think the kid could get it on her own with the 5 alternate IDs route if she has access to her birth certificate, SS card, etc.

Thanks for any help as to who I should verify the acceptable forms of ID for a 17-year-old with on Monday.

(Do you think we fit Dr Phil or is it more of an Oprah story?)

My daughter lost her driver's license the day before she was suppose to fly (she was about 20 at the time). We used an expired passport with a photo taken when she was 8 years old and didn't look anything like she looked at 20. She also had a college photo ID. It worked for her....maybe she just got lucky?? There are rush passport services (you pay a lot for this) but that would be the safest thing to have when flying be it International or Domestic.

Agree that having a passport is best.My renewal took a grand total of 10 days.I paid the extra expedite fee, which guarantees that the renewal is accomplished by the end of the 3rd business day after receipt.Its a crap shoot as to how long it sits on the "Ship Out" Desk tho.Best of luck.

Hi Kay, certainly don't take this as "the last world" but my grandsons as teens have flown on their own with the high school ID card which shows their name and a colored photo on the card along with their HS name.

A passport would be best of course but possibly the mother of your cousin would not make the effort or spend the money to get her daughter a passport from what you have said.

What airline will your cousin's daughter being flying with? Once that is established I would call the airline to verify if a student ID card is acceptable for a domestic flight.
IF this young lady does still have possession of her passport (even if it is expired) I would have her bring that with her also. But again I would call (not just rely on the website) of the airline that she will be flying with.

Best wishes and I hope this all works out.

P.S. My grandsons have flown on Southwest and United using their school ID cards. But only Southwest when flying alone.

My husband's teen daughter got a government issued ID with photo, DOB, and other pertinent info listed on it, just for traveling domestically before she had her driver's liscense. That might be another, easier option. I believe she received it same day.

I only know that my son got his passport at 16, and it was valid for 5 years. At that time we travelled out of the country.

So, probably too late, but-

in order of airport preference- passport, driver's licence, gov. ID, recent school ID. More definite, less questions.

You'd be lucky to get any sort of ID in WA in 6 weeks, much less two!

And have a little more faith in the daughter (if not your cousin). At 17, she's probably doing this trip willingly. Heck, at 17, my sister did whatever she wanted- and both of us were considerably more travel savvy as teens than our mother.

Though if you were truly wise, you'd simply stay out of this and just enjoy the girl when/if she shows up

Her mother let her get her learner's permit before the trip, so it worked great as an ID.

Sorry, Mooselywild, wish I could say the girl does as she wishes. Her mother has raised her in a very controlling religion and has gone as far as moving cross country, then volunteering as a missionary in Asia and leaving no contact information to keep the kid away from the family, so the girl doesn't have the normal confidence and independence of the other 17 year olds in our family.

But she made it and hopefully everyone will have an enjoyable visit and relations will continue to improve.

Wow, um, you're right- your cousin has issues....can't even imagine. Poor kid....though Asia must have been interesting!

Best of luck!

Update--

We decided to fly her to visit more relatives while here, so I got firsthand experience of her ID saga. At airline desk checking bag she first showed her temporary learner's permit--turns out it is basically a Xerox copy of the permit that would be mailed to her home. Agent asked her age (since under 18 didn't officially need photo ID) and if she had anything else to show. She showed a birth certificate, but it was copy, not official. Agent not happy, but said to give it a try with TSA. At TSA she showed the learner's permit, he asked her age, and no problem.

On return trip she showed school photo ID in combination with learners permit copy; agent and TSA asked her age, then passed her through.

A complication arose when we realized by the time she will return home that she will have turned 18. The learner's permit had arrived at her home and mother agreed to mail so she could use as ID on return.

So, student ID and others do work if under 18 and she does look that young, but I don't know what would have happened if she looked older or chanced upon a stricter person alone, such as the ticket agent at ATL.

We discovered last summer that there is no law requiring photo ID to fly - although practices make it as if there is a law. If a person is deemed to have inadequate or questionable ID, it is up to local law enforcement, stationed at airport, to verify that the person is who they are supposed to be.

In our case, our son (age 20) lost wallet in Wyoming prior to flight to Boston. In a second work-related case, I yesterday met an adult at Logan Airport in Boston who had traveled to Philadelphia by train, lost all ID while there, and was able to board flight back to Boston with a collection of odd IDs (hospital record from stay while in Philadelphia, copy of Social Security card, etc.)

can't you use a student ID

My 15 year old grandson recently flew on Continental from the SF/Bay Area to DC. He did not have any ID as he had lost his student ID. He did not have a problem. I had wondered if he would or not. He flew Delta coming home and again did not have a problem. He told me that minors do not need an ID. I didn't know that. He flew by himself. So guess minors do not need to show an ID from his experiences.