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CottageGirl said:
Pretty sure we paid a departure tax leaving STT by air because we sent our kids (adult kids) through security etc separately because they were on a different airline than us. Met up with them after security and they were like " we had to pay money to get out!" It was the first time during the trip thy had to get their wallets out <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />


There is no place in 'security' be it TSA or CBP that collects or charges money explicitly for departure.
CBP may have charged them duty if they declared over the limit on purchases -- a porter may have charged them if they used one to take their bags.