U.S. Passport Fees Explained

U.S. passport fees come in two parts that have to be paid separately, plus optional add-ons depending on what kind of book you want and how fast you need it. Understanding the breakdown prevents the most common application-day surprise: showing up with one check when you actually needed two.

Fees are set by the U.S. Department of State and updated periodically. The current schedule, based on the most recent Department of State fee adjustments, runs roughly as follows. Always confirm exact amounts on the State Department website at travel.state.gov on the day you apply.

Adult passport book (age 16+)

• Application fee: $130, paid to the U.S. Department of State.
• Acceptance fee: $35, paid to the acceptance facility (Post Office, library, county clerk).
• Total first-time: $165.

The application fee covers production of the actual passport book and the State Department's processing time. The acceptance fee covers the agent's time witnessing your signature, packaging your application, and forwarding it to the State Department processing center.

Adult passport book renewal (DS-82, by mail)

• Application fee: $130.
• Acceptance fee: $0 (none required for renewals by mail).
• Total: $130.

Renewal by mail uses Form DS-82 and skips the acceptance facility entirely, saving $35. Eligible if your previous passport was issued in the last 15 years, was issued when you were 16 or older, is undamaged, and is in your current legal name (or you can document the change).

Child passport book (under 16)

• Application fee: $100.
• Acceptance fee: $35.
• Total: $135.

Child passports are valid for 5 years (vs. 10 for adults), and every renewal counts as a new application — there's no mail-in renewal for minors.

Passport card

• Application fee: $30 (adult), $15 (child under 16).
• Acceptance fee: $35 (or $0 for an adult renewal by mail).

The passport card is a wallet-sized credit-card-style document valid only for land or sea entry to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. It's not valid for international air travel. Many travelers add the card to a book application for an additional $30; the combined "book + card" application processes both documents at once.

Expedited service

• Expedited surcharge: $60 added to the application fee.
• 1-2 day delivery from State Department: $19.53 additional (optional).

Expedited processing reduces the official processing window from routine (currently 6-8 weeks) to expedited (currently 2-3 weeks). Add the optional 1-2 day delivery for the fastest turnaround on a mail-in application. For travel inside two weeks, you'll need an in-person appointment at a regional passport agency.

How to pay

The application fee (to the State Department) is typically paid by personal check, money order, or cashier's check made out to "U.S. Department of State." A few large acceptance facilities accept card for the State Department portion, but most don't. The acceptance fee is paid separately to the acceptance facility, often by card or cash.

Bring two separate forms of payment to your application appointment. Combining them — paying the entire $165 with a single check — will get the application rejected because the State Department portion needs to flow to a different recipient.

What you don't pay for

Beware of third-party sites that charge "convenience fees" to forward your application to the State Department. Apply directly through a Post Office or USPS-authorized acceptance facility and you'll never pay more than the official fees above. Sites that charge $200+ for a "passport service" are not the State Department.

Lost-or-stolen replacement

Reporting a passport lost or stolen is free, but the replacement passport is paid for as a new application — the same $130 application fee plus $35 acceptance fee. Photo, signature, and proof of citizenship requirements all reset to first-time-application standards.