Yes, you can apply for a passport at many public libraries. Getting a passport at the library works when the library has been designated by the U.S. Department of State as a passport acceptance facility, which lets you submit a first-time application (Form DS-11) in person, by appointment, so the library can forward it to the State Department for processing. Not every branch is designated, so the first step is checking whether yours is.
Find a Library That Accepts Applications
The State Department keeps a searchable database of every passport acceptance facility in the country.1U.S. Department of State. Passport Acceptance Facility Search Page Search by ZIP code, city, or state. Each result shows the facility’s address, phone number, hours, and whether on-site passport photos are available. If your local library doesn’t turn up in the search, it isn’t designated and can’t take your application.
Call ahead even after confirming a library online. Passport service hours often differ from regular library hours, and most facilities require an appointment. Walking in without one risks being turned away.
Do You Even Need to Visit a Facility?
Not every applicant has to go in person. You need to apply at a library or other acceptance facility, using Form DS-11, only if you fall into one of these situations:2Travel.State.Gov. Apply for Your Adult Passport
- You’ve never had a U.S. passport before.
- You’re applying for a child under 16.
- Your previous passport was lost, stolen, or damaged.
- Your previous passport expired more than five years ago, or was issued more than 15 years ago.
- Your previous passport was issued when you were under 16.
If none of those apply, you can renew by mail using Form DS-82 and skip the library entirely.3Travel.State.Gov. Renew Your Passport by Mail Acceptance facilities won’t process DS-82 renewals, and they shouldn’t charge the $35 facility fee for one. You mail that form yourself.
What to Bring to Your Appointment
The most common reason people get sent home is a missing or wrong document. Gather everything before you leave.
Form DS-11, Unsigned
Fill out the form using the State Department’s Form Filler tool and print it single-sided. Do not sign it at home. The acceptance agent has to witness your signature, and signing early means starting over with a fresh form.4Travel.State.Gov. Passport Forms
Proof of U.S. Citizenship
Bring one original or certified document. The usual choices are:2Travel.State.Gov. Apply for Your Adult Passport
- A U.S. birth certificate with the registrar’s signature, an official seal, and a filing date within one year of birth.
- A previous undamaged U.S. passport that was fully valid.
- A Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship.
- A Consular Report of Birth Abroad.
These have to be physical documents. Digital or mobile birth certificates aren’t accepted. Bring a photocopy too. Your original travels with the application and gets mailed back to you separately after processing.
Photo ID
A valid driver’s license covers most applicants. If your license was issued in a different state from the one where you’re applying, bring a second photo ID: a state ID card, a military ID, or a government employee badge.2Travel.State.Gov. Apply for Your Adult Passport
A Passport Photo
The photo must be 2×2 inches on a plain white or off-white background. Remove eyeglasses, hats, and head coverings. Exceptions exist for religious head coverings worn daily (with a signed statement) and for glasses that can’t be removed for medical reasons (with a signed doctor’s note).5Travel.State.Gov. Passport Photos
Some library facilities take passport photos on-site; many don’t. The facility search tool lets you filter for locations with photo services available.1U.S. Department of State. Passport Acceptance Facility Search Page Otherwise, pharmacies, shipping stores, and grocery photo counters can produce compliant photos for a small fee.
What It Costs
A DS-11 application involves two separate payments to two different parties:6Travel.State.Gov. Passport Fees
- The application fee to the U.S. Department of State: $130 for a passport book, $30 for a passport card, or $160 for both. Pay by check or money order made out to “U.S. Department of State.”
- The $35 acceptance fee to the library. Payment methods vary by location. Some libraries take cash or cards; others only take checks. Ask when you book.
Children under 16 pay a lower application fee: $100 for a book, $15 for a card, or $115 for both. The $35 facility fee is the same.7Travel.State.Gov. Apply for a Child’s Passport Under 16
Two optional add-ons speed things up. Expedited processing costs an extra $60 per application, and 1-to-3-day delivery of the finished book costs $22.05.8U.S. Department of State. United States Passport Fees for Acceptance Facilities Both go to the State Department, bundled with your application fee.
What Happens at the Appointment
The appointment itself is short, usually 10 to 15 minutes. The acceptance agent reviews your DS-11, checks your citizenship document, and compares your face to your photo ID. The agent then administers an oath. You swear or affirm that everything on the application is true, and only after the oath do you sign the form.2Travel.State.Gov. Apply for Your Adult Passport
The agent then seals your application package (form, citizenship evidence, photo, and payment) and sends it to the State Department. Your original birth certificate or other citizenship document comes back to you by mail after processing.
If You’re Applying for a Child Under 16
Applications for children carry extra rules that catch families off guard. Both parents or legal guardians have to appear in person with the child and show photo ID.7Travel.State.Gov. Apply for a Child’s Passport Under 16 Acceptance agents enforce this strictly, because the rule exists to prevent international parental abduction.
If one parent can’t come, that parent completes Form DS-3053 (Statement of Consent) in front of a notary and includes a photocopy of the ID shown to the notary. The form must be submitted within three months of being signed. A parent deployed overseas with the military can have the DS-3053 notarized at a U.S. embassy or consulate.
A sole legal guardian doesn’t need the other parent’s consent but has to bring proof: a court order granting sole custody, a birth certificate naming only one parent, or a certified death certificate of the other parent. If a grandparent or another relative brings the child in place of both parents, both parents have to provide notarized DS-3053 forms with copies of their IDs.
Children’s passports are valid for 5 years, not 10.
When the Library Can’t Help
Libraries handle standard applications on standard timelines. If your travel is soon, they can’t help.
For urgent travel, you need a Regional Passport Agency, not an acceptance facility. Passport agencies serve customers by appointment only if you have international travel within the next 14 calendar days or need a foreign visa within the next 28 calendar days.9Travel.State.Gov. Make an Appointment at a Passport Agency or Center You book by calling the State Department.
A separate life-or-death emergency service applies when an immediate family member outside the United States has died, is dying, or has a life-threatening illness or injury. “Immediate family” here means a parent, child, spouse, sibling, or grandparent; aunts, uncles, and cousins don’t count. Traveling abroad for your own medical treatment also doesn’t qualify.10Travel.State.Gov. Get a Passport if you Have a Life-or-Death Emergency
Outside those situations, a library appointment is one of the simpler ways to get your first passport on its way.