Can I Get a Passport at the Library? Requirements and Fees

Yes, you can often get a passport at the library. Many public libraries serve as passport acceptance facilities authorized by the U.S. Department of State, meaning a trained agent at the library will review your first-time application, witness your signature and oath, and mail your documents to the State Department for processing.¹ Not every branch offers the service, and those that do may keep limited passport hours or require an appointment.

The library doesn’t issue the passport itself. That comes by mail from the State Department weeks later. The library’s role is the same as a post office or county clerk’s office that accepts applications, so picking one over the other is a matter of convenience.

Who Has to Apply in Person

Acceptance facilities handle applications submitted on Form DS-11, which is required for first-time adult applicants, adults whose most recent passport was lost, stolen, or damaged, adults whose passport was issued more than 15 years ago, and adults whose passport was issued before they turned 16. All children under 16 also apply this way.²

If you already have a passport that’s still eligible for renewal, you may be able to skip the library entirely. See the renewal section below.

Finding a Library That Accepts Passport Applications

The State Department runs a locator at iafdb.travel.state.gov. Search by ZIP code, city, or state to see each facility’s address, phone number, hours, and whether appointments are required.¹ Some library branches only process passports on specific days or during a narrow window. Call ahead. It’s the difference between one trip and two.

What to Bring

Missing one item means starting over on another day. You need all of the following:

Form DS-11. Fill it out using the State Department’s online Form Filler and print it single-sided, or pick up a paper copy at the facility. Do not sign it beforehand. The acceptance agent will tell you when to sign.³
Proof of U.S. citizenship. Bring one original document with an official seal or stamp: a U.S. birth certificate issued by the city, county, or state (not a hospital souvenir certificate), an undamaged full-validity U.S. passport, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship.⁴
Photo ID. A valid driver’s license is the most common option. Other forms are listed on the State Department’s site.²
Photocopies. One photocopy of your citizenship document and one photocopy of the front and back of your ID, both on standard 8.5-by-11-inch paper, single-sided.²
One passport photo. Bring it loose. Do not attach it to the form.
Your Social Security number. Federal law requires it on the application if you have one. Leaving it off can delay the application, and the IRS can impose a $500 penalty.⁵
Payment. See fees below.

Passport Photo Requirements

The photo must be 2 by 2 inches, in color, taken within the last six months, with a plain white or off-white background and no shadows. Face the camera directly with a neutral expression, both eyes open and mouth closed. Take off eyeglasses unless you have a signed doctor’s note explaining a medical reason to keep them on. Hats and head coverings come off too, unless you wear them daily for religious purposes (include a signed statement) or medical reasons (include a doctor’s note). Software edits and phone-app filters are prohibited.⁶

Some library acceptance facilities take the photo on-site for an extra fee, which saves a separate trip. The locator tool or a phone call will tell you. Retail photo services elsewhere generally run about $7 to $18.

Fees

Applying in person means paying two separate fees: an application fee to the U.S. Department of State and an execution (acceptance) fee to the facility. The 2026 amounts:⁷

Adult passport book: $130 application fee + $35 execution fee = $165 total
Adult passport card: $30 application fee + $35 execution fee = $65 total
Child passport book (under 16): $100 application fee + $35 execution fee = $135 total
Child passport card (under 16): $15 application fee + $35 execution fee = $50 total
Expedited processing (optional): add $60
1-to-3-day return delivery (optional): add $22.05

Pay the application fee by check or money order made out to “U.S. Department of State,” with the applicant’s name and date of birth on the memo line. If you want expedited processing or fast return delivery, add those amounts to the same check. The $35 execution fee goes directly to the facility, and accepted payment methods vary by library, so check before your visit.⁸

The passport card, at $65 total for an adult, is the cheaper option, but it only works for land and sea travel between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and some Caribbean countries. It cannot be used for international flights.⁹ Both the book and card are REAL ID compliant for domestic air travel.¹⁰

What Happens at the Appointment

You hand the agent your unsigned DS-11, citizenship document, photo ID, photocopies, and photo. The agent checks everything, administers an oath, and asks you to sign the form in their presence. Your documents are sealed in an envelope addressed to the State Department, and you pay both fees.²

Your original citizenship document goes with the application. The State Department returns it separately after processing, which can take several weeks beyond when your new passport arrives. If you submitted a current or recently expired passport as citizenship evidence, allow up to four additional weeks for it to come back.³

How Long Processing Takes

As of 2026, routine processing runs four to six weeks and expedited processing runs two to three weeks.¹¹ The clock starts when the State Department receives your application, not on the day you visit the library. The $22.05 for 1-to-3-day return delivery shortens shipping only; it doesn’t speed processing.¹²

Check status at passportstatus.state.gov using your last name, date of birth, and the last four digits of your Social Security number.¹³

Applying for a Child Under 16

Children under 16 must apply in person on Form DS-11, and both parents or legal guardians must appear at the acceptance facility with the child. Bring the child’s birth certificate and a valid photo ID for each parent. If one parent can’t attend, that parent must submit a signed and notarized Form DS-3053 (Statement of Consent), which the appearing parent brings along with the other documents.¹⁴

A child’s passport book is valid for five years, not the ten years an adult book gets.⁷

When You Don’t Need the Library

If you already have a passport, check whether you can renew instead of applying fresh. Renewal skips the acceptance facility entirely.

Renewing by Mail

You can renew by mail on Form DS-82 if your most recent passport was issued when you were 16 or older, was issued less than 15 years ago, is undamaged, and hasn’t been reported lost or stolen. Your name must be unchanged, or changed only through marriage or court order with documentation. Mail the form with your current passport, a new photo, and your fee.¹⁵

Renewing Online

Online renewal is available if you’re 25 or older, your 10-year passport is expiring within a year or expired less than five years ago, you’re not changing your name or other personal information, your passport is undamaged and not lost or stolen, and you don’t need it for at least six weeks. Only routine processing is offered online.¹⁶

If you don’t fit either renewal path, you’re back to Form DS-11 in person at a library or other acceptance facility.

Lost, Stolen, or Urgent Situations

A lost or stolen passport has to be reported to the State Department first, using Form DS-64 online, by phone at 1-877-487-2778, or by mail. Once reported, the passport is permanently cancelled, even if you find it later. Then apply for a replacement in person on Form DS-11, the same as a first-time applicant.¹⁷

If your travel is sooner than expedited processing allows, a library can’t help. Regional passport agencies handle urgent cases by appointment for travelers going abroad within 14 calendar days or needing a foreign visa within 28 calendar days.¹⁸ Agencies are staffed by State Department employees in major cities and are separate from acceptance facilities.

1
U.S. Department of State. Passport Acceptance Facility Search Page
2
U.S. Department of State. Apply for Your Adult Passport
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USAGov. Apply for a New Adult Passport
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U.S. Department of State. Get Citizenship Evidence for a U.S. Passport
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U.S. Department of State. Frequently Asked Questions
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U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Photos
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U.S. Department of State. United States Passport Fees for Acceptance Facilities
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U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
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U.S. Department of State. Get a Passport Card
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U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passports and REAL ID
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U.S. Department of State. Processing Times for U.S. Passports
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U.S. Department of State. How to Get My U.S. Passport Fast
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U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Application Status
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U.S. Department of State. Statement of Consent – U.S. Passport Issuance to a Child (Form DS-3053)
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U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Renewal Application for Eligible Individuals
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U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport Online
17
USAGov. Lost or Stolen Passports
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U.S. Department of State. Make an Appointment at a Passport Agency or Center