Yes, you can get a passport at the post office if you’re applying for the first time. Thousands of USPS locations act as passport acceptance facilities for the U.S. Department of State: a clerk checks your documents, witnesses your signature, collects your fees, and ships the package to a federal processing center that prints and mails the passport back to you. The post office does not approve or produce the passport itself, but for a first-time applicant it is usually the most convenient starting point.
Find a Branch That Actually Offers Passport Service
Passport service is not offered at every post office. Use the location finder at tools.usps.com and filter for “Passport Appointments” to see only branches designated as acceptance facilities. Where possible, pick one that also does passport photos on site so you don’t need a separate trip.
Appointments can be booked up to four weeks in advance through the same tool. Slots fill quickly from roughly January through June, which is peak travel season. Some locations take walk-ins, but relying on that is a gamble. Each appointment runs about 15 minutes, and USPS recommends arriving 10 minutes early.
What to Bring to Your Appointment
Missing paperwork means starting over. Bring all of the following:
- Form DS-11, filled out in black ink but not signed. The clerk has to witness the signature. You can print the form at pptform.state.gov or pick one up in a post office lobby.
- Proof of U.S. citizenship: an original or certified copy of your birth certificate (from your city, county, or state), naturalization certificate, or certificate of citizenship. Photocopies and notarized copies are not accepted as originals. You also need to include a black-and-white photocopy on letter-size paper alongside the original.
- A valid photo ID such as a driver’s license, U.S. military ID, or naturalization certificate, plus a photocopy of the front and back.
- One 2-by-2-inch color passport photo taken within the last six months.
The DS-11 asks for your full legal name, Social Security number, and information about your parents. The Social Security number is required by federal tax law, and leaving it blank will delay the application.
Photo Rules That Get Applications Rejected
Passport photos are the most common reason applications stall. The State Department requires:
- An exact 2-by-2-inch print, with your head measuring between 1 inch and 1⅜ inches from chin to top
- A plain white or off-white background, no shadows or texture
- A neutral expression, eyes open, mouth closed
- No eyeglasses of any kind, unless a signed doctor’s note explains why they cannot be removed
Post offices that offer photo service charge $15 and will produce a photo that meets the specifications. That fee is separate from the application and execution fees. Bringing your own photo works too, but if the clerk rejects it you’ll need to reschedule.
What Happens During the Appointment
Every applicant must appear in person, including children. During the appointment, the clerk reviews your DS-11, checks it against your documents, and has you sign under oath. Fees are collected, and everything is packaged for secure shipment to a federal passport processing center.
Your original citizenship document goes into that package. The State Department mails it back separately after your passport is processed, so don’t be alarmed that you leave without your birth certificate.
What It Costs and How to Pay
Passport fees split into two payments made at the same appointment to two different entities, and this trips people up.
The $35 execution fee goes to the post office for handling your application. Payment methods vary by location, though credit cards usually work. The application fee goes to the Department of State and must be paid by check (personal, certified, cashier’s, or traveler’s) or money order made out to “U.S. Department of State,” with the applicant’s name and date of birth in the memo line. The State Department does not take credit cards at acceptance facilities. Showing up with only a card is one of the most common mistakes.
Typical totals for first-time applicants:
- Adult passport book: $130 application fee + $35 execution fee = $165
- Adult passport card: $30 + $35 = $65
- Adult book and card together: $160 + $35 = $195
- Child passport book (under 16): $100 + $35 = $135
- Child passport card (under 16): $15 + $35 = $50
Add $60 for expedited processing, and $15 if you use the post office’s photo service. The passport book works for all international travel; the card is valid only for land and sea travel to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and some Caribbean countries, and cannot be used for international flights.
How Long It Takes
As of early 2026, routine processing takes four to six weeks and expedited processing takes two to three weeks. Those windows count only the time the application sits at the passport agency. Mailing adds up to two weeks on each end. A routine application realistically runs six to ten weeks door-to-door.
You can track status at passportstatus.state.gov using your last name, date of birth, and the last four digits of your Social Security number. The tracker starts once the processing center receives your package.
Applying for a Child Under 16
Children under 16 cannot apply on their own. Both parents or legal guardians must appear at the post office with the child to give consent, and both need to bring their own photo IDs.
If one parent cannot attend, the absent parent signs a Statement of Consent (Form DS-3053) in front of a notary and provides a photocopy of the ID shown to the notary. That notarized form is valid for 90 days.
Where only one parent has legal custody, the consent form can be replaced by a court order granting sole custody, a birth certificate listing only one parent, or the other parent’s death certificate. If you cannot locate the other parent, Form DS-5525 (Statement of Special Family Circumstances) explains the situation under penalty of perjury, and the State Department may ask for additional evidence such as a custody order.
Children’s passports are valid for five years. Adult passports are valid for ten.
When the Post Office Isn’t the Right Place
The post office handles first-time applications and any application that must be filed in person, but there are two situations where you should go elsewhere.
If you already have a passport that is undamaged, was issued in the last 15 years, was issued when you were 16 or older, was issued in your current name (or you can document a legal name change), and was never reported lost or stolen, you can renew by mail using Form DS-82 or online at travel.state.gov. Renewals skip the acceptance facility entirely, and there is no $35 execution fee. A lost or stolen passport does not qualify for renewal, so replacement means going back to the post office with a full DS-11 application.
If you’re traveling internationally within 14 days, the post office cannot help you in time. Even expedited processing plus mailing runs longer than that. Urgent travel requires an appointment at a regional passport agency or center, booked through the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 or the State Department’s passport agency page. You’ll need proof of imminent travel, such as a flight itinerary, and expect to pay the expedited fee on top of the standard application fee. The same route is available if you need a foreign visa within 28 days.