Can You Pay for a Passport With a Credit Card? Fees and Methods

You can pay for a passport with a credit card in some situations but not others. If you renew online or apply in person at a regional passport agency, a credit card covers the full cost. At a local acceptance facility such as a post office, a card usually works for the $35 execution fee but not for the application fee owed to the State Department. Mail-in renewals don’t accept credit cards at all.

Renewing Online

The State Department’s online renewal system is the most straightforward way to charge a passport to a card. After you upload a digital photo and enter your information, you pay with a credit or debit card through a secure federal payment system.¹

Not everyone qualifies. Online renewal is available if your most recent passport was issued when you were 16 or older, was issued within the last 15 years, is undamaged, has never been reported lost or stolen, and was issued in your current name or you can document a name change.² If you fall outside those criteria, you’ll apply in person or by mail, where card options narrow.

Applying in Person at a Passport Agency

Regional passport agencies handle urgent and expedited applications, and they accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover for the full cost, including the $60 expedited processing fee. Visa and Mastercard debit cards work too, along with Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay.³

Agencies take electronic payments only. Checks, money orders, and cash are not accepted, which is the reverse of the acceptance facility rules and catches some applicants off guard.³

Applying at an Acceptance Facility

First-time applicants and parents applying for a child’s passport typically go through an acceptance facility such as a post office, county clerk’s office, or public library. Two separate payments go to two different entities, and the card rules differ for each.

The $35 Execution Fee

The execution fee goes to the acceptance facility itself, so each location sets its own payment policy. The State Department advises confirming what your facility accepts before you go.³ Post offices take credit cards, checks, and money orders for this fee.⁴ A county clerk may take cards but charge a small convenience fee. Call ahead.

The Application Fee

The application fee ($130 for an adult book) goes to the U.S. Department of State, and the State Department does not accept credit cards, debit cards, or cash for it. You must pay by check or money order.³ Personal, certified, cashier’s, and traveler’s checks all qualify. Make it payable to “U.S. Department of State” and write the applicant’s name and date of birth in the memo section.⁵

This split is where confusion happens. A card alone will cover the execution fee at many locations, but you’ll have no way to pay the application fee. Bring a check or money order for the application fee even if you plan to charge the $35.

Renewing by Mail

Mail-in renewals on Form DS-82 do not accept credit cards. Include a check or money order with your application, payable to “U.S. Department of State.”³ Write the applicant’s name and date of birth in the memo section so the processing center can match your payment to the right application.⁵

Paying From Overseas

U.S. citizens abroad can renew and pay through the Pay.gov portal after being directed to it by a U.S. embassy or consulate website. Pay.gov accepts credit and debit cards, PayPal, and Venmo.⁶ If your travel is urgent, use a card. PayPal takes one to two business days to clear and can hold up processing.

The overseas online payment option is limited to adults renewing a 10-year passport book or card issued less than 15 years ago that is still in the applicant’s possession. Passport fees are refundable only in very limited circumstances, so confirm your eligibility with the embassy before you pay.⁶

What You’ll Be Paying

The 2026 standard fees are:⁷

Adult passport book, new or renewal: $130 application fee
Adult passport card, new or renewal: $30 application fee
Minor passport book: $100 application fee
Execution fee for first-time applicants and minors: $35, paid to the acceptance facility
Expedited processing: $60³
1-3 day return delivery: $22.05⁵

At an acceptance facility, only the $35 execution fee is potentially chargeable. Everything else requires a check or money order unless you’re at a passport agency, where the full amount goes on the card.

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U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport Online
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U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail
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U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
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United States Postal Service. Passports
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U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
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Pay.gov. Overseas U.S. Adult Passport Renewal Fee
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U.S. Department of State. United States Passport Fees for Acceptance Facilities