You cannot pay for a US passport with cash for the main application fee that goes to the U.S. Department of State. Cash may be accepted for the separate $35 execution fee at some passport acceptance facilities, but that depends entirely on the individual location’s policy. Regional passport agencies and the online renewal system don’t take cash at all. If cash is your only option, plan to convert it to a money order before you apply.
Two Fees, Two Different Cash Rules
A passport application involves two separate payments, and they follow different rules. The application fee goes to the State Department. The execution fee, $35, goes to the acceptance facility that takes your paperwork.
The State Department does not accept cash for the application fee under any circumstances. Mail-in renewal instructions state plainly, “Do not send cash.”1U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail For in-person applications, the application fee must be a check or money order made payable to “U.S. Department of State.”2U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
The execution fee is where cash sometimes works. Because each acceptance facility sets its own payment policies, some post offices and county clerk offices accept cash for this $35 fee. Others take only checks, money orders, or cards. The State Department’s fee page tells applicants to check with the specific facility before showing up.2U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees Call ahead. It takes two minutes and can save you a wasted trip.
Where Cash Is Never Accepted
Regional passport agencies, the offices that handle urgent and life-or-death emergency travel, do not take cash for anything. They accept credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover), debit cards, and contactless payments such as Apple Pay and Google Pay. The State Department is direct about it: “We will not accept any other form of payment.”2U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees Arriving at an agency with only cash means leaving without a passport.
Online renewal, available to adults who qualify, requires a credit or debit card.3U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport Online There is no cash, check, or money order pathway for online applications.
Mail-in renewals using Form DS-82 accept only a check or money order payable to “U.S. Department of State.”1U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail You mail the payment yourself along with the form and your current passport.
What to Do If Cash Is All You Have
Buy a money order. You can get one at a post office, a bank, or many convenience stores for a small fee. A money order is accepted anywhere the State Department accepts a check, doesn’t require a bank account, and won’t bounce. For urgent travel that sends you to a regional passport agency, buy a prepaid Visa or Mastercard debit card instead, since agencies take cards but not money orders.
If you do use a personal check, be sure the funds are there. The State Department runs a dedicated payment portal for non-sufficient funds fees tied to passport applications, meaning bounced checks trigger extra charges on top of the original fee.4Pay.gov. Department of State Passport Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF) Fees Your application stalls until the original fee and any returned-check penalties are paid. When in doubt, use a money order.
How to Format Your Check or Money Order
The check or money order for the application fee must be payable to “U.S. Department of State.” In the memo line, write the applicant’s full name and date of birth.2U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees Each applicant needs a separate check. A family of four submits four checks for the application fees, not one combined payment.
The execution fee is a separate payment to the acceptance facility, not to the State Department. Keep it off the State Department check. If your family is applying together, ask the facility whether the execution fee also needs to be paid separately for each person.
Applying at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate Abroad
Overseas, U.S. embassies and consulates handle passport applications and renewals, and payment policies vary from post to post. Many accept major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover), and some also take cash in U.S. dollars or local currency, though policies differ.5Foreign Affairs Manual. 8 FAM 602.2 Passport Fees Contact the specific embassy or consulate before your appointment to confirm what they accept.