Can You Renew an Expired Passport? Online vs. Mail and Costs

You can renew an expired U.S. passport instead of applying from scratch if three things are true: the passport was issued within the last 15 years, you were at least 16 years old when it was issued, and you still have the physical booklet in reasonable condition. Meet all three, and you qualify for the streamlined renewal process. Miss any one, and you’ll have to apply as a first-time applicant using Form DS-11 in person.¹

A lost or stolen passport is treated the same way, even if it would otherwise qualify. A missing booklet requires in-person identity verification.² Passports issued to children under 16 are five-year documents and cannot be renewed at all; a new application in person is required when they expire.³

Online Renewal or Mail Renewal

The State Department offers two renewal paths. Which one you can use depends mainly on how recently your passport expired and whether anything about your identity has changed.

Online

Online renewal is faster to submit but has a tighter eligibility window. You can use it only if your passport expired less than five years ago (or expires within the next year), you are at least 25 years old, and you are not changing your name or gender marker. You need to be located in a U.S. state or territory when you apply, and you cannot be traveling internationally within the next six weeks, because online renewal offers routine processing only.⁴

You’ll pay by credit or debit card, upload a digital photo, and enter your details including your Social Security number and an emergency contact. You must complete the application yourself. The State Department warns that applications submitted through third-party services, or by someone else on your behalf, may be rejected or delayed.⁴

Mail (Form DS-82)

Mail renewal covers everything online renewal doesn’t. If your passport expired anytime within the last 15 years and you were 16 or older when it was issued, you can use Form DS-82. This is also the only renewal route if you need expedited processing, if your name has changed, or if you are between 16 and 24 years old.¹

Send your completed DS-82, your expired passport, a new photo, payment, and any supporting documents to the address printed on the form. Use USPS. FedEx, UPS, and DHL cannot deliver to the P.O. Box addresses on the form.⁵ Payment must be a personal, certified, cashier’s, or traveler’s check, or a money order, made payable to “U.S. Department of State.”⁶

What It Costs in 2026

Fees are the same whether you renew online or by mail.⁷

Passport book: $130
Passport card only: $30
Both book and card: $160
Expedited processing (mail only): $60 on top of the application fee
1–3 day return delivery (optional): $22.05

Renewals don’t carry a separate execution or acceptance fee because you aren’t appearing in person. The $60 expedited add-on is available only through mail renewal; the online system offers routine service only.⁸

The passport card works for land and sea travel to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda, but it will not get you on an international flight. Most people renewing want the book; adding the card for $30 is worth considering if you cross a land border often.

Photo Requirements

The photo standards are identical for online and mail renewal. The photo must measure 2 inches by 2 inches, be taken against a white or off-white background, and reflect your current appearance, meaning it was taken within the last six months.⁹¹⁰

Glasses are not allowed unless you have a medical reason you cannot remove them, such as recent eye surgery. That requires a signed statement from a medical professional, and the State Department will issue a one-year limited passport while the condition is temporary.¹¹ Keep a neutral expression or natural smile with both eyes open. Retail shipping stores and pharmacies typically charge $5 to $20 for a passport photo, though you can take your own at home if you follow the specifications carefully.

If Your Name Has Changed

A name change doesn’t disqualify you from renewing, but it does force you to use mail. Include the original or a certified copy of the legal document proving the change: a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order.⁵ Photocopies are not accepted.

Without documentation, you cannot renew at all. You’ll need to apply in person with Form DS-11.¹² If you changed your name years ago and no longer have the certificate, order a replacement certified copy from the issuing county or state before you start the passport process.

Online renewal does not accommodate name changes at any level. If the name on your current passport is different from your legal name today, mail renewal is your only option.⁴

How Long It Takes

As of 2026, routine processing takes four to six weeks from the date the State Department receives your application. Expedited processing, available only by mail for an extra $60, brings that down to two to three weeks.¹³ Timelines shift with demand; summer and early spring are the busiest. The $22.05 for 1–3 day delivery only speeds up the final shipping leg, not the review itself.⁸

You can check your application status online at the State Department’s tracking portal using your last name, date of birth, and the last four digits of your Social Security number.¹⁴ Online renewal applicants also receive email updates as the application moves through processing.

Your new passport is mailed to the address you provided. Your old expired passport comes back separately, usually about four weeks later, with a hole punched through it to mark it cancelled.¹² Keep the old booklet; it holds your prior visas and stamps, and some countries’ officers will ask to see them.

When You Can’t Renew and Must Apply New

Some situations close the renewal door entirely. You’ll need Form DS-11 and an in-person visit to a passport acceptance facility if:

Your passport expired more than 15 years ago. The renewal window is closed.¹
The passport was issued before you turned 16. Child passports cannot be renewed through DS-82.³
The passport was lost or stolen. Even if it would otherwise qualify, in-person identity verification is required.²
The booklet is significantly damaged. Water damage, tears, or mutilation that renders information unreadable disqualifies it for renewal.¹⁵

The first-time applicant route costs more. It adds an execution fee paid separately to the acceptance facility and requires proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or naturalization certificate. Build in time for that extra paperwork and for scheduling an appointment.

Two Things That Can Block Your Renewal

The IRS can prevent the State Department from issuing or renewing your passport if you owe more than $66,000 in seriously delinquent federal tax debt (the 2026 threshold), including penalties and interest. The debt becomes “seriously delinquent” once the IRS has filed a federal tax lien and your appeal options have run out. When the IRS certifies the debt, the State Department holds your application for 90 days so you can pay in full, set up an installment agreement, or dispute an error. No action within 90 days means the application is denied and closed.¹⁶ Certification doesn’t apply if you’re already in an approved installment agreement, have a pending offer in compromise, are in bankruptcy, or qualify for hardship relief.

The second is the six-month rule. Many countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months beyond the date you enter or leave. A passport that expires in four months can get you turned away at the airline gate or the border, even though it isn’t technically expired. If a trip is coming up within the next year, check the destination country’s entry requirements and count backward. The practical expiration date is often six months before the printed one.

If You Need to Travel Very Soon

If you need to travel internationally within the next 14 calendar days and your passport is expired, routine and expedited mail processing won’t get you there in time. Book an appointment at one of the State Department’s passport agencies, which are separate from the acceptance facilities at post offices. Agencies handle urgent cases by appointment only.¹⁷

One more thing worth knowing before you fly: since June 30, 2022, U.S. citizens can no longer use an expired passport to return to the United States from abroad. If your passport expires while you’re overseas, contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate to apply for a replacement before heading home.¹⁸

1
eCFR. 22 CFR 51.21 – Execution of Passport Application
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Reporting a Lost or Stolen Passport
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USAGov. Get a Passport for a Minor Under 18
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U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport Online
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U.S. Department of State. Name Change for U.S. Passport or Correct a Printing or Data Error
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U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
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U.S. Department of State. United States Passport Fees
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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. Passport Photos
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U.S. Department of State. 8 FAM 402.1 – Passport Photographs
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U.S. Department of State. New Eyeglasses Policy for Visa and Passport Photographs
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USAGov. Renew an Adult Passport
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U.S. Department of State. Processing Times for U.S. Passports
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U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Application Status
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U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Renewal Application for Eligible Individuals
16
Internal Revenue Service. Revocation or Denial of Passport in Cases of Certain Unpaid Taxes
17
U.S. Department of State. Make an Appointment at a Passport Agency
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection. End of Use of Expired U.S. Passports for the Direct Return of U.S. Citizens