Child passport fees start at $135 for a first-time passport book for a child under 16: a $100 application fee to the U.S. Department of State plus a $35 acceptance fee to the facility that processes the paperwork. Teenagers aged 16 and 17 pay more, the passport card is cheaper than the book, and expedited service and faster shipping each add to the total. The two fees are always paid separately, often by different methods.
What a Child Under 16 Pays
Every applicant under 16 uses Form DS-11 and owes two fees at the appointment: the State Department application fee, plus the flat $35 execution fee charged by the acceptance facility. The application fee depends on which document you choose.1U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
- Passport book only: $100 application fee + $35 acceptance fee = $135
- Passport card only: $15 application fee + $35 acceptance fee = $50
- Both book and card: $115 application fee + $35 acceptance fee = $150
The passport card is valid only for land and sea travel to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda, so families whose child might fly internationally within the five-year validity period generally need the book.
One thing to plan for: a child’s passport is valid for five years and cannot be renewed by mail. When it expires, you repeat the full in-person DS-11 process and pay the fees again.2U.S. Department of State. Apply for a Child’s Passport Under 16
What a 16 or 17-Year-Old Pays
At 16, the application fee jumps to the adult rate. The $35 acceptance fee stays the same.1U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
- Passport book only: $130 application fee + $35 acceptance fee = $165
- Passport card only: $30 application fee + $35 acceptance fee = $65
- Both book and card: $160 application fee + $35 acceptance fee = $195
Teenagers in this age bracket still apply in person on Form DS-11, but the parental-consent rules relax: only “parental awareness” is required, which a parent can show by appearing at the appointment, signing a note with a copy of their ID, having their name on the check paying the fees, or submitting a notarized statement.3U.S. Embassy and Consulates in France. I Am 16/17 Year Old and My Current Passport Is Valid for 5 Years OR First U.S. Passport OR My Most Recent U.S. Passport Was Issued 15+ Years Ago
Expedited Processing and Faster Shipping
If your travel date is close, $60 added to the application fee buys expedited processing, which shortens the standard four-to-six-week turnaround to roughly two to three weeks.4U.S. Department of State. Processing Times for U.S. Passports
Return shipping is a separate purchase. USPS one-to-three-day delivery from the State Department back to you runs $22.05.5USPS. Passport Appointments, Renewals, and Photo Services A family under time pressure that wants everything as fast as possible would pay the $60 expedite fee and the $22.05 shipping fee on top of the $135 book fee, for a total of $217.05.
Expedite and fast shipping cost the same whether the applicant is 5 or 17.
How the Two Fees Are Paid
The application fee and the acceptance fee are not combined. Each has its own payee and often its own accepted payment method.
The application fee goes to the State Department and must be paid by check or money order made out to “U.S. Department of State.” Write the child’s name and date of birth in the memo line.1U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
The $35 acceptance fee goes directly to the facility handling your appointment. Each location sets its own rules: some take cash, credit, or debit, others accept only checks. Call ahead or check the facility’s listing before you go. You can look up nearby acceptance facilities and their details at the State Department’s online locator at iafdb.travel.state.gov.6U.S. Department of State. Passport Acceptance Facility Search
Other Costs to Budget For
A passport photo is required with the application. Many acceptance facilities offer on-site photo services, typically around $15 to $17, and the facility locator lets you filter for that option. The photo cost is paid to whoever takes the picture, separate from the two passport fees.
If both parents cannot appear with a child under 16, the absent parent must submit a notarized Form DS-3053 Statement of Consent along with a photocopy of their ID.7U.S. Department of State. Statement of Consent – U.S. Passport Issuance to a Child Notary fees vary by state and by notary and are not part of the passport fees themselves, but they are a real line item for many families.