How Much Does a Passport Book and Card Cost? Renewals and Rush Fees

A first-time U.S. passport book and card cost $165 and $65 respectively for an adult, or $195 if you apply for both at the same time. Renewals are cheaper because you skip the $35 acceptance facility fee: $130 for the book, $30 for the card, or $160 for both. Children under 16 pay less on the application side but always apply as first-timers, so the facility fee applies every time. Optional expedited processing adds $60, and 1-to-3-day return delivery adds another $22.05.¹

Which Document You Actually Need

The book and card are priced differently because they do different things. The passport book works for all international travel by air, land, or sea, and lasts 10 years for adults, 5 years for children issued one before age 16.²

The card is wallet-sized and covers only land and sea crossings between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean. It cannot be used for international flights of any kind. It does count as a REAL ID-compliant document for domestic flights and federal buildings.³ If you live near the northern or southern border and rarely fly overseas, the $65 card can stand on its own. Most travelers will want the book.

First-Time Application Fees

Every first-time application involves two separate payments. The application fee goes to the U.S. Department of State. The $35 acceptance facility fee goes to the location where you submit your paperwork, usually a post office, clerk’s office, or library. You write two separate checks or money orders, one for each.¹

Adults (Age 16 and Older)

Passport book: $130 application fee + $35 facility fee = $165
Passport card: $30 application fee + $35 facility fee = $65
Both together: $160 application fee + $35 facility fee = $195

Applying for both at once saves you $35 compared with applying separately, because the facility fee is only charged once.¹

Minors (Under Age 16)

Passport book: $100 application fee + $35 facility fee = $135
Passport card: $15 application fee + $35 facility fee = $50
Both together: $115 application fee + $35 facility fee = $150

Children must apply in person using Form DS-11, and both parents or legal guardians generally need to appear. A child’s passport expires after five years, so families should expect to pay again well before an adult would.¹

Renewal Fees

Renewing costs less because you skip the $35 facility fee. You can renew by mail using Form DS-82, or online.¹

Passport book: $130
Passport card: $30
Both together: $160

To qualify for the cheaper renewal path, your most recent passport must have been issued when you were 16 or older, issued within the last 15 years, undamaged, never reported lost or stolen, and in your current legal name (or you can document the name change).⁴ If any of those don’t apply, you’ll have to file in person as a first-timer and pay the full $165.

Children under 16 never renew. Each new passport for a minor is a fresh in-person application at first-time fees.

Online renewal costs the same as mail renewal, with one catch worth knowing about before you pick that route: the State Department cancels your current passport as soon as you submit online. The physical booklet stays in your hands but stops working for travel. If you have an upcoming trip, mail renewal keeps your old passport valid until the new one arrives.⁵

Paying for Speed

Standard processing takes 4 to 6 weeks from when the State Department receives your application, not from when you drop it in the mail. Add another couple of weeks for mailing in each direction and the realistic door-to-door timeline is often 6 to 10 weeks.⁶

For $60 per application, expedited service cuts processing to 2 to 3 weeks. You can add it to any new application or renewal, filed in person, by mail, or online. The fee sits on top of your regular application fee.¹

Another $22.05 buys 1-to-3-day return delivery of your finished passport book. It only covers the trip from the State Department to your U.S. address, and only for books. Cards always come by standard First Class Mail.¹

An adult rushing a first-time book with both the expedite fee and fast return delivery would pay $130 + $35 + $60 + $22.05, for a total of $247.05.

If you’re traveling internationally within 14 days, you can book an in-person appointment at a passport agency or center. The cost is the same $60 expedite fee, not an added charge, and you’ll need proof of your upcoming travel. Appointments are not guaranteed.⁶

Situations That Change the Price

Lost or Stolen Passports

Replacing a lost or stolen passport pushes you back to first-time fees. You can’t renew by mail; you apply in person with Form DS-11 and pay the application fee plus the $35 facility fee. For an adult replacing a book, that’s $165.⁴ A reported-lost passport is also permanently disqualified from the cheaper renewal path in the future.

Name Changes and Printing Errors

If the State Department printed something wrong, they correct it at no charge. You send Form DS-5504 with your current passport, a photo, and evidence of the error.⁷

A legal name change is also free using the same DS-5504 form, but only if your passport was issued less than a year ago. Expedited service on that update still costs $60. Past the one-year mark, you renew (DS-82) or reapply in person (DS-11) and pay the standard fees for that route.⁷

File Search Fee

If you once held a U.S. passport but can’t produce it as proof of citizenship, the State Department may need to search its records. This mainly comes up with passports issued before 1994. The file search adds $150 on top of your regular fees.¹

Second Passport Book

Frequent travelers can apply for a second valid passport book when their primary is tied up in a visa application or certain entry stamps would cause problems elsewhere. The application fee is the same $130 as a regular adult book, and the second book is valid for 4 years or less. The State Department does not issue second cards. Whether you also owe the $35 facility fee depends on whether you can submit your current full-validity passport with the application or need to apply in person.⁸

Small Costs People Forget

A compliant passport photo runs $15 at U.S. Postal Service locations that offer the service.⁹ Pharmacies and shipping stores charge in the same range. You can also take one at home for almost nothing if you follow the State Department’s photo requirements carefully.

For a child’s application where one parent can’t appear, the absent parent’s consent form (DS-3053) has to be signed in front of a notary or passport authorizing officer.¹⁰ Notary fees vary by state, typically $5 to $15 for a single signature.

Payment methods matter too. The application fee to the State Department must be a check or money order. The $35 facility fee can usually be paid by check, money order, cash, or card, though some acceptance facilities add a small convenience fee for card transactions.¹ Online renewals accept credit and debit cards for the application fee.

Quick Fee Reference

Adult first-time book: $165 ($130 + $35 facility fee)
Adult first-time card: $65 ($30 + $35)
Adult first-time both: $195 ($160 + $35)
Minor book: $135 ($100 + $35)
Minor card: $50 ($15 + $35)
Minor both: $150 ($115 + $35)
Adult book renewal: $130
Adult card renewal: $30
Adult both renewal: $160
Expedited processing: $60
1-to-3-day return delivery: $22.05
File search (pre-1994 passports): $150
Passport photo (USPS): $15

These reflect the State Department’s schedule as of early 2026. Fees can change, so confirm the current amounts on the State Department’s passport fees page before you send anything in.¹

1
U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
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U.S. Department of State. Frequently Asked Questions about Passport Services
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U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passports and REAL ID
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U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail
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U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport Online
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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. Change or Correct a Passport
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U.S. Department of State. How to Apply for a Second Passport Book
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United States Postal Service. Passport Application and Passport Renewal
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U.S. Department of State. Statement of Consent: U.S. Passport Issuance to a Child