To apply for a passport at the post office, you book an appointment at a participating location, bring a completed but unsigned Form DS-11 along with proof of citizenship, a photo ID with photocopies, a 2-by-2-inch passport photo, and two separate payments. A postal clerk verifies your documents, watches you sign the form, seals the package, and mails it to a State Department processing center.
The whole visit runs about 15 minutes if you arrive prepared. Show up missing a document or the right kind of payment and the clerk will send you home to reschedule.
When the Post Office Is the Right Route
The in-person route with Form DS-11 is for people who can’t renew by mail. That includes first-time applicants, anyone whose passport was lost, stolen, or damaged, anyone whose most recent passport was issued more than 15 years ago or before they turned 16, and every child under 18.
If your last passport is undamaged, was issued when you were 16 or older, and is less than 15 years old, you don’t need the post office at all. You can renew by mail using Form DS-82 instead.
Book the Appointment First
Most post offices that handle passports require an appointment. Schedule one through the USPS Retail Customer Appointment Scheduler at tools.usps.com/rcas.htm or at a self-service kiosk inside the lobby.1United States Postal Service. Passport Application and Passport Renewal Not every branch offers the service. The State Department’s acceptance facility search at iafdb.travel.state.gov lists participating offices near you.2U.S. Department of State. Passport Acceptance Facility Search Page
Call before you go to confirm which payment methods the location accepts for the execution fee. Practices vary.
What to Bring
Proof of U.S. Citizenship
The straightforward option is a certified birth certificate issued by a city, county, or state, with the registrar’s seal. Citizens born abroad can use a Consular Report of Birth Abroad. Photocopies and notarized copies of these documents are not accepted; only the original or a certified copy will do.3U.S. Department of State. Get Citizenship Evidence for a U.S. Passport
The clerk mails your original document to the processing center along with the application. The State Department returns it separately once your passport is issued, so don’t be alarmed when the birth certificate leaves the counter with everything else.
Photo ID and Photocopies
Bring a valid photo ID. Common choices are an in-state driver’s license, a government employee ID, a U.S. military ID, a current or expired U.S. passport, a Certificate of Naturalization, a foreign passport, or a Trusted Traveler card such as Global Entry or NEXUS.4U.S. Department of State. Get Photo ID for a U.S. Passport
You also need a photocopy of the front and back of every ID you present. The copies must be on standard 8.5-by-11-inch white paper, and the image cannot be shrunk. Same size as the original or larger.4U.S. Department of State. Get Photo ID for a U.S. Passport
Passport Photo
You need one recent color photo, 2 by 2 inches, taken against a plain white or off-white background with no shadows. Your head must measure between 1 inch and 1⅜ inches from chin to crown. Eyeglasses have to come off, with the only exception being a signed doctor’s note about a medical reason you can’t remove them. Uniforms and camouflage clothing aren’t allowed. No hats or head coverings unless worn for religious purposes.5U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Photos
Many post offices that accept passport applications will take the photo for you on-site for $15, which saves a separate errand.1United States Postal Service. Passport Application and Passport Renewal Drug stores and shipping stores offer the same service at roughly the same price.
Filling Out Form DS-11
Form DS-11 is the application for a new passport book, passport card, or both. Fill it out online at the State Department’s site and print it, or pick up a paper copy at the post office and complete it by hand in black ink.6U.S. Department of State. DS-11 Application for a U.S. Passport
The form asks for your Social Security number, which federal law requires if you have one, and for your parents’ full names, dates of birth, and birthplaces. Correction fluid and strikethroughs aren’t accepted on the paper form. If you make a mistake, start over on a fresh copy.6U.S. Department of State. DS-11 Application for a U.S. Passport
Leave the signature line blank. This is the single most common mistake people make at the counter. The postal clerk has to physically watch you sign the form under federal rules for executing a passport application.7eCFR. 22 CFR 51.21 – Execution of Passport Application If you signed at home, the clerk cannot accept the form, and you’ll have to redo it on the spot.1United States Postal Service. Passport Application and Passport Renewal
Book, Card, or Both
The DS-11 asks which you want. The passport book works for all international travel by air, land, or sea. The passport card is wallet-sized and only valid for land or sea entry to the U.S. from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and some Caribbean countries. The card cannot be used to fly internationally.8U.S. Department of State. Compare a Passport Card and Book Applying for both together costs less than adding the card later.
Fees and How to Pay
You’ll make two separate payments because the money goes to two different places. The application fee goes to the Department of State. The execution fee goes to the post office for handling the paperwork.
For applicants age 16 and older:
- Passport book: $130 application fee plus $35 execution fee, for $165 total
- Passport card: $30 application fee plus $35 execution fee, for $65 total
- Both book and card: $160 application fee plus $35 execution fee, for $195 total
For children under 16, the application fee for a book and card together is $115, plus the same $35 execution fee.9U.S. Department of State. United States Passport Fees for Acceptance Facilities
The application fee typically has to be paid by personal check or money order made out to “U.S. Department of State.” If you don’t have checks, the post office sells money orders for $2.55 on amounts up to $500.10USPS. Money Orders The execution fee is paid separately at the counter, and accepted payment methods vary by location. Some take credit or debit cards or cash; others only take checks.11U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
You can also add expedited processing for $60 and 1-to-3-day return delivery for $22.05 on passport books shipped to U.S. addresses.9U.S. Department of State. United States Passport Fees for Acceptance Facilities
What Happens at the Counter
Arrive at least 10 minutes early with everything organized: your completed unsigned DS-11, citizenship document, photo ID and photocopies, passport photo, and both payments.12United States Postal Service. Schedule An Appointment
The clerk reviews your citizenship evidence and ID against federal standards, then asks you to sign the DS-11 while watching. That witnessed signature is what makes the application legally valid.7eCFR. 22 CFR 51.21 – Execution of Passport Application After collecting the fees, the clerk seals the package and gives you a receipt with a tracking reference.
If Your Last Passport Was Lost or Stolen
Before applying for a replacement, report the missing passport to the State Department using Form DS-64. You can file it online, by phone at 1-877-487-2778, or by mailing the paper form. Once reported, the old passport is permanently cancelled, even if it turns up later.13USAGov. Lost or Stolen Passports
After that, apply in person at the post office with Form DS-11 the same way a first-time applicant would.13USAGov. Lost or Stolen Passports
Applying for a Child
Children under 16 must apply in person, and both parents or legal guardians should attend if possible. At least one parent has to be present to sign the application.14USAGov. Get a Passport for a Minor Under 18
If one parent can’t come, the absent parent completes Form DS-3053 (Statement of Consent) in front of a notary and includes a photocopy of the ID they showed the notary. The notarized consent expires 90 days after signing, so don’t handle it too far in advance.15U.S. Department of State. Statement of Consent – Issuance of a U.S. Passport to a Child
For 16- and 17-year-olds, a parent either attends the appointment or provides a signed statement acknowledging that the teen is applying. The acceptance agent can still ask for a notarized DS-3053, so it doesn’t hurt to have one ready.14USAGov. Get a Passport for a Minor Under 18
Child passports are valid for 5 years, compared with 10 years for adults.16U.S. Department of State. After You Get Your New Passport
After You Leave the Counter
As of early 2026, routine processing takes 4 to 6 weeks, with mailing adding roughly another 2 weeks. Expedited processing runs 2 to 3 weeks before mailing.17U.S. Department of State. How to Get My U.S. Passport Fast
Track your application at passportstatus.state.gov using your last name, date of birth, and the last four digits of your Social Security number.18U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Application Status Give it a couple of weeks after your appointment before expecting an update; the package has to reach the processing center and get logged in first.