How to Apply for a Passport at the Post Office: Steps and Costs

To apply for a passport at the post office, book an appointment at a participating branch, bring a completed but unsigned Form DS-11 along with proof of U.S. citizenship, a photo ID, a passport photo, and the required fees. A postal acceptance agent will witness your signature, take your oath, and mail the sealed application to a State Department processing center. Post offices handle first-time applications only; they do not print or issue the passport itself.

Find a Participating Post Office and Book an Appointment

Not every post office offers passport services. Participating branches are formally designated as “acceptance facilities” by the State Department, and you can search for them on the State Department’s facility locator or through the USPS website.¹

Most passport-equipped post offices do three things: accept first-time DS-11 applications, hand out blank forms, and take passport photos for $15.² Hours and photo availability vary by branch. Book through the USPS scheduling tool; appointments usually run about 15 minutes per applicant.³

Book, Card, or Both

Decide before your appointment which document you need. The passport book is the standard booklet and works for all international travel, including flights. The passport card is a wallet-sized plastic card that only covers land and sea crossings between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean. You cannot board an international flight with just the card.⁴

The card is REAL ID-compliant for domestic flights and is a cheaper option if you cross a land border frequently. You can apply for both on the same DS-11.

What to Bring to Your Appointment

Form DS-11

Fill out Form DS-11 online at the State Department’s website and print it, or pick up a blank copy at the post office. Do not sign it. The acceptance agent has to witness your signature and administer an oath in person.⁵

Proof of U.S. Citizenship

Bring an original citizenship document. Most applicants use a certified birth certificate from a city, county, or state vital records office. To qualify, it must show your full name, date and place of birth, both parents’ full names, the registrar’s signature, a filing date within one year of birth, and an official seal or stamp.⁶ Hospital birth certificates and photocopies are not accepted.

If you were born abroad, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, a Certificate of Naturalization, or a Certificate of Citizenship works. A previous full-validity, undamaged U.S. passport is also acceptable regardless of where you were born.⁶ Applicants without a standard birth certificate on file should review the State Department’s alternate evidence rules before the appointment.

Your original document travels with the application to the processing center and comes back separately after processing. If you need it for something else in the meantime, plan for it to be out of your hands for several weeks.

Photo Identification

An in-state driver’s license with a photo is the simplest primary ID. Other acceptable options are a valid or expired U.S. passport, a naturalization or citizenship certificate, a government employee ID, a military ID, or a current foreign passport.⁷

Without a primary ID, you can substitute two secondary documents, such as an out-of-state license, a Social Security card, a voter registration card, a student ID, or a signed Form DS-71 from an identifying witness present at the facility.⁷

Passport Photo

The photo must be in color, taken within the last six months, with a plain white or off-white background. Face the camera, keep a neutral expression or a natural smile, eyes open, no glasses, no hats. Religious or medical head coverings are allowed as long as your full face is visible.⁸ If you’re not sure your photo will pass, having it taken at the post office for $15 during your appointment is the safer option.

If the Applicant Is a Child

Children under 16 must appear in person with both parents or legal guardians. Both parents sign the application and show valid ID. If one parent cannot attend, that parent submits a notarized statement of consent on Form DS-3053.⁹ Applicants aged 16 and 17 can apply on their own with proper ID, but a parent must either attend or provide a signed statement acknowledging the application.¹⁰

What It Costs

Passport fees split into two payments: an application fee that goes to the State Department, and a $35 execution fee that goes to the post office. The State Department fee must be paid by check or money order. The post office execution fee can generally be paid by credit card, debit card, check, or money order. Applying for both a book and a card at the same time means one execution fee but both application fees.¹¹

Adult passport book (16 and older): $130 application fee plus $35 execution fee, $165 total.
Child passport book (under 16): $100 application fee plus $35 execution fee, $135 total.
Adult passport card: $30 application fee plus $35 execution fee.
Child passport card: $15 application fee plus $35 execution fee.
Expedited processing: additional $60 on top of the application fee.
Fast return shipping: $22.05 for 1-to-3-day delivery of the finished passport.

What Happens at the Appointment

The acceptance agent reviews your DS-11, verifies your citizenship document and photo ID, and checks that your photo meets specifications. You raise your right hand, take a brief oath affirming your application is true, and sign the form in front of the agent. The agent then seals your application, original citizenship evidence, photo, and State Department payment into a package and mails it to a passport processing center.⁵

Processing Times and Tracking

Routine processing takes 4 to 6 weeks. Paying the extra $60 for expedited processing brings that down to 2 to 3 weeks.¹² Those windows cover processing only. Add up to two weeks for mail transit on each end.¹³ The $22.05 return delivery fee speeds the passport back to you but does nothing for the outbound leg.

Check status through the State Department’s online tracker using your last name, date of birth, and the last four digits of your Social Security number. Your application may take up to two weeks to appear in the system.¹⁴ If you gave an email address on the form, status updates will also arrive by email.

When the Post Office Isn’t the Right Route

If you already have a passport, you may not need the post office at all. You can renew by mail using Form DS-82 or through the State Department’s online renewal system if your most recent passport was issued within the last 15 years, was issued when you were 16 or older, is undamaged, has never been reported lost or stolen, and is in your current legal name (or you can document the name change).¹⁵ The adult book renewal fee is $130 with no execution fee because you aren’t visiting an acceptance facility.¹⁶ If your passport doesn’t meet those conditions, you start over with Form DS-11 at an acceptance facility like any first-time applicant.

The post office also cannot help if you’re already inside the routine or expedited processing window. Applicants with international travel within the next 14 calendar days, or who need a foreign visa within 28 calendar days, must book an appointment at a regional passport agency and bring proof of travel. Call 1-877-487-2778 to schedule.¹⁷

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U.S. Department of State. Passport Acceptance Facility Search Page
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United States Postal Service. Passport Application and Passport Renewal
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United States Postal Service. USPS – Schedule An Appointment
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U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passports and REAL ID
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USAGov. Apply for a New Adult Passport
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U.S. Department of State. Get Citizenship Evidence for a U.S. Passport
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U.S. Department of State. Get Photo ID for a U.S. Passport
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Travel.State.Gov. Uploading a Digital Photo
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U.S. Department of State. Apply for a Child’s Passport Under 16
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USAGov. Get a Passport for a Minor Under 18
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U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
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U.S. Department of State. Processing Times for U.S. Passports
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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. Make an Appointment at a Passport Agency or Center