How to Fill Out Form DS-11 to Replace a Damaged Passport

To replace a damaged U.S. passport, fill out Form DS-11 and submit it in person at a passport acceptance facility, along with the damaged passport, proof of citizenship, a photo ID, a passport photo, a signed statement explaining the damage, and two separate payments. A damaged book cannot be renewed by mail on Form DS-82, so this is the required route. Routine processing runs about four to six weeks from the date the State Department receives the application.

Is Your Passport Actually Damaged

Normal wear does not require a DS-11. Fanned pages, a slight bend from a pocket, or general softening of the cover still leave the book valid, and you can renew it by mail when the time comes.¹

Damage that requires in-person replacement includes water stains or mold that obscure printed information, significant tears (especially to the data page), unofficial markings on the biographical page, missing or torn-out visa pages, and hole punches.¹ A passport with a broken electronic chip or a loosened photo is also invalid under federal regulations.²

The test is whether the book can still serve as a reliable travel and identity document. If ink has bled, pages are stuck together, or the cover is significantly torn, treat it as damaged. Airlines can deny boarding and border officials can turn you away if the book looks compromised.³

The DS-82 mail-in renewal form requires that your current passport be undamaged beyond normal wear.⁴ A damaged book fails that test, which is why DS-11 and an in-person appointment are required: an acceptance agent has to physically inspect the document and verify your identity before a replacement can be issued.

What to Bring to Your Appointment

Gather everything before you schedule. Missing a single item means rebooking.

The damaged passport itself. Bring the actual document, even in poor condition. Do not throw it away.
Proof of U.S. citizenship. An original or certified copy of your birth certificate (issued by a city, county, or state vital records office, showing a filing date within one year of birth) or your Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship. Hospital-issued birth certificates alone are not enough. If a standard birth certificate is not available, secondary evidence such as baptismal records, early school records, or an affidavit from someone with knowledge of your birth may be accepted.⁵
Photo identification. A valid driver’s license, government-issued photo ID, military ID, or previous passport counts as primary ID. Without a primary photo ID, you need at least two secondary forms (such as a Social Security card, voter registration card, or expired driver’s license) or an identifying witness who completes Form DS-71.⁶⁷
One passport photo. A 2×2-inch color photo taken within the last six months, with accurate skin tones, no shadows, and your head and shoulders centered. Many pharmacies and shipping stores take them, and some acceptance facilities offer on-site photo services.⁸
A signed damage statement. Write and sign a short, factual explanation of how the passport was damaged: flood, washing machine, a child with a marker, whatever happened. A few sentences is enough. This is a separate document from DS-11.³

You will also need your Social Security number on the application. Federal law requires it.⁹

Filling Out Form DS-11

Download DS-11 from travel.state.gov and print it single-sided, or pick up a paper copy at most acceptance facilities. Fill in your full legal name, date and place of birth, Social Security number, mailing address for the new passport, emergency contact, and travel plans. Confirm that the name on the form matches the name on your citizenship evidence exactly; discrepancies cause delays.

Do not sign the form before your appointment. DS-11 must be signed in front of the acceptance agent, who witnesses the signature and administers an oath. Signing at home means starting over with a fresh form.¹⁰

The form asks whether you want a passport book, a passport card, or both. If your damaged document was a book, you almost certainly want another book. The card only works for land and sea crossings between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and some Caribbean destinations, and cannot be used for international air travel.¹¹

Fees and How to Pay Them

Every DS-11 application requires two separate payments: the application fee, which goes to the U.S. Department of State, and the acceptance (execution) fee, which goes to the facility handling your appointment.¹²

For adults age 16 and older:

Passport book: $130 application fee plus $35 acceptance fee
Passport card: $30 application fee plus $35 acceptance fee
Both book and card: $160 application fee plus $35 acceptance fee

Expedited processing adds $60 to the application fee. Faster one-to-three-day return delivery of the finished passport costs an extra $22.05.¹²

The application fee is paid by personal check, certified check, cashier’s check, traveler’s check, or money order made payable to “U.S. Department of State.” At Post Office facilities, the acceptance fee can be paid by credit card, check, or money order.¹³ Other facility types have their own accepted payment methods, so confirm before you go. Bring two separate forms of payment; the money goes to different entities.

Submitting the Application in Person

Acceptance facilities include post offices, clerks of court, public libraries, and other authorized local government offices. Find one at iafdb.travel.state.gov, where you can search by ZIP code and filter for facilities that take photos on-site.¹⁴

Most facilities require an appointment. Post offices that offer passport services use the USPS Retail Customer Appointment Scheduler online or a lobby self-service kiosk; some allow limited walk-ins, but availability is unpredictable.¹³ Clerk of court offices and other facilities set their own scheduling policies, so call ahead if the locator does not indicate online booking.

At the appointment, the acceptance agent reviews your documents, examines the damaged passport, administers an oath, and watches you sign DS-11. Once everything checks out, the agent packages your application and supporting materials and sends them to a regional passport agency for processing. You will receive a receipt; keep it for tracking.

Processing Time and Tracking

Routine processing runs about four to six weeks from the date the State Department receives your application, and that window does not include mailing time on either end, which can add up to two weeks each way.¹⁵ Expedited processing shortens the window to two to three weeks for the extra $60.¹⁶

Track the status at passportstatus.state.gov using your last name, date of birth, and the last four digits of your Social Security number.¹⁷

Your damaged passport will typically be returned to you after processing, cancelled, along with the new book.

If the Damaged Passport Belongs to a Child

Children under 16 always apply in person on DS-11, whether or not the passport is damaged; they are never eligible for mail-in renewal. Both parents or legal guardians listed on the child’s birth certificate should appear at the facility with the child. If only one parent can attend, the absent parent completes and notarizes Form DS-3053 (Statement of Consent), and the applying parent brings the original notarized form with a copy of the absent parent’s ID. A parent with sole custody can substitute a court order or a birth certificate listing only their name.¹⁸

Fees for minors under 16 are lower:

Passport book: $100 application fee plus $35 acceptance fee
Passport card: $15 application fee plus $35 acceptance fee
Both book and card: $115 application fee plus $35 acceptance fee¹²

If the Damage Happens While You Are Abroad

If your passport is damaged while you are outside the United States, contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. The overseas replacement process still uses Form DS-11 and the same core documents: citizenship evidence, photo ID, a passport photo, and the damaged book. Embassies accept fee payments through pay.gov rather than personal checks.¹⁹

When you have to travel immediately, an embassy may issue a limited-validity emergency passport with a distinctive purple cover, valid for one year or less, to get you home or to your next destination. Once you are back in the United States, you will need to replace that limited-validity book with a standard 10-year passport.²⁰

1
U.S. Department of State. Replace a Passport After a Disaster
2
eCFR. 22 CFR 51.4 – Validity of Passports
3
U.S. Department of State. Frequently Asked Questions About Passport Services
4
U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail
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eCFR. 22 CFR 51.42 – Persons Born in the United States Applying for a Passport for the First Time
6
eCFR. 22 CFR 51.23 – Identity of Applicant
7
U.S. Department of State. Photo ID Requirements
8
U.S. Department of State. Passport Photos
9
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 6039E – Information Concerning Resident Status
10
U.S. Embassy & Consulates. DS-11 and Statement of Condition – Damaged Passport
11
U.S. Department of State. Compare a Passport Card and Book
12
U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
13
USPS. Passports
14
U.S. Department of State. Passport Acceptance Facility Search
15
U.S. Department of State. Get Your Processing Time
16
U.S. Department of State. Get Your Passport Fast
17
U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Application Status
18
U.S. Embassy & Consulates in France. Renew a Passport for a Minor Under Age 16 Without Both Parents Present
19
U.S. Embassy The Hague. Damaged Passports
20
U.S. Department of State. Replace a Limited-Validity Passport