Passport fees for minors run $135 for a child under 16 getting a passport book and $165 for a 16- or 17-year-old, with a cheaper passport card option and optional upgrades that can add another $82. Every price combines two separate payments: an application fee to the U.S. Department of State and a $35 execution fee to the facility where you submit the paperwork.
What a Passport Costs for a Child Under 16
Children under 16 pay a lower application fee than adults, but the passport is only valid for five years.1U.S. Department of State. Apply for a Child’s U.S. Passport Every applicant in this age group has to apply in person using Form DS-11, and there is no mail-in renewal option, so the full fee applies every time.2U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail A child who first gets a passport at age 2 will go through this again at 7 and 12.
- Passport book: $100 application fee + $35 execution fee = $135 total
- Passport card: $15 application fee + $35 execution fee = $50 total
- Book and card together: $115 application fee + $35 execution fee = $150 total
The passport card is cheaper, but it only works for land and sea travel to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean. It cannot be used for any international air travel.3U.S. Department of State. Get a Passport Card Most families end up needing the book. Ordering both documents at the same time is cheaper than applying for each separately later.
What a Passport Costs at 16 and 17
Once an applicant turns 16, they pay the same fees as adults:
- Passport book: $130 application fee + $35 execution fee = $165 total
- Passport card: $30 application fee + $35 execution fee = $65 total
- Book and card together: $160 application fee + $35 execution fee = $195 total
The higher price buys a passport that lasts 10 years instead of five.4USAGov. Get a Passport for a Minor Under 18 If a child is close to their 16th birthday, waiting a few weeks and paying the extra $30 can be the better deal, since it doubles the validity period.
Consent rules also loosen at 16. Instead of both parents appearing at the acceptance facility, the State Department only requires that one parent or legal guardian is “aware” the teen is applying. Awareness can be shown by a parent appearing with the teen, providing a signed note, or paying the fees with a check or money order in the parent’s name.5U.S. Department of State. Apply for Your Passport as a 16-17 Year Old
Expedited Processing and Fast Delivery
Routine processing runs four to six weeks, and that clock does not include the time your application and finished passport spend in the mail.6U.S. Department of State. Processing Times for U.S. Passports Two optional upgrades can shorten that timeline, both paid to the Department of State on top of the base fees:
- Expedited processing: $60. Cuts processing to two to three weeks.7U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs. United States Passport Fees
- 1–3 day delivery: $22.05. Speeds the finished passport book to your mailbox once it leaves the agency. Available only for passport books shipped to U.S. addresses; passport cards always ship by standard mail.7U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs. United States Passport Fees
A family getting a passport book for a child under 16 with both upgrades pays $135 + $60 + $22.05 = $217.05. The fees are non-refundable and don’t lock in a specific delivery date. They prioritize your application in the queue, but backlogs still happen. Applying two to three months before a trip is the easiest way to skip these charges entirely.
How the Payment Actually Works
You cannot write one check for the full amount. The application fee goes to the U.S. Department of State, and the $35 execution fee goes to the acceptance facility, which is usually a post office or county clerk’s office. Most facilities enforce the split strictly.
The application fee is paid by personal check or money order made out to “U.S. Department of State.” Cash is not accepted for this payment.2U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail In some regions, the State Department also accepts online payment through Pay.gov by credit card, debit card, PayPal, or Venmo.8Pay.gov. Fee for U.S. Passport Application Submitted at Acceptance Facility
The $35 execution fee is a separate payment, and accepted methods vary by facility. Some post offices take credit cards and cash; others only take checks. The State Department recommends calling your specific facility before your appointment so you aren’t turned away at the counter.9U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
Costs Beyond the Government Fees
The federal fees are only part of what you’ll spend. A passport photo at a retail location typically runs around $15, and a money order to cover the application fee usually adds a few dollars in service charges. If a parent can’t attend the appointment and needs to submit a notarized Statement of Consent, notary fees generally fall in the $5 to $15 range.
Realistic all-in cost for an under-16 passport book with no rush, once photo and money order are included, lands around $155 to $160. Add expedited processing and fast delivery and the total pushes past $230. For families applying for more than one child at once, those extras stack quickly, so it’s worth pricing the whole appointment before you go, not just the government fee.