The mailing address for a U.S. passport application depends on which form you’re sending and whether you’re paying for expedited service. Routine renewals on Form DS-82 go to one of two P.O. Boxes, split by state. Every expedited application goes to a single Philadelphia address regardless of where you live. Corrections and name changes on Form DS-5504 use their own boxes. Get the address wrong and the envelope either bounces back or drifts, so confirm the right one before you seal it.
Where to Mail a Passport Renewal (Form DS-82)
The State Department splits routine DS-82 processing between two National Passport Processing Centers based on your state of residence. Expedited renewals all funnel to Philadelphia.
Routine Service
If you live in California, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, or Texas, mail your DS-82 and supporting documents to:
National Passport Processing Center
Post Office Box 640155
Irving, TX 75064-0155
If you live in any other state, mail to:
National Passport Processing Center
Post Office Box 90155
Philadelphia, PA 19190-0155
Routine processing runs 4 to 6 weeks after the application reaches the center, and that window doesn’t include the mail on either end. The State Department notes envelopes can take up to two weeks to arrive and another two weeks to come back, so plan on 8 to 10 weeks door to door.1U.S. Department of State. Processing Times for U.S. Passports
Expedited Service
For expedited processing, everyone sends the DS-82 to the same place regardless of state:
National Passport Processing Center
Post Office Box 90955
Philadelphia, PA 19190-0955
Write “EXPEDITE” on the outside of the envelope. Expedited service adds $60 to the application fee and cuts processing time to 2 to 3 weeks, again not counting mail transit.2U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail For an extra $22.05 you can add 1-to-3-day return delivery of the finished passport.3U.S. Department of State. How to Get my U.S. Passport Fast
Where to Mail Corrections and Name Changes (Form DS-5504)
If your passport arrived with a printing error, a data mistake, or you legally changed your name within one year of the issue date, you use Form DS-5504. Corrections inside that one-year window are free.4U.S. Department of State. Passport Forms
For routine service, mail DS-5504 to:
National Passport Processing Center
Post Office Box 90107
Philadelphia, PA 19190-0107
For expedited service (add $60), mail to:
National Passport Processing Center
Post Office Box 90907
Philadelphia, PA 19190-0907
Write “EXPEDITE” on the envelope if you’re paying for faster processing. Use USPS.5U.S. Department of State. Application for a U.S. Passport – DS-5504
What Goes in the Envelope and How to Ship It
A DS-82 renewal packet needs all of the following:
- The completed DS-82, filled out online, printed single-sided, then signed and dated by hand. Double-sided printouts get rejected.
- Your most recent passport book or card. You’ll get it back with a hole punch once the new one is issued.
- One 2-by-2-inch color passport photo taken within the last six months, white or off-white background, no glasses, stapled to the application at the four corners.
- A certified copy of a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order if your name has changed.
- Payment by personal check, certified check, cashier’s check, traveler’s check, or money order made out to “U.S. Department of State,” with the applicant’s full name and date of birth written on the front. No cash.
An adult passport book renewal is $130 routine, $190 with the expedite fee, and another $22.05 if you want faster return delivery.6U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
Ship through USPS with a trackable method such as Priority Mail. FedEx and UPS cannot deliver to P.O. Boxes, so anything sent through a private carrier won’t arrive.2U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail
Who Can Actually Renew by Mail
Form DS-82 is only available if all of these are true: your most recent passport was issued when you were 16 or older, it was issued less than 15 years ago, it’s undamaged and hasn’t been reported lost or stolen, you can submit it with your application, and your name is either the same or you have a certified document showing the legal change.2U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail
Fail any of those and you cannot mail your application at all. You’ll need Form DS-11 and an in-person visit to an authorized acceptance facility, which is the route for first-time applicants, children under 16, and anyone whose previous passport was lost, stolen, damaged, issued more than 15 years ago, or issued before age 16.7U.S. Department of State. Apply for Your Adult Passport
Damage is the one people misjudge. Normal wear from carrying a passport in a pocket is fine. Water damage, a significant tear, a hole punch, missing pages, or unauthorized markings on the data page all disqualify you from DS-82 and require DS-11 in person, with the damaged passport and a signed statement explaining what happened.8U.S. Department of State. Frequently Asked Questions about Passport Services
Mailing From Canada
U.S. citizens in Canada who qualify for a DS-82 renewal can mail to the same domestic P.O. Boxes above, using Canada Post instead of USPS. Payment must be a check or money order drawn on a U.S. bank and payable in U.S. dollars. Canadian residents outside the six DS-82 “state” list use the Philadelphia box for routine service.9U.S. Department of State. Apply for a Passport Outside the United States
One catch: if you pay fees through pay.gov instead of mailing a check, you send the application to the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa or a U.S. consulate rather than to a domestic P.O. Box, and expedited service is not available on that route. The finished passport returns by USPS First Class Mail either way.9U.S. Department of State. Apply for a Passport Outside the United States
When the Mail Won’t Work
If you’re traveling internationally within 14 calendar days, or need a foreign visa within 28 days, mailing an application isn’t a viable option. Schedule an appointment at a regional passport agency or center online or by calling 1-877-487-2778. Appointments are required and not guaranteed to be available.3U.S. Department of State. How to Get my U.S. Passport Fast
Life-or-death emergencies get the fastest turnaround. You may qualify if an immediate family member outside the United States has died, is dying, or has a life-threatening illness or injury and you need to travel within two weeks. Immediate family means a parent, child, spouse, sibling, or grandparent. Traveling abroad for your own medical treatment does not qualify. You’ll need documentation of the emergency (a death certificate, a mortuary statement, or a letter on hospital letterhead signed by a doctor) plus proof of imminent travel such as a flight itinerary. Non-English documents must be professionally translated.10U.S. Department of State. Get a Passport if you Have a Life-or-Death Emergency
Tracking After You Mail It
Once your envelope is on its way, you can check status at passportstatus.state.gov using your last name, date of birth, and the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you put an email address on the application, you’ll get automatic status updates.11U.S. Department of State. Checking Your Passport Application Status
USPS tracking covers the trip to the processing center; the online status tool covers what happens after. A lag of several weeks between USPS delivery confirmation and the first status update is normal during peak processing.