The passport renewal fee for a 10-year adult passport book is $130 when you renew by mail or online. A passport card by itself is $30, and getting the book and card together costs $160. Those are the base application fees; faster processing and quicker shipping cost extra, and a small group of renewers end up paying $35 more because they have to apply in person instead.
The Base Fees
For adults 16 and older who qualify to renew, the Department of State charges a flat application fee for each document type:
- Passport book: $130
- Passport card: $30
- Passport book and card together: $160
The fee is the same whether you file online or by mail.1U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees None of it is refundable, even if your application is denied.
One thing to know about the card: it only works for land and sea travel between the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. Most international travelers need the book. If you already have a book and want to add a card for the first time, you can do that through a mail-in renewal for the combined $160.
What Faster Service Costs
Routine processing currently runs four to six weeks. Expedited service brings that down to two to three weeks and adds $60 to your total, whether you’re renewing a book, a card, or both.2U.S. Department of State. Processing Times for U.S. Passports Those timelines cover the period from when the State Department receives your application to when they mail out the finished document, so leave room for shipping on both ends.
For another $22.05, your completed passport book can ship back to you by 1-3 day delivery once it’s issued.1U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees The upgrade only applies to books. Cards always go by standard first-class mail.
Stacking the options for a passport book:
- Routine processing, standard shipping: $130
- Expedited processing, standard shipping: $190
- Expedited processing with 1-3 day delivery: $212.05
When You’ll Pay More Than $130
Not every passport holder is allowed to renew. You can use the renewal process by mail or online only if your most recent passport:
- Can be submitted with your application (not lost or stolen)
- Is undamaged beyond normal wear and tear
- Was issued when you were 16 or older
- Was issued less than 15 years ago
- Was issued in your current name, or you can document a legal name change
Fail any of those tests and you have to apply in person on Form DS-11, which carries a $35 execution fee paid to the acceptance facility on top of the $130 application fee.1U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees A passport that expired more than 15 years ago, one reported stolen, or one with water damage or missing pages all trigger this requirement.3U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail The practical difference: someone who lets a passport sit in a drawer for 16 years pays $165 instead of $130 and has to appear in person.
Paying Online vs. Paying by Mail
The application fees are identical whichever route you use, but the payment methods and available services are not.
Online Renewal
Online renewal takes credit and debit cards, and you can add the $22.05 delivery upgrade at checkout. What you can’t add is expedited processing, which isn’t offered online. If you need your passport in less than six weeks, mail-in is your only option.4U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport Online
Online renewal also has stricter eligibility. You have to be at least 25, your passport must be expiring within a year or have expired less than five years ago, and you can’t be changing your name or other personal information. You need to be in a U.S. state or territory when you submit, and you can’t be traveling for at least six weeks after submission.4U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport Online You can also only renew the type of document you already hold. Adding a card to an existing book means going by mail.
Mail-In Renewal
Mail-in renewal uses Form DS-82 and opens up to anyone 16 or older whose passport was issued within the last 15 years and who meets the other eligibility rules. Expedited processing is available.3U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail
Payment is the catch. Mail-in renewals only accept a personal check or money order made out to the U.S. Department of State. No cash, no credit cards. Write the applicant’s full name and date of birth on the front of the check or money order so it can be matched to the file.3U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail Add up the base fee plus any upgrades before you write the amount; an incorrect payment can hold up the application.