A first-time adult U.S. passport book costs $165, and renewing one costs $130. Those are the everyday US passport prices, but the total you actually pay depends on whether you want a book, a card, or both; whether the applicant is a child; and whether you add expedited processing or faster return shipping.
Current Passport Fees at a Glance
Every passport fee is set by the Department of State. First-time applicants and anyone who doesn’t qualify for renewal file Form DS-11 in person and pay two separate charges: the application fee to the State Department and a $35 acceptance fee to the post office or library that processes the paperwork. Renewals by mail or online skip the acceptance fee entirely.1U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
Adults (Age 16 and Older), First-Time Application
- Passport book: $130 application fee + $35 acceptance fee = $165
- Passport card: $30 application fee + $35 acceptance fee = $65
- Both book and card: $160 application fee + $35 acceptance fee = $195
Children Under 16
- Passport book: $100 application fee + $35 acceptance fee = $135
- Passport card: $15 application fee + $35 acceptance fee = $50
- Both book and card: $115 application fee + $35 acceptance fee = $150
Children’s passports are valid for only five years and cannot be renewed. When a child needs a new one, the family goes through the full first-time application again and pays these fees again.2U.S. Department of State. Frequently Asked Questions about Passport Services
Adult Renewals
- Passport book: $130
- Passport card: $30
- Both book and card: $160
All application and acceptance fees are nonrefundable, even if the passport isn’t issued.1U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
Book, Card, or Both?
The passport book is the standard booklet accepted for all international travel, including flights. The passport card is a wallet-sized alternative valid only at land border crossings and sea ports of entry when traveling to or from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and certain Caribbean countries. It cannot be used for international air travel.3U.S. Department of State. Get a Passport Card Most people need the book. Adding the card to the same application is inexpensive if you regularly drive into Canada or Mexico. Adult books and cards are valid for 10 years.
Why Renewal Is Cheaper
Renewing by mail with Form DS-82 costs less because there is no acceptance facility involved, so the $35 acceptance fee drops off. You qualify to renew only if all of the following are true: your most recent passport was issued when you were at least 16, it was issued within the last 15 years, it was valid for the full 10-year period, it hasn’t been reported lost or stolen, it isn’t significantly damaged, and you can submit it with your application. Name changes require legal documentation such as a marriage certificate or court order.4U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail If you don’t meet all of those conditions, you apply on Form DS-11 as a first-time applicant and pay the higher total.
Online Renewal Costs the Same
Eligible adults can now renew entirely online. The fees match a mail renewal: $130 for a book, $30 for a card, or $160 for both, with no acceptance fee.5U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport Online The real difference is payment. Online renewals accept credit cards, debit cards, PayPal, and Venmo, so there’s no need for a check or money order. Faster return delivery is available for an extra $22.05. One limit: online renewal is offered only at routine processing speed. If you need it expedited, you have to renew by mail or apply in person.
Faster Service and Other Add-Ons
Two optional fees can be added to any route:
- Expedited processing: $60, added on top of the application fee.
- 1–3 day return delivery: $22.05, available for passport books.
These charges stack. An adult applying for a first-time book with expedited processing and fast return shipping pays $130 + $35 + $60 + $22.05, for a total of $247.05.1U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
A separate $150 file search fee applies in the uncommon case where you cannot provide standard proof of citizenship and the State Department has to locate a prior record in federal archives.6U.S. Department of State. United States Passport Fees for Acceptance Facilities
Lost, Stolen, or Damaged Passports
A passport that has been lost, stolen, or badly damaged cannot be renewed. You report the loss on Form DS-64 and then apply fresh on Form DS-11, paying the full first-time application fee plus the $35 acceptance fee. For an adult book that is $165; for a child’s book, $135.1U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees There is no separate charge for the DS-64 itself, but you lose access to the cheaper renewal pricing no matter how recently the previous passport was issued.
Free and Low-Cost Corrections
If your name changed within the past year and your passport was also issued within the past year, you can update it at no cost using Form DS-5504. The only optional charge on that route is the $60 expedite fee. Printing errors made by the State Department are corrected for free while the passport is still valid.7U.S. Department of State. Change or Correct a Passport Once either the passport or the name change is more than a year old, the free option ends and you pay the standard DS-82 or DS-11 fees.
How You Pay
Payment method depends on how you apply, and this is where applicants often get caught out.
For an in-person application on Form DS-11, you make two separate payments. The application fee can go to the State Department by personal check, money order made out to “U.S. Department of State,” or online through Pay.gov by credit card, debit card, PayPal, or Venmo before your appointment.8Pay.gov. Form DS-11 Passport Application Fee If you write a check, put the applicant’s full name and date of birth on the memo line.9U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees The $35 acceptance fee is paid separately at the facility, and each location sets its own accepted methods, so ask before you go.
For a mail renewal on Form DS-82, you send one check or money order with the application; there is no acceptance fee.10United States Postal Service. Passports Because your current passport travels in that envelope, a trackable mailing method is worth using. For an online renewal, you pay by credit or debit card directly through the State Department’s website.5U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport Online