How Much Does a U.S. Passport Cost?
Short answer
A first-time adult U.S. passport book costs $165 total: a $130 application fee paid to the Department of State plus a $35 execution fee paid to the acceptance facility. Adult renewals cost $130 with no execution fee. Optional extras include expedited service ($60), 1–2 day return delivery, and a passport card ($30 application fee for adults).
First-time applications: two separate payments
When you apply in person with form DS-11, you pay two fees. The application fee goes to the U.S. Department of State by check or money order. The $35 execution fee goes to the acceptance facility — the post office, clerk of court, or library that verifies your identity — and many facilities accept cards for this fee.
An adult passport book application fee is $130; a child's (under 16) is $100, plus the same $35 execution fee. Children's passports cost less because they're valid for 5 years instead of 10.
Renewals: one payment, lower cost
Eligible adults renewing with form DS-82 — by mail or online — pay only the $130 application fee. There's no execution fee because no facility verifies your identity in person.
Not everyone qualifies to renew: your most recent passport must be undamaged, issued when you were 16 or older, issued within the last 15 years, and in your current name (or you can document the change). Our renewal guide walks through the eligibility check.
Optional extras that add up
Expedited processing adds $60 per application. One-to-two-day delivery of your completed passport book adds a shipping fee per application. A passport card — valid only for land and sea travel to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean — costs $30 for adults when applied for with or after a book.
Acceptance facilities also sell photos, typically $15–$20, which you can avoid by making a compliant photo at home for free.
Where the money goes
Passport fees fund the consular services that issue and protect your documents — they're set by the State Department and published on its official fee pages. Because fees occasionally change, always confirm current amounts before writing your check: a check for the wrong amount suspends your application.
Our fees page keeps an organized breakdown of every fee category with links to the official schedule.
PassportOffices is an independent resource, not a government website. Rules, fees, and processing times change — always confirm details at travel.state.gov before you travel.