How to Renew Your Passport by Mail with Form DS-82: Complete Walkthrough
Short answer
Most adults renew by mail on Form DS-82: confirm you meet all five eligibility rules, complete the form online or in black ink, attach one compliant 2x2 photo, enclose your most recent passport and a check or money order to "U.S. Department of State" for the fee, and mail everything in a large envelope without folding. Write "EXPEDITE" on the envelope if you pay for faster service.
Check your eligibility first
You can renew by mail only if all of these are true: you have your most recent passport in your possession; it is undamaged; it was issued when you were 16 or older; it was issued within the last 15 years; and it is in your current name, or you can document your name change with a certified marriage certificate or court order.
If any answer is no — for example your passport was lost, damaged, or issued more than 15 years ago — you must apply in person on Form DS-11 instead. Our renewal guide has a side-by-side comparison.
Complete the form correctly
Fill out DS-82 using the State Department's online form filler or print it and complete it in black ink, single-sided. Sign and date it — unsigned applications are the most common reason renewals get suspended and mailed back.
Double-check your Social Security number, mailing address, and travel plans section. Errors here are what turn a routine renewal into weeks of delay.
Photo, payment, and packaging
Staple one 2x2 inch color photo — taken within the last six months, white background, no glasses — to the form using four vertical staples in the corners. Do not bend or tape the photo. Our photo requirements checklist and free photo tool make this easy to get right.
Pay with a personal check or money order payable to "U.S. Department of State" with your full name and date of birth written on the memo line. Place everything flat in a large envelope — do not fold the form or the passport — and use a trackable mailing service.
Mailing address and faster options
The correct mailing address depends on your state and on whether you are paying for expedited service — the addresses are printed on the DS-82 instructions. Sending to the wrong address costs you days.
To expedite, include the additional $60 expedite fee, write "EXPEDITE" on the envelope exterior, and consider 1–2 day return delivery. Traveling within 14 days? Skip the mail entirely and book a regional agency appointment instead.
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.