U.S. passport fees

Current passport fee schedule

The fees below are set by the U.S. Department of State, effective 2026 per the fees page last updated March 19, 2026.

Fees are paid by check or money order to the U.S. Department of State. The $35 execution fee is paid separately to the acceptance facility. Return delivery via Priority Mail Express is not available for passport card-only applications.

How to pay passport fees

Two separate payments go to two different recipients. Do not combine them on one check — the payments go to different payees and will be rejected if combined.

The application fee goes to the U.S. Department of State. Pay by personal check, certified check, cashier's check, or money order. Write the applicant's name and date of birth in the memo line. Credit cards and cash are not accepted for this fee when applying at an acceptance facility. Write "U.S. Department of State" on the payable line exactly.

The $35 execution fee goes directly to the acceptance facility. Payment methods vary by location. Some facilities accept credit cards; others take cash only. Call before you go — there's no universal rule across the thousands of acceptance locations nationwide.

Renewing by mail: send a check or money order to the U.S. Department of State with your DS-82. No execution fee applies because no in-person appearance is required.

Renewing online: if you qualify for the State Department's online renewal portal, you pay by credit or debit card. There is no execution fee for online renewals.

Applying or renewing at a regional passport agency: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and contactless payments (Apple Pay, Google Pay) are accepted. The $35 facility fee does not apply at regional agencies.

What is the execution fee?

The $35 execution fee is paid to the acceptance facility, not to the State Department. It covers the cost of verifying your identity, witnessing your signature on Form DS-11, and transmitting your application to the processing center. Acceptance facilities are authorized under 22 CFR Part 51 to collect this fee for performing those functions.

Not every application requires an execution fee. Renewals by mail (DS-82) and renewals through the State Department's online portal have no execution fee, because no in-person appearance or signature witnessing is required. The fee applies only when you physically appear at an acceptance facility.

One execution fee covers both documents when you apply for a passport book and card together. You pay $35 once, not twice. That makes the total for a first-time adult applying for both documents $195 — one $160 application fee plus one $35 execution fee.

Expedited and urgent passport fees

Expedited service adds $60 to any application. Include the $60 in the check made out to the U.S. Department of State — it becomes part of the application fee total, not a separate payment. When mailing, write "EXPEDITED" on the outside of the envelope.

For appointments at one of the 26 regional passport agencies — required when you have urgent travel within 3 business days — the standard $60 expedited fee applies. The agency itself does not charge an execution fee. Book your appointment through the State Department's online system.

Optional 1–3 day return delivery via Priority Mail Express costs $22.05. Add that amount to the check made out to the U.S. Department of State. This option is not available on passport card-only applications; cards ship via USPS First Class Mail automatically.

The $60 expedited fee is non-refundable if your passport is issued, regardless of how long processing takes. If the State Department does not issue your passport within its stated timeframe, you may request a refund of the $60 — but not the application fee or return delivery charge. Processing time estimates are not guarantees.