How Much Does a Passport Cost? Full Fee Breakdown

A new U.S. passport book for an adult costs $165 total — that is a $130 application fee plus a $35 execution fee. If you are renewing by mail, it costs $130 because you skip the execution fee. Those are the two numbers most people are looking for, but the total you actually pay depends on several factors: whether you need it fast, whether it is for a child, and whether you choose a passport book, a passport card, or both.

This guide breaks down every passport fee you might encounter, compares costs across application types, and shows you where to save money — including how to avoid the $15 photo fee entirely.

How Much Is a Passport in 2026? Quick Reference

Here is what you will pay for the most common passport scenarios. All fees listed are current as of early 2026 based on the U.S. State Department's published fee schedule.

These totals do not include optional add-ons like expedited processing ($60) or the passport photo itself ($0 to $16.99 depending on where you get it). We will cover those costs below.

Understanding the Two Main Passport Fees

The total passport cost is split into two separate fees, which confuses a lot of people. Here is what each one covers and who collects it.

Application Fee (Paid to the State Department)

The application fee is the cost of actually processing your passport. This money goes to the U.S. Department of State. It covers document verification, background checks, production of the physical passport book or card, and mailing it back to you. You pay this fee whether you are applying for the first time or renewing.

For an adult passport book, the application fee is $130. For a child under 16, it is $100. For a passport card (without the book), it is $30 for adults and $15 for minors.

Execution Fee (Paid to the Acceptance Agent)

The execution fee is a $35 flat fee paid to the person who witnesses your application and verifies your identity documents. This is typically a postal clerk at a USPS location, a county clerk, or a staff member at a passport acceptance facility.

You pay the execution fee when you apply in person. That means:

• All first-time applicants (you have never had a U.S. passport before)
• All applicants under 16 (minors cannot renew by mail)
• Anyone whose previous passport was lost, stolen, or damaged
• Anyone whose previous passport expired more than 5 years ago

If you are renewing an undamaged passport that was issued within the last 15 years and you were 16 or older when it was issued, you can renew by mail and skip the $35 execution fee entirely. This is why a mail renewal costs $130 instead of $165.

Expedited Processing: How Much Extra Does It Cost?

Standard passport processing takes 6 to 8 weeks. If you need your passport faster, you have two options — and both cost extra.

Expedited ($60 Extra)

Expedited processing costs an additional $60 on top of your normal fees. For a new adult passport book, that brings the total from $165 to $225. For a mail renewal, it goes from $130 to $190. You can request expedited processing on any application by checking the appropriate box on the form and including the extra payment.

If you also want faster delivery of the finished passport, add $19.53 for 1-2 day delivery via USPS Priority Mail Express. That is optional but recommended if your travel date is tight — standard return mail can add another week on top of the processing time.

Urgent / Emergency (Same Week)

If you need a passport within days — for example, you have a flight in less than two weeks, or you need to travel for a family emergency — you can make an appointment at one of the 26 regional passport agencies across the country. You still pay the $60 expedited fee, but the agency processes your application on-site and can issue the passport within 1-3 business days.

To book an appointment, call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778. You will need proof of upcoming travel (a flight itinerary or confirmation) within 14 days, or documentation of a life-or-death emergency.

How Much Does a Passport Photo Cost?

The passport photo is a separate cost that catches people off guard. The State Department does not include it in the application fee — you have to get your own photo taken and include it with your application. Here is what the most common options cost:

For a family of four, passport photos at CVS would cost $67.96. That is a significant chunk of change for two small photos each. Taking the photos yourself at home and using a free formatting tool saves that money entirely.

If you go the DIY route, you need to make sure the photo meets all State Department requirements — 2x2 inches, white background, correct head positioning, neutral expression, no glasses. Our guide on how to take a passport photo at home walks through the full process, and our US passport photo requirements guide covers every specification.

Passport Book vs Passport Card: Cost Comparison

You have two options for a U.S. travel document: the traditional passport book and the wallet-sized passport card. They serve different purposes and have very different prices.

For most people, the passport book is the right choice. The card cannot be used for international air travel. If you fly anywhere outside the U.S. — even to Canada or Mexico — you need the book. The card is only useful for land and sea border crossings to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.

If you drive to Canada or Mexico regularly and want a cheaper, more durable travel document for those trips, the card makes sense as a supplement to the book, not a replacement. You can apply for both at the same time for $195 total ($160 application fee + $35 execution fee).

Passport Cost for Children Under 16

Children's passports are cheaper than adult passports, but there is a catch: they are only valid for 5 years instead of 10, and they always require an in-person application. You cannot renew a child's passport by mail.

Child Passport Fees

• Passport book: $100 application fee + $35 execution fee = $135 total
• Passport card: $15 application fee + $35 execution fee = $50 total
• Book + card combo: $115 application fee + $35 execution fee = $150 total

Why Children's Passports Cost More Over Time

A child's passport expires after 5 years. An adult's lasts 10. If you get your child a passport at age 2, you will need to renew it at ages 7 and 12 (both requiring in-person applications with the $35 execution fee), and then they will get their first adult passport at 16 or later. That is three passport applications before they turn 16 — a total of $405 in passport book fees alone.

There is no way around the 5-year validity for minors. The shorter validity exists because children's appearances change rapidly, and the passport photo needs to remain a reasonable likeness for border agents.

Total Cost Examples: Real Scenarios

To help you budget, here is what a passport actually costs in common real-world situations — including the photo, expediting, and delivery.

Scenario 1: Single Adult, First Passport, Standard Processing

Scenario 2: Adult Renewal, Expedited with Fast Delivery

Scenario 3: Family of Four (2 Adults + 2 Children), All New

If that same family had their photos taken at CVS instead, add $67.96. If they all expedited, add $240. A rushed family passport application with store photos can run over $900. Planning ahead and taking photos at home makes a real difference.

How to Save Money on Your Passport

You cannot negotiate with the State Department on fees, but you can control a few variables that add up:

1. Renew by mail when eligible. Saves the $35 execution fee. You qualify if your passport was issued within 15 years, you were 16 or older when it was issued, and it is undamaged. Use form DS-82 instead of DS-11.
2. Take your passport photo at home. A phone with a decent camera, a white wall, and a free online tool is all you need. Our DIY passport photo guide covers the full process. This saves $7 to $17 per person.
3. Apply early and skip expediting. Standard processing (6-8 weeks) is free. Expediting costs $60 per application. If you know you have a trip coming up in 3+ months, apply now at standard speed.
4. Skip 1-2 day delivery unless necessary. The $19.53 Priority Mail Express fee is only worth it if your travel date is within days of the expected processing completion.
5. Get the book only (skip the card). Unless you regularly drive across the Canadian or Mexican border, the passport card adds $30 to your total and serves no purpose that the book does not already cover.

Passport Fee Payment Methods

How you pay depends on how you apply. This trips people up because the application fee and execution fee are paid separately, sometimes to different entities, using different payment methods.

Applying In Person (New Passport or Non-Eligible Renewal)

• Application fee (to State Department): Pay by check or money order made out to "U.S. Department of State." Personal checks, cashier's checks, and postal money orders are all accepted. Credit cards are accepted only at regional passport agencies, not at standard acceptance facilities.
• Execution fee (to acceptance agent): Pay separately. The acceptance facility (post office, clerk's office) may accept cash, check, money order, or credit card — it varies by location. Call ahead to confirm what they accept.

Renewing by Mail

• Include a check or money order for the full amount ($130 for a book, $30 for a card) made out to "U.S. Department of State." No execution fee applies.

Applying Online (Renewal Only)

The State Department's online renewal system accepts credit cards and debit cards. Online renewal is available for eligible adults renewing an unexpired or recently expired passport. Not all applicants qualify — check the State Department's online renewal eligibility tool.

When Do Passport Fees Change?

The State Department reviews and adjusts passport fees periodically. The most recent fee increase took effect in 2024, when the application fee for adult passport books went from $110 to $130. Before that, fees had been stable since 2018.

Fee changes are published in the Federal Register and typically take effect 30 days after the announcement. The State Department's website always shows current fees. If you are reading this guide and want to verify the numbers, check travel.state.gov for the official fee schedule.

There is no way to predict when the next increase will happen, but the general trend is upward. If you think you might need a passport in the next year or two, applying sooner rather than later locks in the current fees.

Summary: Total Passport Cost at a Glance

Here is the bottom line for the most common situations:

• New adult passport book: $165 (or $225 expedited)
• Adult renewal by mail: $130 (or $190 expedited)
• New child passport book: $135 (or $195 expedited)
• Passport card only (adult): $65 new / $30 renewal
• Passport photo: $0 (DIY) to $16.99 (drugstore)

The biggest savings come from renewing by mail (saves $35), taking your own passport photo (saves up to $17 per person), and applying with standard processing instead of expedited (saves $60). For a family, these savings add up to hundreds of dollars.

If your passport is expired or you have never had one, start the process now. Processing times fluctuate with demand, and the earlier you apply, the less likely you are to need expensive rush processing.