How to Renew a Passport: Online vs Mail, $130 Fee, Who Qualifies
A US passport book renewal costs $130 online or by mail. Who can renew online, when mail is the only option, the $60 expedite fee, and how long each step really takes.
Renewing a US passport costs the same whether you do it online or by mail: $130 for a book, $30 for a card, $160 for both. What differs is who qualifies, how fast it can go, and what happens to your old passport. The State Department’s online renewal has stricter rules and cannot be expedited, while mail renewal accepts more people and allows a $60 rush. This guide puts the two paths side by side using the State Department’s own pages, last updated in late September and early October 2026.
The quick answer
- Fees (renewal): passport book $130, passport card $30, book and card $160. No $35 facility fee when you renew.
- Online renewal is for adults 25 or older with a 10-year passport that expires within a year or expired less than 5 years ago, who are not changing their name or sex, are in a US state or territory, and are not traveling for at least 6 weeks.
- Mail renewal covers anyone whose last passport was issued within 15 years, at age 16 or older, for 10 years, and is undamaged and never reported lost or stolen. Name changes are allowed with a certified document.
- Speed: routine processing is 4 to 6 weeks; expedited is 2 to 3 weeks for $60 extra, available by mail but not online. Mailing each way can add up to 2 weeks.
- Optional: 1 to 3 day return delivery for $26.87 (books only).
- Scam warning: the only official online renewal site is opr.travel.state.gov.
Key facts at a glance
| Question | Online | By mail (Form DS-82) |
|---|---|---|
| Book / card / both | $130 / $30 / $160 | $130 / $30 / $160 |
| How you pay | Credit or debit card | Check or money order to “U.S. Department of State” |
| Minimum age | 25 | Passport issued at 16 or older |
| Passport age limit | Expiring within 1 year or expired under 5 years ago | Issued within the last 15 years |
| Name change allowed | No | Yes, with a certified name change document |
| Expedite for $60 | Not available | Available (write EXPEDITE on the envelope) |
| 1 to 3 day delivery | $26.87 | $26.87 |
| Old passport | You keep it; it is canceled when you submit | You mail it in; it comes back separately |
| Must be in the US | Yes, a US state or territory | Yes (outside the US, contact an embassy) |
Who can renew online
The State Department’s online renewal page lists every condition, and you must meet all of them:
- The passport you are renewing was valid for 10 years and is “expiring within 1 year or have expired less than 5 years ago.”
- You are 25 or older.
- You are not changing your name, sex, or other personal information.
- You are not traveling for at least 6 weeks. The page states plainly: “Online renewals cannot be expedited.”
- You are in a US state or territory when you submit.
- You have the passport with you, undamaged, and never reported lost or stolen.
You pay by credit or debit card and upload a digital photo. You must fill out the application yourself; the page says you cannot use a third-party service or have someone submit it for you.
One rule catches travelers off guard. The moment you submit, the State Department cancels your current passport, even though you keep the physical book. Its warning: “You cannot use it for international travel after we cancel it.” Do not renew online if you have a trip before the new one arrives.
Online renewal also handles most book and card combinations. You can renew a book, a card, or both, and you can add the other document to the one you have. The table on that page refuses two swaps: trading a card for a book only, or a book for a card only. Both of those go by mail.
Who must renew by mail
The mail renewal page is broader. You can renew by mail if you can send your most recent passport, it was never reported lost or stolen, it “was issued within the last 15 years,” it was issued when you were 16 or older and valid for 10 years, it is not damaged beyond normal wear, and it is in your current name or you include a certified marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order.
Mail is the route if you are under 25, changed your name, need to expedite, or simply prefer a check. Fill out Form DS-82 with the State Department’s Form Filler, print it single-sided, sign and date it, staple one photo as instructed, and enclose a check or money order. Note the page’s warning for post office counters: when renewing with DS-82, postal employees should not charge you the $35 facility fee or review your documents.
Where to mail it depends on your state and your speed:
- Routine, living in California, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, or Texas: National Passport Processing Center, P.O. Box 640155, Irving, TX 75064-0155.
- Routine, any other state: National Passport Processing Center, P.O. Box 90155, Philadelphia, PA 19190-0155.
- Expedited, any state: write “EXPEDITE” on the envelope and mail to P.O. Box 90955, Philadelphia, PA 19190-0955.
Families can send several renewals in one envelope and pay with a single check, as long as the total is right.
Who cannot renew at all
The mail page draws the line: “You cannot renew a passport for a child under age 16.” Children’s passports must be applied for again in person. The same goes for adults whose passport was lost or stolen or “was issued more than 15 years ago.” Those applications use Form DS-11 at an acceptance facility, which adds a $35 facility fee to the $130 book fee per the fee page.
How long it takes
The State Department’s processing times page, updated October 5, 2026, gives the current numbers: “Routine processing takes 4-6 weeks.” “Expedited processing takes 2-3 weeks.” Those clocks do not include the mail. The page adds up to 2 weeks for your application to reach the agency and up to 2 more weeks for the passport to reach you, so a routine mail renewal can take up to 10 weeks door to door (our math). For travel within 14 calendar days, you need an appointment at a passport agency with proof of travel.
The State Department also suggests timing: its busiest season runs from late winter through summer, and it recommends applying between October and December.
Where the pages disagree
The mail renewal page gives two different waits for getting your old passport back. One section says the old book or card comes back separately and “may take up to 2 weeks after you get your new passport.” A later section, covering supporting documents including a previous passport, says to expect them “up to 4 weeks after your passport book or card,” and to call 877-487-2778 if you have waited longer than 4 weeks. Plan on the longer figure before you need the old passport as proof of citizenship.
Avoid the lookalike renewal sites
The online renewal page is blunt about third-party sites: “The only official, authorized place to renew your U.S. passport online is opr.travel.state.gov.” Sites with “Gov” in the company name are not authorized either, and the State Department says it cannot get involved in disputes with those companies or refund unauthorized applications. If you paid one, you can report it to the FTC or your state consumer protection office. Our guide to disputing a charge with your bank explains how that process works. If you are also renewing TSA PreCheck before a trip, the PreCheck renewal cost guide has the provider prices and the same fake-site warning.
Bottom line
A renewal costs $130 for a book whichever way you send it. Go online if you are 25 or older, your 10-year passport is within a year of expiring or expired less than 5 years ago, your name has not changed, and you are not traveling for 6 weeks, and remember the old passport is canceled the moment you submit. Go by mail with Form DS-82 if you need the $60 expedite, changed your name, or are under 25. Budget 4 to 6 weeks of processing plus mailing time, apply between October and December if you can, and only ever use opr.travel.state.gov. Once the passport is sorted, our Global Entry vs PreCheck vs CLEAR+ guide compares the airport programs by cost. No passport and no REAL ID by your flight? The $45 TSA ConfirmID fee is explained in our REAL ID and ConfirmID guide.
Fees, eligibility rules, and processing times verified against the U.S. Department of State’s passport pages as of October 12, 2026. Processing times change with demand; check travel.state.gov before you book travel. This is general information, not legal advice.