--- title: How much does it cost to renew a passport in 2026? description: The U.S. Department of State charges $130 to renew a passport book, $30 for a passport card, or $160 for both, no matter how you file. Expedited processing adds $60, and optional 1-3 day return delivery of the new book adds $23.36. (travel.state.gov passport fees, verified July 2026.) seotitle: "Passport Renewal Cost 2026: Government Fees & Every Service Compared" seo-description: What a U.S. passport renewal really costs in 2026 - the $130-$220 government fees, plus a side-by-side comparison of free online renewal, DIY by mail, prep kits from $29, and $199+ courier services. group: resources indexable: true schema: article eyebrow: Guide published: 2026-07-09 updated: 2026-07-16 path: /passport-renewal-cost-comparison cta-label: Check eligibility & build my DS-82 kit cta-href: /forms/ds-82 cta-note: Starts free. Preview your filled DS-82, exact fee instructions, and complete paper renewal kit before paying anything. cta-action: link --- # How much does it cost to renew a passport in 2026? The U.S. Department of State charges $130 to renew a passport book, $30 for a passport card, or $160 for both, no matter how you file. Expedited processing adds $60, and optional 1-3 day return delivery of the new book adds $23.36. (travel.state.gov passport fees, verified July 2026.) ## How it works 1. **Answer the guided questions** - Eligibility screening plus every DS-82 field, in one pass. 2. **Preview your exact filled form** - See the completed application before paying anything. 3. **Download and print your kit** - Filled DS-82, fee-check template, photo checklist, and your prepaid USPS label. 4. **Sign, assemble, and mail** - You sign in black ink, staple your photo, enclose your old passport and check, and drop it off. We email you when USPS accepts it and when it reaches the processing center. ## Quick answer | How you renew | Service cost (on top of government fees) | Best for | | ---------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Online at travel.state.gov | **$0** | Eligible adults age 25+, routine service, no personal-information changes, no travel within 6 weeks | | DIY by mail (print the DS-82 yourself) | **$0** + ~$6-10 tracked postage | Confident form-fillers with time to double-check everything | | PostalForm download kit | **$29 routine / $39 expedited**, prepaid tracked postage included | Anyone renewing by mail who wants it correct on the first try | | Form-prep services (GOV+, ItsEasy) | **$40-$67** one-time, or $159/yr subscription | Comparable prep, without postage or delivery tracking in most bundles | | Passport couriers (RushMyPassport and similar) | **$199-$629** | Genuine emergencies - travel within about two weeks | Government fees are always separate and always yours to pay: $130 book / $30 card / $160 both, +$60 expedited. No legitimate service absorbs them, and by mail they must be paid by check or money order - not by card. ## The government fees everyone pays | What you're renewing | Routine (4-6 weeks) | Expedited (2-3 weeks) | | ------------------------------------------------ | ------------------- | --------------------- | | Passport book | $130 | $190 | | Passport card | $30 | $90 | | Book + card | $160 | $220 | | Optional 1-3 day return delivery of the new book | +$23.36 | +$23.36 | Mailed renewals pay by check or money order payable to "U.S. Department of State." Credit and debit cards are not accepted by mail - the wrong payment method is one of the most common reasons applications bounce. ## Option 1: Renew online for free (if you qualify) The State Department's online renewal is the cheapest path - no service fee, pay the government fee by card, no envelope at all. But its eligibility filter is strict ([usa.gov](https://www.usa.gov/renew-adult-passport)): - You are **25 or older** and your last book was valid for 10 years - It expires within the next year, or expired less than 5 years ago - **Routine service only** - there is no expedited option online - Your current document and requested document combination is supported by the online system. For example, a current book holder may request a book and card together, but some book-to-card or card-to-book changes still require mail. - **No changes** to your name or personal information - You are **not traveling within 6 weeks** If all of that is true, renew online and keep your money. Every line that isn't true pushes you to paper - which is where the rest of this comparison applies. ## Option 2: Do the paper DS-82 yourself The [DS-82 form](https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds82_pdf.PDF) is free. Your real costs are around the edges: passport photos (~$15 at a pharmacy), a 9x12 envelope, and postage - and you should always pay for tracked postage (roughly $6-10 at the counter), because you are mailing your only passport inside. The hidden cost is rejection risk. Applications get suspended or returned for a check written for the wrong amount or the wrong payee, an unsigned form, a nonconforming photo, or an expedited application mailed to the routine address. Each bounce costs weeks. ## Option 3: A prepared kit - what PostalForm builds Our [DS-82 renewal kit](/forms/ds-82) is for the by-mail renewer who wants the form, fee calculation, routing, postage, and assembly checklist handled in one place. You answer guided questions once; the kit arrives as an instant download: - Your **filled official DS-82** (04-2025 edition), typed and print-ready - you just sign and date it - An **exact check template**: the precise amount from the current fee schedule, the exact payee line, and the memo the State Department asks for - The **passport photo checklist** covering the common rejection reasons - A **prepaid USPS label** addressed to the correct processing lockbox - Ground Advantage for routine, Priority Mail for expedited, with the required "EXPEDITE" envelope marking called out - **Tracking emails** when USPS accepts your envelope and again when it's delivered to the National Passport Processing Center It costs **$29 for routine service or $39 for expedited** - and roughly $6-10 of that is postage you'd buy anyway. Eligibility screening is built in: if your answers show you can't use the DS-82, the workflow says so before you pay. [Check eligibility and build my DS-82 kit](cta:/forms/ds-82) ## Option 4: Other form-prep services Two established services prepare mail-in renewals for a fee (prices from their published pages, July 2026): - **GOV+** charges **$67 one-time** for a single-document preparation kit, or a **$159/year subscription** aimed at people with recurring government paperwork. Postage and USPS tracking are not part of the published bundle. - **ItsEasy** offers an economical renewal around **$39.95**, which notably includes two printed passport photos; the full bundle details appear at checkout. Both are legitimate. The comparison to run: what does the fee include (postage? tracking? fee-payment help?), and is it one-time or a subscription? ## Option 5: Passport couriers - the $199+ tier Registered couriers like RushMyPassport hand-carry applications to passport agencies. Published tiers run **$199 (about 3 weeks) to $629 (same day)** - and government fees, photos, and shipping are all extra. The fee buys agency submission access and speed, not a discount on anything. If you fly within about two weeks, this tier (or a passport-agency appointment with urgent travel proof) is genuinely your answer. If you don't, you're paying an urgency premium you don't need: an expedited mail renewal reaches the same 2-3 week government processing for $39 plus the $60 government surcharge. ## Watch for lookalike "official" passport sites Some passport websites are built to be mistaken for government pages. The pattern to watch for: official-sounding domains, no prices shown until after checkout, fees of $65-$140 for nothing more than a prefilled PDF, and refund policies that only appear once you complain. Before paying any site, check three things: Is the price visible up front? Do you see exactly what you're buying before you pay? Does the site say plainly that it is not the government? (For the record: **PostalForm is a private document-preparation service and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of State** - and you can always file the DS-82 yourself for free, paying only the government fee.) ## All-in cost examples (routine passport book, July 2026) | Path | Government fee | Service + postage | Photos | Total | | ---------------------------- | -------------- | ---------------------- | ------ | ---------- | | Online renewal (if eligible) | $130 | $0 | ~$15 | **~$145** | | DIY by mail | $130 | ~$8 tracked postage | ~$15 | **~$153** | | PostalForm kit | $130 | $29 (postage included) | ~$15 | **~$174** | | GOV+ one-time + own postage | $130 | ~$75 | ~$15 | **~$220** | | Courier (slowest tier) | $130 | $199+ | ~$15 | **~$344+** | For expedited: add $60 to the government fee on any mail path, and the PostalForm kit becomes $39 with a Priority Mail label to the expedited lockbox. ## FAQs - **Can I pay the government fee with a credit card?** Only online (if eligible) or in person. Mailed DS-82 renewals require a check or money order payable to "U.S. Department of State." - **Where does a mailed renewal go?** Routine applications from California, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, and Texas go to PO Box 640155 in Irving, Texas. Routine applications from other states go to PO Box 90155 in Philadelphia. Expedited applications use PO Box 90955 in Philadelphia, with "EXPEDITE" written on the envelope. A kit label is pre-addressed from your state and service choice. - **Do I need to keep money in my account after mailing?** Yes. The State Department often cashes the fee check several weeks after you mail it. Keep the fee amount available until it clears - a bounced check delays your renewal. - **Do courier fees include the government fee?** No. Courier service fees ($199-$629) are on top of the $130-$220 government fees, which you still fund separately. - **Is a prep service ever the wrong choice?** Yes - twice. If you qualify for free online renewal, use it. If you travel within about two weeks, book a passport-agency appointment or a courier; no mail-in path is fast enough. ## Related - [Best passport renewal kit sites for 2026](/best-passport-renewal-kit-services) - [Build a guided DS-82 passport renewal kit](/forms/ds-82) - [Official State Department renewal-by-mail instructions](https://travel.state.gov/en/passports/renew-replace/mail.html) - [travel.state.gov](https://travel.state.gov/en/passports/renew-replace/mail.html) - [official online-renewal requirements](https://travel.state.gov/en/passports/renew-replace/online.html) ## Ready to send it? Starts free. Preview your filled DS-82, exact fee instructions, and complete paper renewal kit before paying anything. [Check eligibility & build my DS-82 kit](/forms/ds-82)