Quick answer
If it's your first passport, it's for a child under 16, or your old passport was lost, stolen or damaged, you apply in person at an acceptance facility, usually a post office, county clerk's office or government-run library. Book an appointment, bring Form DS-11 unsigned, your proof of citizenship and ID with photocopies, and a passport photo.
Who has to apply in person
You need an in-person appointment if:
- it's your first U.S. passport;
- you're applying for a child under 16 (and both parents usually need to come, or one brings the other's signed consent on Form DS-3053);
- your previous passport was lost, stolen or damaged;
- your previous passport was issued more than 15 years ago, or when you were under 16;
- your name has changed and you can't document the change.
Adults whose last passport meets the renewal rules can usually renew by mail instead. See How to Get a Passport: 4 Ways Compared.
Where to apply
Acceptance facilities are offices designated by the State Department to take passport applications. They check your documents and witness your signature, but don't issue passports. They include:
- post offices, many with set passport hours;
- county or court clerk's offices;
- government-run public libraries and some city or county offices. Since February 2026, nonprofit libraries can no longer accept applications.
Your city page lists the acceptance facilities near you, and the State Department has an official search: the Passport Acceptance Facility Locator.
How to book an appointment
- Post offices: most require an appointment, which you can book online or by phone. Some keep short walk-in windows.
- Clerk's offices and libraries: booking varies. Check the office's own page, since some take walk-ins only.
- Book early. Appointments can fill weeks ahead, especially in spring and early summer. If your trip is soon, look at several facilities near you, not just the closest.
Urgent trip? An acceptance facility can only send your application for routine or expedited processing. To get a passport within days, you need a passport agency appointment or a courier. See below.
What to bring
- Form DS-11, filled in but not signed. You sign it in front of the acceptance agent.
- Proof of U.S. citizenship, usually a certified birth certificate, plus a photocopy of the front and back.
- Proof of identity, such as a driver's license, plus a photocopy of the front and back.
- One passport photo, 2 x 2 inches, taken within the last six months.
- Payment: the passport fee ($130 for an adult book, $100 for a child’s book) is paid to the U.S. Department of State, and the acceptance fee ($35) is paid separately to the facility.
- For a child under 16: proof of the parents' relationship, both parents or Form DS-3053, and each parent's ID.
Our document pages explain what counts for each item.
Acceptance facility or passport agency?
| Acceptance facility | Passport agency | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can go | Anyone applying in person | Travel within 14 days, or a visa needed within 28 days |
| Where | Thousands of post offices, clerk's offices and libraries | A limited number of State Department offices |
| What happens | Your application is sent on for processing | Your passport is processed there, often within days |
| Speed | About 4 to 6 weeks routine, or 2 to 3 weeks expedited | Often the same day to a few days |
After your appointment
Your application goes to the State Department for routine or expedited processing, whichever you chose. If your trip is close and you can't get an agency appointment, we can expedite your application. First-time and child applicants apply in person first, and then we take the application to a passport agency for you.
Questions
Most post offices that accept passport applications require one, but some keep short walk-in windows. Your city page lists walk-in hours where we've confirmed them.
No. Bring it unsigned and sign it in front of the acceptance agent. A form signed in advance is turned away.
The passport fee ($130 for an adult book, $100 for a child’s book) plus the facility's acceptance fee ($35), paid separately. Expedited service and faster return delivery cost extra.
No. It checks your documents and sends your application to the State Department, which issues the passport.
For a first passport or a child's passport, no: you still apply in person at an acceptance facility. For most renewals, you don't need an appointment at all.
Often about 15 to 30 minutes for one applicant, longer for a family or if anything's missing. Arrive a little early with Form DS-11 filled in (but not signed), your documents and photocopies, your photo and your payment, so the agent can get straight through it.