Passport Offices and Expedited Passports in Maryland
In Maryland, most passport applications start at an acceptance facility such as a post office, a circuit court clerk's office or a public library. If you travel soon, the Washington Passport Agency in the District of Columbia is the closest State Department agency, and a registered courier such as Allstate Passports & Visas is another option. Below are acceptance facilities in 16 Maryland communities, a summary of each option, and the rules for ordering a Maryland birth certificate.
Choose your city
Baltimore area: Baltimore, Towson, Catonsville, Glen Burnie, Columbia
Montgomery and Prince George's counties: Bethesda, Rockville, Germantown, Bowie, Hyattsville
Annapolis and Southern Maryland: Annapolis, Waldorf, Leonardtown
Western Maryland: Frederick, Hagerstown
Eastern Shore: Easton
Your options in Maryland
Passport acceptance facilities
Use an acceptance facility for a first passport, a child's passport, or a replacement for a lost or stolen one. Most facilities work by appointment, so book early. Your city page above lists the facilities near you.
Bring Form DS-11 without signing it, proof of U.S. citizenship such as a certified birth certificate, a photo ID plus a photocopy, and one passport photo. Expect to pay twice: the application fee to the U.S. Department of State and an execution fee to the facility.
The Washington Passport Agency
The Washington Passport Agency in the District of Columbia serves Maryland residents with urgent travel. Like every State Department agency, it sees people by appointment only, and only if they travel internationally within 14 days or need a foreign visa within 28 days. Bring a ticket or itinerary as proof. How to book an agency appointment.
Allstate Passports & Visas
We are a private courier registered with the U.S. Department of State, not a government office. We check your paperwork and hand-carry your application to a passport agency, which saves a trip into Washington when appointments are hard to get. Call (800) 672-1015, text (206) 522-5995, or read about our passport services.
Birth certificates in Maryland
The Maryland Department of Health, Division of Vital Records in Baltimore, holds birth records from August 1898 for the counties and from January 1875 for Baltimore City. Records filed more than 100 years ago are kept by the Maryland State Archives in Annapolis. A certified copy from the Division of Vital Records costs $10. You can order online, by mail, in person in Baltimore, or at some local health departments.
Maryland is strict about who may order. A copy can go only to the person named on the certificate, a parent named on it, a court-appointed guardian, a surviving spouse, or a representative with a notarized letter of permission from one of them. Brothers, sisters and grandparents cannot order on their own. Details are on the Maryland Division of Vital Records birth certificate page.
Maryland passport questions
Is there a passport office in Maryland?
No. The State Department agency closest to Maryland is the Washington Passport Agency in the District of Columbia. It only sees people by appointment who travel within 14 days or need a visa within 28 days. Everyone else applies at an acceptance facility or renews by mail or online.
Can I get a passport the same day in Baltimore?
Not in Baltimore itself. Same-day service is only possible at a passport agency, and the nearest one is in Washington, DC. You need an appointment and proof of travel within 14 days, and same-day issue is not guaranteed.
Can I renew my passport online in Maryland?
Online renewal is a national State Department service, so the rules are the same as in any other state. It suits adults renewing a regular passport who are not traveling soon. If your trip is close, an agency appointment or a registered courier is the better fit.
Who can order a Maryland birth certificate?
Only the person named on the certificate, a parent named on it, a court-appointed guardian, a surviving spouse, or a representative with notarized permission from one of them. Each copy costs $10 from the Division of Vital Records.
Information checked October 2026. Related pages: passport renewal, new passport, passport for a child, lost or stolen passport.
