USPS Passport Photo: Cost, How It Works & What to Expect

You can get your US passport photo taken at most Post Offices that accept passport applications, for a $15.00 photo fee. USPS is the one counter on this list that's also an official acceptance facility, so a first-time application and the photo can happen in a single appointment. Keep in mind that it runs on appointments; walk-in hours are limited to select locations.

But how do the fees stack up? What about renewals, which can't be done in person at all? And is there a way to skip the appointment entirely?

Fees and details verified from the official USPS Passports page. Last verified July 31, 2026.

$15.00
Post Office photo fee
+ $35.00 acceptance fee if you apply
USPS passport fees, verified July 31, 2026.

How Much Is a Passport Photo at USPS?

The Post Office photo fee is $15.00, charged when you need a photo taken. If you're also filing a first-time application there, the Post Office acceptance fee of $35.00 comes on top; both are paid at the counter by card, check, or money order.

For online renewals, many USPS passport locations offer a digital photo service for a fee, taken to State Department requirements. That's worth knowing, because a printed photo alone can't be used to renew online.

Photo fee
$15.00
Acceptance fee
$35.00, if you apply there
Size
2x2 in, U.S. government compliant
Appointment
Yes, book online or at a kiosk
Digital photo
At many locations, for a fee
Where
Passport-acceptance Post Offices

Does Every Post Office Take Passport Photos?

No, but thousands do.

The photo service lives at Post Offices that accept first-time passport applications for the State Department, and most of those locations can take your photo, including the digital version for online renewals. The USPS location finder shows which offices near you offer passport services.

Book before you go. USPS routes passport and photo services through its online scheduler, the lobby self-service kiosk, or the retail counter, and only select locations keep limited walk-in hours.

Can You Apply for Your Passport at USPS Too?

Yes, and that's the real reason to pick the Post Office.

USPS is an official acceptance facility: first-time applications, children's passports, and the people who can't renew by mail all file in person there. The photo, the $35.00 acceptance step, and the application package can happen in one appointment, which no pharmacy or print counter offers.

Renewals are the flip side. If you're eligible to renew, you must do it by mail or online; there's no in-person renewal at any Post Office. For the online route you'll need a compliant digital photo, not prints.

What Should You Wear for a Passport Photo?

Wear a plain, solid color that isn't white or cream. Take off your glasses, since they're not allowed in a US passport photo. Skip hats and head coverings unless you wear one daily for religious reasons, and keep your expression neutral, mouth closed, both eyes open.

The appointment format raises the stakes a little: if the shot has a problem, your slot is spent and the redo needs another booking. A white shirt against a white background, the classic floating head, is still the most common self-inflicted rejection.

All of this is easy to get right at home, where you can retake the photo as many times as you like and a service like OnePassPhoto checks every rule before anything is submitted.

What size is a US passport photo?

Whether it's taken at the Post Office or at home, a US passport photo has to hit the same official size: a 2 x 2 inch square, with your head 1 to 1⅜ inches from chin to crown. Get the head too small or too large and the passport office rejects it, no matter how good the photo looks.

At the counter the clerk frames this for you. From home you don't have to eyeball it either. We measure your head and set it to the regulation size before you pay, and you can see the full US passport photo requirements spelled out.

US passport photo size diagram A 2 by 2 inch (51 by 51 mm) square photo with a centered head and shoulders, where the head measures 1 to 1 and three-eighths inches (25 to 35 mm) from the chin to the top of the head. Example US passport photo of a woman, sized to the official 2x2 inch spec with the head 1 to 1 3/8 inches from chin to crown and eyes 56 to 69 percent up from the bottom. 2 in · 51 mm 2 in · 51 mm head 1–1⅜ in
US passport photo size: 2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm), with the head 1–1⅜ in (25–35 mm) from chin to crown. Source: U.S. Department of State.

The from-home option

How to Get Your Passport Photo Online

If you only need the photo, you don't need an appointment anywhere. A photo taken at home works fine for a US passport, as long as it meets the State Department's rules. And this is where OnePassPhoto can help.

Snap a selfie like the one here and upload it. We size your head to the proper specifications, tidy up the background if needed, and check your lighting, framing, and expression against every official US rule, all before you pay a cent. You get the digital file for an online renewal and a print-ready file for a mailed application, both included. We never retouch your face, so it still looks like you. And if a passport office ever turns it down, you get your money back.

Casual phone selfie of a woman at home, the kind of photo you upload to make a US passport photo online
A selfie like this is the whole starting point.

USPS vs. OnePassPhoto: Side-By-Side Comparison

The Post Office bundles the photo with the application; OnePassPhoto handles the photo from home. The difference is the appointment, the fees, and who checks the photo before it counts. This table offers a quick side-by-side comparison:

 USPS at the Post OfficeOnePassPhoto from home
Photo price$15.00 photo feeFree preview, price shown at checkout
Digital fileFor a fee, at many locationsInstant download, included
Getting inAppointment, limited walk-insYour phone, any time
ApplyingFirst-time applications on sitePhoto only; you apply separately
If it's rejectedNew appointment, new photoMoney back, guaranteed

What About the Pharmacies and Other In-Person Options?

If you can't get an appointment, Walgreens ($16.99 with a free digital copy), CVS ($17.99 plus $3.99 digital), and FedEx Office ($15.95, prints or digital) all take walk-ins. The photo risk is the same everywhere, though: a problem shows up only when the passport office reviews it. With OnePassPhoto, the checking happens before you pay, not after you apply.

Ready to get started from the comfort of your own home?

USPS fees verified from the official USPS passports page, July 31, 2026. Walgreens pricing verified June 29, 2026; CVS July 29, 2026; FedEx Office July 31, 2026.

USPS Passport Photo FAQ

Does USPS take passport photos?

Yes, most Post Offices that accept passport applications can also take your passport photo, including digital photos for online renewals. Thousands of locations offer it, generally by appointment.

How much is a passport photo at USPS?

The Post Office photo fee is $15.00. If you're filing a first-time application there, the $35.00 acceptance fee comes on top, both paid at the Post Office.

Do I need an appointment for a USPS passport photo?

Usually, yes. USPS asks you to book passport and photo services through its online scheduler, a Post Office lobby kiosk, or at the retail counter, with limited walk-in hours at select locations only.

Can I apply for my passport at the Post Office too?

Yes, and that's USPS's real advantage: thousands of Post Offices are official acceptance facilities for first-time applications, so the photo and the application can happen in one appointment. Renewals are different; those go by mail or online only.

Does USPS offer a digital passport photo for online renewal?

Yes, for a fee, many USPS passport locations can take a digital photo that meets State Department requirements, which is exactly what an online renewal needs. Book the digital photo appointment through the USPS scheduler.

What if my USPS passport photo gets rejected?

If the photo fails at processing, you're booking another appointment and starting the photo again. From home, OnePassPhoto checks your passport picture against every official rule before you pay; we also refund you if it's ever rejected.

Does USPS take passport photos for babies and children?

Post Offices handle passports for minors as part of first-time applications, so children's photos are part of the service. Keep in mind the appointment format: a baby has to deliver an eyes-open, neutral shot during your slot. At home you can take as many tries as your little one needs.

How many photos do you get at USPS?

A US passport application needs one photo, and the $15.00 fee covers taking it. If you want spare prints for later, a service that gives you the print-ready file is the more flexible route.

How much does expedited passport service cost through USPS?

Expedited State Department processing is $60.00 on top of regular fees, and 1-to-3-day return shipping from the State Department runs $22.05. Those are application fees, separate from the photo.

Can I get my passport photo without a Post Office appointment at all?

Yes, a photo taken at home is fine for a US passport as long as it meets the State Department's rules. Upload a selfie to OnePassPhoto and we set the size, fix the background if needed, and check every rule before you pay, with the digital file for online renewal included.