Passport pricing confuses people because it is split into two payments to two different parties, with optional add-ons priced separately. One table settles it.
The 2026 fee table
| Situation | Application fee | Execution fee | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult book, first time (DS-11) | $130 | $35 | $165 |
| Adult book, renewal by mail/online (DS-82) | $130 | — | $130 |
| Adult card, first time | $30 | $35 | $65 |
| Adult card, renewal | $30 | — | $30 |
| Adult book + card, first time | $160 | $35 | $195 |
| Child under 16, book | $100 | $35 | $135 |
| Child under 16, card | $15 | $35 | $50 |
| Expedited processing (any of the above) | +$60 | — | +$60 |
| 1-2 day return delivery (book) | ~$23 | — | ~$23 |
Who gets paid, and how
- Application fee → "U.S. Department of State", by check or money order at acceptance facilities (card payment available for online renewal).
- Execution fee ($35) → the facility itself (post office, library, clerk), which often accepts cards.
- Photos: on-site service at many facilities (~$15) — listings with "Photos on-site" — or bring your own compliant 2x2.
Fees people forget
- File search ($150) if you can't document a previous passport in some replacement cases.
- Nothing is refundable — the application fee is kept even if denied.
- Lost/stolen replacement = full first-time pricing again, in person.
Check current amounts at travel.state.gov before paying — a wrong check amount is a classic cause of returned applications.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pay everything with one card?
Only for online renewals. At a facility you need the application fee as check/money order and the execution fee separately (cards often OK for that part). Two payments, always.
Is the $35 execution fee ever waived?
No — every in-person DS-11 application pays it. The only way to avoid it is being renewal-eligible and using mail or online.
Why did I see a total of $225?
That's the expedited first-time adult book: $130 + $35 + $60. With rush delivery it approaches $250.