Online passport renewal lets eligible adults renew a U.S. passport through the State Department’s website without mailing paper forms. Applicants must be 25 or older, live in the United States and hold a 10-year passport that is expiring within a year or expired less than five years ago. A passport book renewal costs $130, the same as by mail.
Key Takeaways
- The State Department made online passport renewal fully available to the public in September 2024, after a trial earlier that year.
- Applicants must be 25 or older and renewing a 10-year passport that expires within a year or expired less than five years ago.
- Online renewal costs the same as mail renewal: $130 for a passport book, $30 for a passport card and $160 for both.
- The passport being renewed is canceled as soon as the online application is submitted and cannot be used for international travel.
- Online renewal uses routine processing only; it cannot be expedited.
- Children under 16 cannot renew a passport and must apply in person.
How Online Passport Renewal Came to Be
For decades, renewing a U.S. passport meant printing a form, attaching a check and mailing the old passport. The State Department tested an online alternative in 2024 but paused the trial when the volume of applications outpaced its capacity. In September 2024, it made the online renewal system fully available to the public.
The online system does not replace mail renewal. It is a second option for applicants who meet a specific set of requirements, and anyone who does not qualify can still renew by mail if they meet the mail criteria, or apply in person.
Who Qualifies for Online Passport Renewal
Online passport renewal has stricter eligibility rules than mail renewal. Based on State Department criteria, an applicant must meet all of the following:
- Be 25 or older and renewing a passport that is or was valid for 10 years.
- Be renewing a passport that expires within one year or expired less than five years ago.
- Live in the United States, in a state or territory.
- Be applying for a regular tourist passport, not a special issuance passport such as a diplomatic, official or service passport.
- Have the current passport in hand, undamaged and not reported lost or stolen.
- Not be changing any personal information, such as a name.
- Be able to pay by credit or debit card and upload a digital passport photo.
Applicants also cannot have international travel planned for several weeks after submitting the application. The State Department posts the current required window on travel.state.gov.
When Mail Renewal Is the Only Option
Applicants who do not meet the online criteria may still be able to renew by mail. Mail renewal is available when the most recent passport was issued within the last 15 years, was issued when the applicant was 16 or older, and is in the applicant’s current name, or the applicant can provide a document such as a marriage certificate showing a name change. Children under 16 cannot renew a passport at all and must apply in person using Form DS-11.
How to Renew a Passport Online, Step by Step
The process runs through the State Department’s online portal. Applicants first create a MyTravelGov account, which uses the federal government’s Login.gov sign-in system. From there, they enter details from their current passport and their upcoming travel plans, upload a digital photo and pay by debit or credit card.
One step works differently from mail renewal. The passport being renewed is canceled as soon as the online application is submitted. It cannot be used for international travel afterward, so applicants should not plan a trip on the old passport once they apply. Unlike mail renewal, the old passport is not sent to the State Department.
Renewing a Passport Card Online
Both passport books and passport cards can be renewed online. The State Department notes one limit: someone who holds only a passport book cannot use online renewal to get a card only, and someone who holds only a card cannot use it to get a book only. A passport card is also more limited than a book, since it cannot be used for international air travel.
Passport Renewal Cost Online and by Mail
Online renewal costs the same as mail renewal. According to State Department fee listings, renewing a passport book costs $130, renewing a passport card costs $30, and renewing both costs $160. Online applicants must pay by credit or debit card.
How Long Online Passport Renewal Takes
Online renewal is available for routine service only and cannot be expedited. Its processing time is the same as routine renewal by mail. Applicants who need a passport quickly must use mail or in-person options that offer expedited service.
Processing estimates change throughout the year, and the State Department posts current routine times on travel.state.gov. Those posted times cover only the period the application spends at a passport agency or center and do not include mailing time for the new passport.
FAQs
Can I renew my passport online?
Adults 25 or older who live in the United States can renew online if their 10-year passport expires within a year or expired less than five years ago. They must also have no name or other personal changes and be able to pay by card.
How much is passport renewal?
A passport book renewal costs $130, a passport card renewal costs $30, and renewing both costs $160. The fees are the same online and by mail.
How long does passport renewal take?
Online renewal uses routine processing, the same timeline as mail renewal, and cannot be expedited. Current processing estimates are posted on travel.state.gov and do not include mailing time.
Can I renew a passport card online?
Yes, passport cards can be renewed online, along with passport books. Applicants cannot switch from a book to a card only, or from a card to a book only, through online renewal.
What happens to my old passport when I renew online?
The passport being renewed is canceled as soon as the online application is submitted. It cannot be used for international travel after that point.
