How Do I Get a Passport in NJ? Where to Apply, Fees, and Timing

To get a passport in NJ, you fill out Form DS-11, gather citizenship and identity documents, and bring everything to a passport acceptance facility — a post office, county clerk’s office, or designated public library — where an agent verifies your paperwork and forwards it to the U.S. Department of State. The full federal process runs the same in New Jersey as anywhere else; what changes is where you go locally and how you book the appointment.

Do You Have to Apply in Person?

Not always. You must apply in person on Form DS-11 if you’re a first-time applicant, your most recent passport was issued before you turned 16, your last passport was issued more than 15 years ago, or your passport has been lost, stolen, or significantly damaged.

If none of those apply — you have an undamaged adult passport issued within the last 15 years, in your current legal name or with documents showing a name change — you can renew by mail on Form DS-82 or through the State Department’s online renewal system, which launched in 2024.¹

What to Bring to Your Appointment

Bring everything below. A missing document means a second trip.

Completed Form DS-11. Fill it out using the online form filler at pptform.state.gov and print it single-sided. Do not sign it in advance — you sign in front of the acceptance agent.²
Proof of U.S. citizenship. An original U.S. birth certificate showing the registrar’s signature, an official seal, and your parents’ names; a Certificate of Naturalization; a Certificate of Citizenship; a Consular Report of Birth Abroad; or a previous full-validity U.S. passport. Digital or electronic copies of birth certificates are not accepted.³
A physical, government-issued photo ID. A New Jersey driver’s license works. Digital IDs and mobile driver’s licenses are not accepted.⁴
Photocopies. Single-sided, 8.5-by-11-inch copies of your citizenship document and both sides of your photo ID.
One passport photo. 2-by-2 inches, color, taken within the last six months, white or off-white background, no glasses, no digital filters.⁵
Two payments. A check or money order for the application fee, payable to “U.S. Department of State,” plus a separate payment for the $35 acceptance fee. Accepted methods for the acceptance fee vary by facility.

If you need a New Jersey birth certificate, you can order one from the municipality where you were born or through the state’s online system via VitalChek. Standard processing runs six to eight weeks, so start early.⁶ If no citizenship evidence exists at all, the State Department will do a file search for a $150 fee.⁷

Where to Apply in New Jersey

You can search all New Jersey acceptance facilities by ZIP code at iafdb.travel.state.gov.⁸ Three types of locations handle most applications.

Post Offices

Many USPS branches accept passport applications by appointment, booked at tools.usps.com/rcas.htm up to four weeks in advance. Arrive 10 minutes early; each appointment runs about 15 minutes per person.⁹ Passport photos on-site cost $15.¹⁰

County Clerk Offices

New Jersey county clerks often have longer hours or Saturday availability that post offices don’t. Rules vary:

Middlesex County (75 Bayard Street, New Brunswick) requires an appointment and stays open until 6:00 p.m. on Tuesdays. On-site photos are $10.¹¹
Essex County requires an appointment and charges a $35 processing fee payable by cash or money order.¹²
Mercer County runs two offices. The Trenton location accepts walk-ins (appointments recommended); the Hamilton location requires an appointment and is open Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.¹³
Camden County accepts walk-ins at the Camden courthouse. The Blackwood office requires an appointment and offers weekday evening hours until 7:00 p.m. plus Saturday hours.¹⁴

Public Libraries

A few New Jersey libraries are designated acceptance facilities. Plainfield Public Library is one, and it books appointments online.¹⁵

Passport Photos

If your facility doesn’t offer photos, or you’d rather arrive with one ready, Walgreens locations across New Jersey take passport photos for $16.99 per set of two, no appointment needed.¹⁶ AAA South Jersey members with Plus or Premier memberships get sets free; non-members pay $8.¹⁷

Fees

Passport fees are federal and split between the State Department application fee and a $35 facility acceptance fee. The application fee depends on what you’re getting:⁷

Adult passport book: $130
Adult passport card: $30
Adult book and card together: $160
Child (under 16) passport book: $100
Child passport card: $15
Child book and card together: $115

The State Department portion must be paid by check or money order made out to “U.S. Department of State.” Credit and debit cards are generally not accepted for that fee. The $35 acceptance fee usually can be paid by card, cash, or money order, depending on the facility. Both fees are non-refundable.

Book or Card?

A passport book is the standard document and covers all international travel, including flights. A passport card is a cheaper, wallet-sized alternative valid only for land and sea entries into the United States from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and parts of the Caribbean. It cannot be used for international air travel.¹⁸ Both are valid for 10 years for adults, five years for children under 16, and both count as REAL ID-compliant identification for domestic flights. Applying for both at the same time saves $35 versus getting them separately.

How Long It Takes

As of 2026, standard processing runs four to six weeks and expedited processing runs two to three weeks for an additional $60.¹⁹ Those windows don’t include mailing, which can add up to two weeks on each end. Paying $22.05 buys one-to-three-day return delivery.⁷

Volume is lowest between October and December and highest from late winter through summer.²⁰ Check application status at passportstatus.state.gov about two weeks after submitting.

Urgent and Emergency Travel

If you’re leaving the country within two to three weeks and expedited mail won’t get you there in time, you need an in-person appointment at a regional passport agency. Two serve New Jersey residents:

New York Passport Agency, 376 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014. Open Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.²¹
Philadelphia Passport Agency, Robert N.C. Nix Federal Building, 9th and Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. Open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The agency’s site recommends PATCO for travelers coming from New Jersey.²²

Both agencies require an appointment and will only see applicants with confirmed international travel within 14 calendar days, or within 28 days if a foreign visa is needed. Appointments are free through passportappointment.travel.state.gov or by calling 877-487-2778. Any site charging a fee to book one is fraudulent.²³

For life-or-death emergencies involving the death, terminal illness, or life-threatening injury of an immediate family member abroad, call 877-487-2778 for a same-week appointment.²⁴

Passports for Children

Children under 16 always apply in person on Form DS-11. Their passports can’t be renewed and are valid for only five years. Both parents or legal guardians must appear at the appointment with the child, each bringing photo ID and proof of the parent-child relationship, such as a birth certificate listing both parents.²⁵

If one parent can’t attend, they submit a notarized Statement of Consent on Form DS-3053 along with a photocopy of the ID used before the notary. The notarized form must be submitted within 90 days. A parent with sole legal custody brings the supporting court order. Applicants 16 and 17 may appear with just one parent, and their passports are valid for 10 years.²⁶

Lost, Stolen, or Damaged Passports

Report the loss online through the State Department’s form filler (processed within one business day) or by mailing Form DS-64.²⁷ Once reported, the old passport is permanently canceled and can’t be used for travel even if it turns up. To replace it, apply in person on Form DS-11 with citizenship evidence and photo ID, the same as a first-time applicant. Include a copy of any police report you filed.

Name Changes

If your name has changed since your last passport was issued and that passport was issued less than a year ago, you can update the name at no charge using Form DS-5504. Otherwise, submit a standard renewal — Form DS-82 if you qualify to renew, Form DS-11 if not — with a certified marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order tying your new name to your previous one.²⁸ Originals or certified copies only.

1
Nextgov/FCW. State Department Looks to Build on Success of Online Passport Renewal
2
U.S. Department of State. Apply for a New Adult Passport
3
U.S. Department of State. Evidence of U.S. Citizenship
4
U.S. Department of State. Photo Identification
5
U.S. Department of State. Passport Photos
6
State of New Jersey Department of Health. Online Requests for Vital Records
7
U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
8
U.S. Department of State. Where to Apply
9
U.S. Postal Service. USPS Appointment Scheduler
10
U.S. Postal Service. Passport Services at USPS
11
Middlesex County. Passport Services
12
Essex County Clerk. Passport Services
13
Mercer County. Passports
14
Camden County. Passport Acceptance Agent
15
Plainfield Public Library. Passport Services
16
Walgreens. Passport Photos
17
AAA South Jersey. Passport and Passport Photos
18
U.S. Department of State. Passport Card vs. Book
19
U.S. Department of State. Processing Times
20
USA Today. Passport Application Processing Times
21
U.S. Department of State. New York Passport Agency
22
U.S. Department of State. Philadelphia Passport Agency
23
U.S. Department of State. Make an Appointment
24
U.S. Department of State. Get Your Passport Fast
25
U.S. Department of State. Passports for Children Under 16
26
USAGov. Get a Passport for a Child
27
U.S. Department of State. Report a Passport Lost or Stolen
28
Township of Clinton. Change of Name Information Sheet