A first-time adult passport book is the most common request, and in Alabama the cost of a passport comes to $165: a $130 application fee to the U.S. Department of State plus a $35 acceptance facility fee paid to whoever processes your paperwork. Those prices are federal, so they’re the same at a Birmingham post office, a Mobile county clerk’s office, or any other acceptance facility in the state. What you actually pay depends on your age, whether you’ve had a passport before, which document you want, and how fast you need it.
First-Time Adult Prices
If you’re 16 or older and have never had a U.S. passport, you’ll file Form DS-11 in person and pay two separate fees. The State Department sets the application fee; the acceptance facility charges a flat $35 on top.
- Passport book: $130 + $35 = $165
- Passport card: $30 + $35 = $65
- Book and card together: $160 + $35 = $195
The book is the standard document for international flights. The card is a wallet-sized version that works only at land and sea crossings with Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and some Caribbean countries, and it won’t get you on an international flight.1U.S. Department of State. Passport Card Applying for both at the same visit saves $35 compared to going back for each separately, because you only pay the facility fee once.2U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
Renewal Prices
Renewing is cheaper because you skip the $35 facility fee. You mail Form DS-82 directly to the State Department instead of appearing in person.
- Book renewal: $130
- Card renewal: $30
- Both together: $160
You can renew by mail only if your most recent passport was issued when you were 16 or older, was issued within the last 15 years, is undamaged, and has never been reported lost or stolen. You also need the physical passport to submit with your application.3U.S. Department of State. Renew My Passport Miss any of those, and you’re back to the in-person DS-11 process at the first-time price.
Online renewal is available at the same prices, but with tighter rules: you must be 25 or older, your passport must be a 10-year passport that is either expiring within a year or expired less than five years ago, you cannot be changing your name or other information, and only routine processing is offered, so travel within six weeks of filing rules this out.4U.S. Department of State. Renew My Passport Online
Child Passport Prices
Anyone under 16 applies in person on Form DS-11 every time, even if they already had a passport. There’s no mail renewal option for children.3U.S. Department of State. Renew My Passport
- Book: $100 + $35 = $135
- Card: $15 + $35 = $50
- Both: $115 + $35 = $150
Child fees look lower, but a child’s passport is valid for five years instead of ten, so you’ll pay again sooner.5USAGov. Get a Passport for a Minor Under 18 Both parents or legal guardians have to appear with the child. If one parent can’t attend, the absent parent must submit a notarized Form DS-3053 along with a photocopy of their ID.6U.S. Department of State. Children Under 16
Rush Options
Standard processing runs four to six weeks.7U.S. Department of State. Processing Times Two optional add-ons speed things up, and you can use either or both on a new application or a renewal.
- Expedited processing: $60, which brings processing down to two or three weeks.
- 1-to-3-day priority delivery of the finished passport book: $22.05. Not available for the card, which ships First Class Mail only.
Stacking both on a first-time adult book pushes the total to $247.05.2U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
Passport Photo
Every application needs a compliant photo. The U.S. Postal Service charges $15 at post offices that offer the service.8United States Postal Service. Passport Application and Passport Renewal Pharmacies and shipping stores typically run $10 to $17. Taking your own at home to the State Department’s specifications costs only what printing costs you.
Name Changes, Lost Passports, and Other Edge Cases
If you legally changed your name within the last year and your passport was also issued within the last year, you can update it for free on Form DS-5504. You send in your current passport, a certified document proving the name change, and a new photo. The only possible charge is $60 if you want it expedited.9U.S. Department of State. Change or Correct a Passport Once more than a year has passed on either side, the free fix is gone and you pay regular renewal or first-time fees.
A lost or stolen passport means starting over in person on Form DS-11, with Form DS-64 to report the loss, and paying the full first-time fees ($165 for an adult book). The cheaper mail renewal is off the table once a passport is reported missing.
How You Pay
Expect to write two separate payments at the facility. The State Department fee has to be a check or money order payable to “U.S. Department of State.” Personal checks, certified checks, cashier’s checks, and traveler’s checks are all accepted.8United States Postal Service. Passport Application and Passport Renewal The $35 facility fee goes to the facility itself. Post offices generally take credit cards, checks, and money orders for that part, but clerks of court and other facilities set their own policies, so call ahead.2U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
Quick Reference by Situation
- Adult first-time book: $165
- Adult renewal book: $130
- Child book: $135
- Adult first-time card: $65
- Adult first-time book and card: $195
Add about $15 for a photo if you don’t take your own, and up to $82.05 if you want both expedited processing and fast delivery. A first-time adult book with every upgrade tops out around $262.2U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees