A first-time adult passport book in Texas costs $165: a $130 application fee to the U.S. Department of State plus a $35 acceptance facility fee paid where you submit your paperwork. How much a passport costs in Texas depends on your age, whether you want a book or a card, whether you’re applying fresh or renewing, and whether you add expedited service. Passport fees are set federally, so Texans pay the same as applicants in every other state.
First-Time Adult Passport Fees
If you’ve never had a passport, or you don’t qualify to renew the one you have, you’ll apply in person on Form DS-11 and pay two separate fees. One goes to the State Department; the other goes to the acceptance facility (usually a post office, county clerk, or library) where you submit the application. The acceptance fee is $35 no matter which document you choose.1U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
- Passport book: $130 + $35 = $165
- Passport card: $30 + $35 = $65
- Both book and card: $160 + $35 = $195
These fees are non-refundable, even if the State Department ends up not issuing your passport. Applicants who are 16 or 17 pay the same adult rates and must also apply in person on DS-11, because they’re getting their first adult passport.2U.S. Department of State. Apply for Your Passport as a 16-17 Year Old
Passport Fees for Children Under 16
Children under 16 apply in person, and both parents or guardians generally need to appear at the appointment.3U.S. Department of State. Apply for a Child’s Passport Under 16 The application fees are lower than adult rates, but the $35 acceptance fee still applies.
- Passport book: $100 + $35 = $135
- Passport card: $15 + $35 = $50
- Both book and card: $115 + $35 = $150
A child’s passport is valid for only five years, versus ten years for adults, so you’ll pay for a new one more often. Children can never renew by mail; every application requires a new in-person visit with a parent.1U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
Renewal Fees
Renewing is cheaper because the $35 acceptance fee drops away. You mail Form DS-82 (or renew online if eligible) and pay only the State Department’s application fee:
- Passport book renewal: $130
- Passport card renewal: $30
- Both book and card: $160
You qualify to renew by mail or online if your most recent passport was issued when you were 16 or older, was issued within the last 15 years, is undamaged, has never been reported lost or stolen, and is in your current name (or you have a legal document showing a name change, such as a marriage certificate).4U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail Miss any of those, and you’re back to applying in person on DS-11 at the full first-time price.1U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
Book or Card: Which One You Actually Need
Before you pay for both, know what each document does. The passport book is the standard travel document and works for all international travel, including flights. The passport card is wallet-sized and only works for land and sea crossings into Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and certain Caribbean countries. You cannot fly internationally on a passport card.5U.S. Department of State. Get a Passport Card
The card does count as valid ID for domestic flights inside the United States. For most Texans planning to fly abroad, the book alone covers everything. The card is worth adding mainly if you regularly drive across the Mexican border and want something easier to carry.
Expedited Processing, Faster Delivery, and Photos
The prices above assume routine processing. If you’re in a hurry, add these to your application fee:
- Expedited processing: $60. Roughly cuts processing time in half.
- 1–3 day delivery: $22.05. Priority shipping after the State Department finishes your book. Not available for passport cards, which ship First Class Mail only.
- File search: $150, if the State Department has to search for a passport record issued before 1994 because you can’t produce proof of citizenship or a prior passport.
Expedited processing and fast delivery stack. A first-time adult book with both add-ons runs $165 + $60 + $22.05 = $247.05.1U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees Passport photos are a separate out-of-pocket cost. The State Department doesn’t take them; a pharmacy, shipping store, or acceptance facility typically charges $7 to $18.
Lost, Stolen, or Damaged Passports
If your passport was lost, stolen, or significantly damaged, you can’t renew by mail. You apply in person on Form DS-11, report the loss or theft on Form DS-64, and pay the full first-time application and acceptance fees, so $165 for an adult replacement book.1U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees A damaged passport also requires a signed statement explaining the damage. There’s no separate replacement surcharge; the extra cost compared to a mail-in renewal is just the $35 acceptance fee you’d otherwise skip.
Name Changes
If both your name change and your current passport happened less than a year ago, you can update your name for free using Form DS-5504 with your name change document. No application fee, no acceptance fee, just the cost of a new photo and postage.6U.S. Department of State. Name Change for U.S. Passport or Correct a Printing or Data Error If more than a year has passed since either event, you pay the standard renewal fee on DS-82, or the full first-time fee on DS-11 if you don’t qualify to renew.
How You Pay
You’ll make two separate payments with different rules, and this trips people up at the counter.
The application fee goes to the U.S. Department of State. For mail-in renewals, pay by personal check, certified check, cashier’s check, traveler’s check, or money order made out to “U.S. Department of State,” with the applicant’s full name and date of birth in the memo line. Credit and debit cards aren’t accepted for this payment.7United States Postal Service. Passport Application and Passport Renewal
The $35 acceptance fee is paid separately to the facility taking your application. Post offices accept credit cards, checks, and money orders for this one.8United States Postal Service. About Accepted Forms of Payment at USPS County clerks and other acceptance facilities may also take cash. At a USPS location, a debit card can pay the postal acceptance fee but not the State Department portion.
Where to Apply in Texas
Texas has hundreds of passport acceptance facilities, including post offices, county clerk offices, and public libraries. The State Department’s searchable directory at iafdb.travel.state.gov finds the nearest one by city or ZIP code, and you can filter for locations that take passport photos on-site.9U.S. Department of State. Passport Acceptance Facility Search Many facilities require appointments; call before going.
For urgent trips, the Houston Passport Agency at 1919 Smith Street is the only regional passport agency in Texas. It handles same-day and next-day processing for travelers with proof of international departure within 14 days (28 days if you also need a foreign visa). Appointments are free but mandatory, and you’ll pay the $60 expedite fee on top of your regular application fees. The State Department warns against third-party booking services, which it may not honor.10U.S. Department of State. Apply at the Houston Passport Agency