To get a passport in Kentucky, you apply in person at a local acceptance facility — usually a post office, public library, or county clerk’s office — using Form DS-11, with proof of U.S. citizenship, proof of identity, a passport photo, and your fees. The U.S. Department of State issues the passport; Kentucky facilities only accept and forward your application. A first-time adult passport book costs $165 total and routine processing currently takes four to six weeks, plus mailing time.
Documents You Need to Bring
Five things have to be in order before you walk in: the application form, proof of citizenship, proof of identity, your Social Security number, and a passport photo. Missing or wrong paperwork is the most common reason applications get delayed.
Form DS-11
First-time applicants use Form DS-11, which you can download from the State Department website or pick up at most acceptance facilities.1U.S. Department of State. Application for a U.S. Passport Fill it out completely but do not sign it. You sign in front of the acceptance agent at your appointment.
Proof of U.S. Citizenship
For most Kentucky applicants this is a certified birth certificate from the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics (or the equivalent office in the state where you were born). The certificate has to show your full name, date and place of birth, your parents’ names, an official seal from the issuing office, and a filing date within one year of your birth.2eCFR. 22 CFR 51.42 – Persons Born in the United States Applying for a Passport for the First Time A hospital souvenir certificate doesn’t count, and neither does an unsigned photocopy.
If you weren’t born in the United States, a Certificate of Naturalization or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad works instead. If a qualifying birth certificate isn’t available, the State Department will consider secondary evidence like baptismal records, early school records, or hospital birth records, though these may slow things down.
Bring the original plus a photocopy. The State Department keeps the copy and mails your original back separately after the passport is issued.
Proof of Identity
A valid Kentucky driver’s license is the standard. Other options include a previous U.S. passport, a military ID, a Certificate of Naturalization with a photo, or a government employee ID.1U.S. Department of State. Application for a U.S. Passport Bring the original and a photocopy of the front and back.
Social Security Number
Federal law requires your SSN on the application. You don’t have to bring the card, but the number is mandatory. Leaving it blank or giving the wrong number can trigger a $500 penalty per application unless you can show it was an honest mistake.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 6039E – Information Concerning Resident Status
Passport Photo
One color photo, taken within the last six months, 2 x 2 inches, on matte or glossy photo paper, with a white or off-white background. Face the camera directly, neutral expression, both eyes open, mouth closed.4U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Photos No glasses unless you have a signed doctor’s note explaining a medical reason. No hats or head coverings unless you wear one daily for religious or medical reasons, in which case bring a signed statement. Don’t retouch the photo with filters or AI tools. Many Kentucky acceptance facilities and pharmacies take passport photos for a small fee, which is the easier route.
Passport Book or Passport Card
Decide this before you apply, because the fees differ and the two documents aren’t interchangeable. The passport book is the standard booklet and works for all international travel, including flights. The passport card is a wallet-sized card that only works for land and sea travel between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and Caribbean countries.5U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passports and REAL ID The card does not work for any international flight. It also doubles as a REAL ID–compliant document for domestic flights.
If there’s any chance you’ll fly internationally, get the book. You can also apply for both at the same time.
What It Costs in 2026
Passport fees are split in two: an application fee paid to the State Department, and an execution fee paid directly to the acceptance facility. First-time applicants pay both.6U.S. Department of State. United States Passport Fees
- Adult passport book (first-time): $130 application + $35 execution = $165
- Adult passport card (first-time): $30 application + $35 execution = $65
- Adult book and card together: $160 application + $35 execution = $195
- Minor passport book (under 16): $100 application + $35 execution = $135
- Minor passport card (under 16): $15 application + $35 execution = $50
- Adult book renewal by mail: $130 application fee only
- Expedited processing: add $60 to the application fee
Most facilities take checks or money orders. Some accept credit cards for the execution fee, but call ahead to confirm. The application and execution fees are typically two separate transactions.
Where to Apply in Kentucky
Kentucky has dozens of acceptance facilities, mostly in post offices, with others at public libraries and county clerk offices.7U.S. Department of State. Passport Acceptance Facility Search Page Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green, and Owensboro each have multiple locations. Smaller communities usually have a participating post office within driving distance.
Find a specific facility through the State Department’s search tool at iafdb.travel.state.gov. Enter your zip code and you’ll get nearby locations with addresses, phone numbers, and hours. Not every county clerk offers passport services, and library hours for the service can be limited, so call before you go. Some facilities require appointments booked weeks ahead; others take walk-ins.
What Happens at the Appointment
Every first-time applicant has to appear in person. You cannot file a DS-11 by mail or online.8USAGov. Apply for a New Adult Passport Bring the unsigned DS-11, your citizenship document with photocopy, your ID with photocopy, your photo, and your two payments.
The acceptance agent reviews your documents, places you under oath, and watches you sign the application.1U.S. Department of State. Application for a U.S. Passport They package everything with the application fee and send it by secure mail to a federal passport processing center. Your original citizenship document travels with the package and comes back to you separately once the passport is issued.
When You Can Renew by Mail Instead
If you already have a passport, you may be able to skip the in-person step and renew by mail using Form DS-82. You qualify if your most recent passport:
- Was issued when you were 16 or older
- Was issued within the last 15 years
- Is undamaged (normal wear is fine)
- Was never reported lost or stolen
- Is in your current name, or you can provide a legal document showing the name change
If any of those don’t apply, you have to use DS-11 in person like a first-time applicant. A mail renewal takes your completed DS-82, your current passport, a new photo, and the $130 application fee, sent to the address on the form. No execution fee. Add $60 for expedited.9U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail
Getting a Passport for a Child
Children under 16 apply in person with Form DS-11, and at least one parent or legal guardian has to appear with them and sign. The State Department prefers both parents attend.10USAGov. Get a Passport for a Minor Under 18 If only one parent can be there, the absent parent completes Form DS-3053 (Statement of Consent), has it notarized, and submits it with the application. If the other parent can’t be located, Form DS-5525 (Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances) goes in instead.
Minors’ passports are valid for five years, not ten. Applicants 16 and 17 can sign their own applications, though the State Department may still ask for a notarized parental consent on DS-3053.
Processing Times and How to Check Status
Routine processing is four to six weeks as of 2026. Expedited is two to three weeks for the extra $60.11U.S. Department of State. Processing Times for U.S. Passports Both figures are processing only. Add up to two weeks of mailing in each direction when you’re planning around a trip.
Check your application status at passportstatus.state.gov using your last name, date of birth, and the last four digits of your Social Security number.12U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Application Status The new passport and your returned original documents arrive in separate mailings, so don’t panic if one shows up without the other.
If You Need It Faster
For travel within six weeks, pay the $60 expedited fee when you apply. For international travel within 14 days, you may qualify for an emergency appointment at a regional passport agency. Kentucky doesn’t have one, so you’d travel to an agency in a nearby state. Life-or-death emergencies — serious illness, injury, or death of an immediate family member abroad — are what these appointments are for.13U.S. Department of State. How to Get My U.S. Passport Fast Call 1-877-487-2778 to discuss an agency appointment.
Situations That Can Block a Passport
Most people apply without issues, but two situations will stop an application.
Serious federal tax debt. If you owe the IRS more than $66,000 in assessed, legally enforceable federal tax debt (including penalties and interest), the IRS can certify you as seriously delinquent, and the State Department will deny or revoke your passport.14Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 7345 – Revocation or Denial of Passport in Case of Certain Tax Delinquencies The threshold adjusts annually for inflation.15Internal Revenue Service. Revocation or Denial of Passport in Cases of Certain Unpaid Taxes Certification does not apply if you’re on an active IRS payment plan, have requested a collection due process hearing, or have filed for innocent spouse relief.
Certain drug convictions. A felony drug conviction, state or federal, disqualifies you from a passport if you crossed an international border or used a passport while committing the offense. The bar lasts through imprisonment and any supervised release.16Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 22 USC 2714 – Denial of Passports to Certain Convicted Drug Traffickers A first-time simple possession misdemeanor is specifically excluded. The Secretary of State can issue a passport on humanitarian grounds in genuine emergencies even when this restriction would otherwise apply.