You can renew a US passport online if you are 25 or older, your 10-year passport expires within 1 year or expired less than 5 years ago, you aren’t changing your name or sex, you are in a US state or territory, and you aren’t traveling for at least 6 weeks. The fee is $130 for a passport book, with no acceptance fee, and you complete the application yourself on the official State Department site.
To renew passport online without losing weeks to a rejected application, check eligibility first, then gather a digital photo, a payment card and your Social Security number. The whole application is done by you, because third-party services can’t submit it for you. This guide covers the eligibility test, the documents you need, a step-by-step walkthrough, the cost, the timeline and what to do if you don’t qualify. The rules were checked against the State Department online renewal page (updated September 30, 2026) and its mail renewal page (updated October 1, 2026). For a wider view of all renewal routes, read our passport renewal guide.
Can You Renew a Passport Online?
Yes, if you meet all six conditions: a 10-year passport, expiry within 1 year or less than 5 years ago, age 25 or older, no name or sex change, no travel for 6 weeks, and a US location. Missing any one sends you to the mail or in-person route.
The State Department sets these conditions for online renewal:
- Your passport is or was valid for 10 years, and it expires within 1 year or expired less than 5 years ago.
- You are 25 or older.
- You aren’t changing personal information such as your name or sex.
- You aren’t traveling for at least 6 weeks from the day you submit. Online renewals can’t be expedited.
- You are in a US state or territory when you submit.
- You have your passport, it isn’t damaged or mutilated, and it hasn’t been reported lost or stolen.
Because the service is routine only, it suits a planned renewal, not a last-minute trip, so anyone who wants to renew passport online should plan ahead. If your passport expires in 5 months and you fly abroad in 8 weeks, you meet the 6 week rule, but check the 6 month validity rule for your destination as well.
Which Renewal Route Fits You?
Renew online if every condition fits, by mail with Form DS-82 if your passport is under 15 years old, and in person if neither works. The table shows the quick check.
| Your situation | Online | By mail (DS-82) | In person (DS-11) |
| Age 25 or older, 10-year passport, no changes, travel in 6+ weeks | Yes | Yes | Not needed |
| Age 16 to 24 | No | Yes, if passport is under 15 years old | If you don’t qualify |
| Changing name or sex | No | Yes, with a certified document | If you don’t qualify |
| Traveling in under 6 weeks | No | Yes, with expedited service | Agency appointment if under 14 days |
| Passport lost, stolen or damaged | No | No | Yes |
| Under 16 | No | No | Yes, new application |
The mail route covers passports issued within the last 15 years, at age 16 or older, in your current name or with a certified name-change document. Children under 16 can’t renew and need a new application.
What Do You Need Before You Start?
You need the passport you are renewing, a credit or debit card, a digital passport photo, your Social Security number and an emergency contact. Have everything ready before you open the form.
- The passport book, card or both that you are renewing.
- A credit or debit card for the fee.
- A digital passport photo, taken in the last 6 months.
- Your Social Security number.
- An emergency contact.
The State Department warns that sessions can expire, so you may have to start over. Finish the application in one sitting. If your photo isn’t ready, take it first and check it against the passport photo requirements, because the digital file must be between 54 KB and 10 MB in JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC or HEIF format and must be unedited.
How Do You Renew a Passport Online Step by Step?
Confirm that you qualify, gather your items, open the official site at opr.travel.state.gov, complete the application yourself, upload the photo and pay. The application is your own, and no one else can file it for you.
- Confirm that you meet all six conditions above.
- Gather your passport, card, photo, Social Security number and emergency contact.
- Go to opr.travel.state.gov, which is the official online renewal site.
- Complete the application with your personal details.
- Upload your digital photo, and reposition or crop it in the tool if needed.
- Pay by credit or debit card, and add 1 to 3 day delivery if you want it.
- Submit, then watch your email for status updates.
Use only the official site. The State Department warns that other sites may be fraudulent, even if their name includes “Gov.” If you hit a technical problem, call 877-487-2778.
How Much Does It Cost to Renew a Passport Online?
Renewing online costs $130 for a passport book, $30 for a passport card or $160 for both, and 1 to 3 day delivery adds $26.87. There is no $35 acceptance fee, because you don’t visit a facility.
- Passport book: $130.
- Passport card: $30.
- Book and card: $160.
- Optional 1 to 3 day delivery: $26.87.
The most you will pay to renew passport online is $186.87 for a book and card with faster delivery ($160 plus $26.87). A first-time application costs more because of the $35 acceptance fee, so a renewal saves that amount. Our guide on how much a passport costs lists every case and extra fee.
Which Document Combinations Can You Renew Online?
You can renew book to book, card to card, book and card to book and card, and book to book and card, but not card to book or book to card. Those two changes go by mail.
If you hold only a card and want a book, or only a book and want a card, use the mail route with Form DS-82 instead. Plan for it before you open the online form, since the tool can’t switch the type of document you renew. The mail route needs the old passport, one photo stapled with four staples at the corners, and a check or money order payable to the U.S. Department of State.
What Happens to Your Old Passport?
Your current passport is canceled after you submit, and you should not mail it. Keep it.
The State Department tells online applicants to keep the canceled passport, because an expired passport can still serve as proof of citizenship. Don’t plan an international trip between submitting and receiving the new one, since your old passport can no longer be used. This also explains the 6 week rule: you can’t be without a usable passport on a travel date.
How Long Does It Take to Renew a Passport Online?
Routine processing takes 4 to 6 weeks, and mailing is extra, up to 2 weeks to receive the passport. The online renewal page doesn’t give a separate processing time, so use the State Department’s routine figures.
The State Department says mailing times are not part of processing time. Because the online route can’t be expedited, the realistic window is processing plus up to 2 weeks of delivery, or about 8 weeks at worst. Choosing the $26.87 delivery option shortens only the last leg after the passport is issued.
Call 877-487-2778 if your travel plans change and you want expedited service or 1 to 3 day delivery. You can also call if you need to change your mailing address to another US address. For more on timing, see our guide on how long it takes to get a passport.
What Happens After You Submit?
The State Department emails you when the application is in process, approved and sent, and it contacts you if more information is needed. Watch the email address you entered.
If the State Department asks for more information, respond within 90 days of the date on the letter or email. Reply as soon as you see the request, because the application waits until you do. Keep your confirmation until the new passport arrives. If more than 2 weeks pass after the passport is mailed and nothing arrives, call 877-487-2778.
What If You Don’t Qualify to Renew Online?
Use Form DS-82 by mail if your passport was issued within 15 years at age 16 or older, and apply in person with Form DS-11 if it wasn’t. Both routes cost $130 for a book, with the $35 acceptance fee added in person.
The mail route accepts passports that are undamaged beyond normal wear, never reported lost or stolen, and in your current name or backed by a certified name-change document. Unlike online renewal, the mail route allows expedited service, at $60 extra for a 2 to 3 week target. If you travel in less than 3 weeks, make a passport agency appointment within 14 days of your travel date.
If you live outside the US and Canada, contact the nearest US embassy or consulate. Renewing from Canada follows a separate process. If you have never held a passport, your path is the in-person one, and our passport application guide lists the documents.
What Mistakes Make an Online Renewal Fail?
Most failures come from missing the 6 week travel rule, a rejected photo, a card-to-book change and using an unofficial site. All of them are easy to avoid.
- Applying when you travel within 6 weeks, which online renewal can’t handle.
- Uploading an edited, filtered or low-quality photo.
- Trying to switch from card to book or book to card online.
- Entering a name that differs from the passport with no mail route.
- Starting the form without your photo and Social Security number, then losing the session.
- Using a look-alike website that charges extra, instead of opr.travel.state.gov.
- Mailing the old passport after submitting, when you should keep it.
Anyone who plans to renew passport online should run through this list before starting. For the official eligibility rules, read the State Department’s online renewal page.
FAQs
Can I renew my passport online?
Yes, if you are 25 or older, your 10-year passport expires within 1 year or expired less than 5 years ago, and you aren’t changing your name. You must also be in the US.
How much does it cost to renew a passport online?
A passport book costs $130, a card $30 and both $160. Optional 1 to 3 day delivery adds $26.87. There’s no acceptance fee.
Can I renew an expired passport online?
Yes, if the 10-year passport expired less than 5 years ago and you meet the other conditions. Older passports need the mail or in-person route.
Can I renew my passport online if I’m traveling soon?
Not if you travel within 6 weeks. Online renewals can’t be expedited, so use mail renewal with expedited service or an agency appointment.
Do I mail my old passport when I renew online?
No. Your current passport is canceled when you submit, and the State Department says to keep it. It can still serve as proof of citizenship.
Can I renew my passport online if my name changed?
No. Online renewal can’t change a name or sex. Use mail renewal with a certified name-change document, or apply in person.
What do I need to renew a passport online?
You need your passport, a credit or debit card, a digital photo, your Social Security number and an emergency contact.
Conclusion
Before you renew passport online, confirm three facts: you are 25 or older, your 10-year passport expires within a year or expired under 5 years ago, and you won’t travel for 6 weeks. If they hold, $130, a clean digital photo and your Social Security number are all you need. If one fails, DS-82 by mail covers most other adults.
