Renew your passport online: who qualifies
Online renewal saves the envelope and the first leg of mail, but its rules are narrower than renewal by mail. The checker tests all of them.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
Your renewal route
You can renew online
$130 in fees, routine service
| Current passport expires | October 17, 2027 |
|---|---|
| Online renewal | Eligible |
| Renewal by mail (DS-82) | Eligible |
| Fee for this route | $130 |
How this was calculated
- Online: 10-year passport, age 25+, expiring within 1 year or expired less than 5 years ago (for you: October 17, 2026 to October 16, 2032), same name, no travel for 6 weeks, routine only.
- By mail: issued within the last 15 years, when you were 16 or older, undamaged, never reported lost, same name or a name-change document.
- Children under 16 can never renew: every child passport is a new DS-11 in person.
Estimate from the State Department’s published fees and processing times. Mailing times vary and the Department decides each case. Independent site, not affiliated with the Department of State; we sell no expediting service. Method and sources
Online passport renewal, on the State Department’s own site opr.travel.state.gov, costs the same as by mail: $130 for a book, $30 for a card and $160 for both, plus $26.87 if you want 1-3 day delivery, paid by credit or debit card. You qualify only if all of these hold: the passport you renew is or was valid for 10 years; it expires within 1 year or expired less than 5 years ago; you are 25 or older; you are not changing personal information such as your name or sex; you will not travel for at least 6 weeks after you submit; you are in a U.S. state or territory; and you have the passport with you, undamaged and never reported lost or stolen. Online renewals cannot be expedited. You upload a digital photo, keep the old passport, and it is canceled as soon as you submit. With no outbound mail, the routine wait is 4 to 6 weeks plus the return mail, up to 56 days.
The rule people miss: six weeks without travel
The online form is routine service only, and the State Department asks you to have no trip planned for at least 6 weeks from the day you submit. The old passport is canceled at submission, so there is no fallback document. The checker flags a trip date inside that period; the full calculator then shows the mail renewal with expedited service as the alternative, at $190 or more.
What it costs, and what it saves
The fee is identical to the mail renewal. The saving is time and paper: no check, no envelope, no post office, and no outbound mail leg of up to 2 weeks. With 1-3 day delivery, an online book renewal comes to $156.87, charged to your card. You still need a digital photo that meets the same rules as a printed one.
Unofficial renewal sites
Several companies sell “online passport renewal” services. The State Department warns that they are not authorized to accept or process online renewals, that it cannot get involved in disputes with them or refund an unauthorized application, and that only you may sign your application. This site does not sell any service: the expediting guide compares government fees with what such companies add.