Online passport renewal is a convenient way to renew a U.S. passport, but it is not the best choice for every traveler.
The online system is designed for eligible adults with a straightforward routine renewal. It is not an expedited service, it cannot be used for every passport change, and your old passport is canceled after you submit the application.
Online renewal may work if you meet every eligibility rule below and can wait through routine processing, currently estimated at 4 to 6 weeks, not including mailing time.
Do not use online renewal. Compare expedited or urgent renewal options.
Online renewal cannot be expedited. If the routine processing timeline will take too long for your trip, and you cannot make or get to a regional agency appointment, a registered passport courier may be worth considering.
Our role
U.S. Passport Service Guide is not the U.S. Department of State. We explain the rules, compare your options, and flag the mistakes that can delay a renewal. The only official online passport renewal application is through the State Department's online renewal portal.
Table of Contents
- Quick Decision: Should You Renew Online?
- Online Passport Renewal Eligibility
- What You Can and Cannot Renew Online
- What to Have Ready Before You Start
- How to Renew Your Passport Online
- Digital Passport Photo Tips
- What Happens After You Apply Online
- When Not to Renew Online
- Online Passport Renewal FAQs
Quick Decision: Should You Renew Your Passport Online?
Renew online if your renewal is simple, your travel plans are not close, and you are comfortable completing the application yourself through a government website.
| Your Situation | Best Route | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Eligible adult, routine timeline, no major changes | Online renewal | Fast submission and no physical passport packet to mail. |
| Want maximum flexibility | Mail-in DS-82 renewal | Mail-in renewal allows routine or expedited service and works for more renewal situations. |
| Need expedited service in 2 to 3 weeks | Renew by mail with expedited service | Online renewal is not an expedited application lane. |
| Traveling within 14 days (or 28 days if visa required) |
Urgent renewal or use a trusted registered passport courier service | You need a regional passport agency appointment or a courier-supported paper application. |
| Name change, damaged passport, lost passport, or child passport | Mail-in renewal or in-person application | Online renewal is only for clean, eligible adult renewals. Start with the correct guide for a name change, replacement, or child passport. |
Online Passport Renewal Eligibility
You must meet all of the State Department's online renewal requirements. If one rule does not fit, use another renewal method.
- Your passport was valid for 10 years. Child passports, emergency passports, diplomatic passports, and other special-issue passports do not qualify.
- Your passport is expiring within 1 year or expired less than 5 years ago. If it expired more than 5 years ago, it is too old for online renewal.
- You are age 25 or older.
- You are not changing personal information. This includes your name, sex, date of birth, or place of birth.
- You are not traveling internationally for at least 6 weeks. Online renewal is routine service only.
- You are in a U.S. state or territory when you submit the application. Online renewal is not for applicants living abroad.
- You have the passport with you. It cannot be lost, stolen, damaged, or mutilated.
- You can complete your own application. A third party cannot submit the online application for you.
The 15-year rule still matters
A standard adult passport is valid for 10 years. Since online renewal only works if the passport is expiring within 1 year or expired less than 5 years ago, most eligible online renewals fall within the familiar 15-year renewal window. If the passport was issued more than 15 years ago, start over with Form DS-11.
If you meet these requirements, you qualify to use the State Department online renewal portal.
What You Can and Cannot Renew Online
Online renewal is mainly a same-document renewal system. In limited cases, the State Department allows you to renew into a book-and-card combination. It does not let you switch from only a passport book to only a passport card, or from only a passport card to only a passport book.
| What You Have Now | What You Want | Can You Renew Online? |
|---|---|---|
| Passport book | Passport book | Yes |
| Passport card | Passport card | Yes |
| Passport book and card | Passport book and card | Yes |
| Passport book | Passport book and card | Yes, if all online renewal rules are met |
| Passport card | Passport book and card | Yes, if all online renewal rules are met |
| Passport book | Passport card only | No. Renew by mail. |
| Passport card | Passport book only | No. Renew by mail. |
If you want a passport product that online renewal does not support, use Form DS-82 by mail if you qualify.
What to Have Ready Before You Start
Do not begin the online application casually. Get the following items ready first:
Your current passport
Use the exact passport number and personal details printed on the passport. If you have a Next Generation Passport, include the letter at the beginning of the passport number.
A digital passport photo
Use an original, unedited color photo taken within the last 6 months. Review the State Department digital photo requirements before you upload it.
A credit or debit card
Payment happens online. Have the card ready before you reach Pay.gov because timeout issues can force you to restart.
Personal details
Have your Social Security number, mailing address, email address, and emergency contact information available.
Only use the official portal
The official online passport renewal application starts through the State Department's online renewal system. Be careful with sites that look official but end in .com, .us, or .org.
Reputable registered passport expediting services offer online ordering, but they are not technically using the U.S. Department of State's online renewal system. These services make and attend in-person regional passport agency appointments on behalf of clients.
How to Renew Your Passport Online
Confirm That Online Renewal Is the Right Lane
Before creating an account or uploading anything, confirm your eligibility, your timeline, and the type of passport product you want. If you need faster processing, use a paper-based option instead.
Sign In Through Login.gov or MyTravelGov
Use the official State Department online renewal portal. You may need a Login.gov account if you do not already have one.
Tip: Login.gov account verification is separate from the passport renewal form. If Login.gov asks you to upload images of ID documents, follow the Login.gov instructions and contact Login.gov support if you cannot pass that identity check.
Enter Your Passport Information Exactly
Type your passport number, name, issue date, expiration date, and other details exactly as they appear on your passport.
Do not drop the first character from a Next Generation Passport number. Many newer passport numbers begin with a letter followed by numbers. That letter is part of the passport number.
Enter Your Travel Plans
The online renewal system checks whether you have international travel within the next 6 weeks. If you do, stop and use a faster renewal method.
Upload Your Digital Passport Photo
Upload your digital photo before you reach payment. If you reach checkout and the system never asked for a photo, do not submit payment until the photo step is complete.
Review, Sign, and Pay
Review the application carefully before submitting. When you pay the passport renewal fee, the passport you are renewing will be canceled by the State Department once you submit. You cannot keep using your older passport for international travel while waiting for the new passport.
Watch for Confirmation and Status Updates
Watch for payment confirmation and State Department email updates. If the State Department asks for more information, respond by the deadline in the letter or email. Missing that deadline can cause the application to be closed, and you will have to start all over again.
Digital Passport Photo Tips for Online Renewal
Passport photos are one of the most common reasons applications get delayed. Online renewal removes the printed photo, but it does not make the photo rules easier.
- Use a JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC, or HEIF file.
- Keep the file between 54 KB and 10 MB.
- Use a color photo taken in the last 6 months.
- Stand several feet from a plain white or off-white background.
- Leave room around your head and shoulders so the system can crop the image.
- Use even lighting with no shadows on your face or the background.
- Do not wear glasses.
- Do not use filters, retouching tools, AI edits, or a scan of a printed photo.
Do not trust the upload check as final approval
The online photo tool checks basic requirements, but a State Department employee still reviews the photo after you submit. A photo can appear to upload successfully and still be rejected later for shadows, glare, uneven lighting, background problems, or digital edits.
What Happens After You Apply Online
Your old passport is canceled
After you submit the online application, do not use the passport you renewed for international travel. It may still look valid, but it is no longer a valid travel document after cancellation.
You keep the old passport
Unlike a mail-in DS-82 renewal, you do not mail the old passport with an online renewal. Keep it. Previous passports can still be useful as proof of citizenship, even after they expire or are canceled.
Status updates can take time
Do not panic if your status is not available right away. Status information can take up to 2 weeks to appear after you apply. Submitting a second application can create more problems, not solve the delay.
If your travel plans change, call immediately
Online renewal is not the right strategy if you already know you need expedited service. If your travel plans change after you submit, contact the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778. Do not assume your online application can be fixed in time.
If your trip also requires a travel visa, eVisa, or ETA, check those requirements before you choose a renewal path. A renewed passport may be only one part of the document timeline.
After you receive the new passport
Check the name, date of birth, place of birth, sex, photo, and passport number as soon as it arrives. If something is wrong, start the passport correction process right away.
When Not to Renew Online
Online renewal works best for simple, routine renewals with no close travel plans. If your situation is more complicated, or if you need your passport faster, another renewal method is usually a better fit.
| Avoid Online Renewal If... | Use This Instead |
|---|---|
| You are traveling in less than 6 weeks | Expedited renewal by mail, an urgent agency appointment, or courier-supported renewal help. |
| You are traveling in less than 2-3 weeks | Urgent passport renewal through a regional agency or a registered courier-supported process. |
| You need to change your name or correct personal information | Use the appropriate mail-in or in-person name change process with supporting documents. |
| Your passport is damaged, lost, or stolen | Apply in person using Form DS-11. |
| Your passport expired more than 5 years ago | Apply in person with DS-11 because the passport is outside the renewal window. |
| You want professional help with a faster renewal | Use a registered passport courier. Online renewal must be completed by the applicant, but a courier-supported paper process can provide application guidance, document review, and help with agency submission logistics. |
Online Passport Renewal FAQs
These are the online renewal questions that cause the most confusion for travelers.
Yes, if you meet every State Department requirement. You must be age 25 or older, have a qualifying 10-year passport, be in the United States or a U.S. territory, not be changing personal information, and not be traveling internationally for at least 6 weeks.
You cannot choose expedited service when you submit an online renewal. If you need faster service from the start, use expedited renewal by mail, a passport agency appointment, or a courier-supported paper process.
The passport you renew is canceled after you submit the online application. Do not use it for international travel after submission, even if it still had time left before expiration.
No. Keep the passport you renewed. Online renewal does not require you to mail it to the State Department.
Use the official State Department online renewal portal. Be cautious with non-government sites claiming to offer online passport renewal. Private companies cannot submit the online renewal application for you.
In some cases, yes. The State Department currently allows some applicants to renew into a passport book-and-card combination online. But online renewal does not allow every switch. For example, you cannot use online renewal to change from only a passport book to only a passport card, or from only a passport card to only a passport book.
No. Online renewal cannot be used to change your name or other personal information. Use the mail-in renewal process with original or certified name change documents, if you qualify.
No. The upload tool checks basic photo requirements, but a State Department employee reviews your photo after submission. Poor lighting, shadows, glare, background problems, or digital edits can still cause a delay.
Status information can take up to 2 weeks to appear after you apply. Do not submit a second application just because your status is not available immediately.
No. You must complete your own online renewal application. RushMyPassport can help with faster paper-based renewal options when online renewal is too slow or not available for your situation.
Compare Your Fast Passport Options
If routine service is too slow, you may need an agency appointment or help from a registered courier. Compare your options before you decide.
Last reviewed: July 2026. Always confirm current eligibility and processing times with the U.S. Department of State before submitting an application.
