USPS money-order fees verified on August 31, 2026.
The U.S. Department of State does not accept cash or credit cards for the passport application fee. It has to be a check or a money order. A money order is a prepaid, guaranteed payment you buy with cash or a debit card, so it is what most first-time applicants use. At the Post Office it costs $2.65 for any amount up to $500. Buy it for the exact application fee, make it payable to “U.S. Department of State,” and mail it with your forms.
For the fee amounts themselves, meaning what a book, card, renewal, or child passport actually costs, see how much a U.S. passport costs.
What a money order is, and why use one for a passport
A money order works like a prepaid check: you pay for it up front, so it can’t bounce. The State Department accepts money orders for the application fee whether you apply by mail (Form DS-82) or in person (Form DS-11). Because the application fee can’t go on a card, a money order is usually the simplest way to pay it. You can get one with cash or a debit card and put it in the envelope with your application.
Where to buy one, and what it costs
| Where | Cost (2026) |
|---|---|
| U.S. Post Office | $2.65 for $0.01 to $500.00; $3.75 for $500.01 to $1,000.00 |
| Banks and credit unions | often $0 to $5, and cheapest if you bank there |
| Walmart, grocery and convenience stores, check-cashing outlets | about $1 to $5 |
A single U.S. Postal money order maxes out at $1,000, which is more than enough for any passport fee. If your total is higher than one money order allows, use two. Most sellers take cash or a debit card, and many do not take credit cards. Walmart sells money orders for about $1 at the MoneyCenter; CVS and Walgreens sell them at the customer service desk, usually capped at $500 each.
How to fill out a money order for your passport
- Pay to: write “U.S. Department of State” in the “Pay to the order of” line. Spell it out, with no abbreviations.
- Amount: the exact application fee for what you’re filing. For example, $130 for an adult book renewal, or $190 if you’re also paying the $60 to expedite. Do not add the $35 acceptance fee here. That is paid separately to the facility that takes your application.
- Purchaser or “from”: your name and address, exactly as they appear on the application. For a child’s passport, this is still the paying parent’s name.
- Memo or “for”: write the applicant’s full name and date of birth, so the State Department can match the payment to the application.
- Sign the front where indicated. Do not sign the back.
- Keep the receipt. Tear off the stub and hold onto it until the passport arrives. It is the only way to replace the money order if it’s lost.
Then include the money order with your application packet and mail it, or bring it to your in-person appointment.
One money order per applicant
If you’re applying as a family, write a separate money order for each person’s application fee. The State Department processes each application on its own, and a single combined payment can slow things down or get an application rejected. The $35 acceptance fees for the whole family can usually be paid together at the facility, by card or check.
If you lose the money order
Take your receipt back to the place you bought it and file a replacement or refund request. USPS charges a fee for this and it can take up to 30 days, so buy the money order close to when you’ll actually mail the application rather than weeks ahead.
Other ways to pay
- Personal check. The State Department also accepts a check for the application fee, made out to “U.S. Department of State.” Same rules: exact amount, and the applicant’s name and date of birth in the memo.
- The $35 acceptance fee. This is paid to the post office, library, or clerk’s office that accepts your application, not to the State Department. Most take a debit or credit card, a check, or a money order, and some take cash. Call ahead to confirm.
- Credit or debit card. This cannot be used for the State Department’s application fee. It can usually cover the $35 acceptance fee and our service fee if you use us to expedite.
Need your passport faster?
If you’re short on time, we can help. We’re The Passport Office, a registered courier service, and we hand-carry urgent applications to a U.S. passport agency. You still pay the government fees, including the $60 to expedite, to the U.S. Department of State. Our service fee is on top of that, and depends on how fast you need it. See current pricing and turnaround.