{"id":16585,"date":"2024-10-01T12:55:58","date_gmt":"2024-10-01T17:55:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thepassportoffice.com\/blog\/?p=16585"},"modified":"2026-09-08T09:10:01","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T14:10:01","slug":"how-to-get-a-money-order-for-your-passport-application","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thepassportoffice.com\/blog\/how-to-get-a-money-order-for-your-passport-application\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Get a Money Order for Your Passport Application"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

USPS money-order fees verified on August 31, 2026.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. Department of State does not accept cash or credit cards for the passport application fee<\/strong>. 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<\/strong> for any amount up to $500. Buy it for the exact application fee<\/strong>, make it payable to “U.S. Department of State,”<\/strong> and mail it with your forms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the fee amounts themselves, meaning what a book, card, renewal, or child passport actually costs, see how much a U.S. passport costs<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What a money order is, and why use one for a passport<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where to buy one, and what it costs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Where<\/th>Cost (2026)<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
U.S. Post Office<\/a><\/td>$2.65<\/strong> for $0.01 to $500.00; $3.75<\/strong> for $500.01 to $1,000.00<\/td><\/tr>
Banks and credit unions<\/td>often $0 to $5, and cheapest if you bank there<\/td><\/tr>
Walmart, grocery and convenience stores, check-cashing outlets<\/td>about $1 to $5<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A single U.S. Postal money order maxes out at $1,000<\/strong>, 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<\/a> sells money orders for about $1 at the MoneyCenter; CVS and Walgreens<\/a> sell them at the customer service desk, usually capped at $500<\/strong> each.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to fill out a money order for your passport<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  1. Pay to:<\/strong> write “U.S. Department of State”<\/strong> in the “Pay to the order of” line. Spell it out, with no abbreviations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Amount:<\/strong> the exact application fee<\/strong> 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.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Purchaser or “from”:<\/strong> your name and address, exactly as they appear on the application. For a child’s passport, this is still the paying parent’s name.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Memo or “for”:<\/strong> write the applicant’s full name and date of birth, so the State Department can match the payment to the application.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Sign<\/strong> the front where indicated. Do not sign the back.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Keep the receipt.<\/strong> 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.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Then include the money order with your application packet and mail it, or bring it to your in-person appointment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    One money order per applicant<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    If you’re applying as a family, write a separate money order for each person’s application fee<\/strong>. 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you lose the money order<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    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<\/strong>, so buy the money order close to when you’ll actually mail the application rather than weeks ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Other ways to pay<\/h2>\n\n\n\n