- Form
- Form DS-11
- Fee
- $130 application fee plus $35 acceptance-facility fee for an adult passport book, as of November 2026
- Time
- 4–6 weeks routine or 2–3 weeks expedited, excluding mailing, as of November 2026
- Where
- Passport acceptance facility; passport agency or center for urgent international travel
Adults with passports damaged beyond normal wear need to apply in person for a replacement, using Form DS-11 and supporting documents. The State Department’s separate DS-11 online pilot is scheduled to begin November 16, 2026, but its eligibility screen does not specify whether damaged-passport applicants qualify.
Water stains, major tears, unofficial data-page markings, missing visa pages and a hole punch are examples of damage. A small bend, folded pages or ordinary fanning from use are generally wear, not damage. People whose passports were affected by a listed disaster may qualify for a different process that waives certain fees.
Damage beyond everyday wear calls for a replacement
Free toolU.S. Passport Photo RequirementsThe department’s guidance says: “If your passport is damaged, you cannot renew it and must apply for a new passport.” Damage that affects the passport’s pages or information can also create travel problems. The agency warns, “Airlines may deny you boarding, or you could have trouble traveling abroad if your passport is damaged.”
| Condition | How the guidance treats it |
|---|---|
| Water damage, stains or mold | Damage requiring a replacement application |
| Significant tear, puncture or hole punch | Damage requiring a replacement application |
| Unofficial marking or change on the data page | Damage requiring a replacement application |
| Torn, ripped or missing visa pages | Damage requiring a replacement application |
| Folded pages or a small bend | Normal wear, not damage |
| Light edge fraying or visa pages fanning from use | Normal wear, not damage |
A damaged passport is not the document to rely on as proof of citizenship or identity. Applicants still need separate citizenship evidence and physical photo identification. The U.S. Embassy in Israel gives that specific instruction for applications there and says it may retain a damaged passport for security reasons.
The online pilot has a separate eligibility screen
The pilot is scheduled to run from November 16, 2026, through November 20, 2027, unless extended. It creates an online DS-11 process for certain applicants who cannot use the usual renewal route, along with certain first-time adult applicants in the United States who use a USCIS Certificate of Naturalization as citizenship evidence. The department’s pilot notice sets out the pilot’s terms.
The eligibility screen will be available through America.gov. People who qualify verify their identity through Login.gov, return to America.gov, review their application information and submit it. Where an oath is required, the applicant records themselves reciting it; a passport agent reviews the recording before the application is adjudicated. The department anticipates widening the group of eligible applicants as testing continues, but that is a future possibility, not an expansion already in effect.
The pilot includes a $35 execution fee, subject to exemptions in the notice. Its online process is separate from the standard in-person application route described below.
Prepare the DS-11 and bring the damaged passport
Use the in-person route for a damaged passport unless the listed-disaster process applies. The adult application instructions are available from the department’s passport page. Prepare these items before going to an acceptance facility or agency:
- Complete the application with the online Form Filler on a computer, or download the PDF if needed. Print single-sided; double-sided forms are not accepted. Do not sign the form until the acceptance agent asks you to.
- Bring the damaged passport and a signed statement explaining what happened to it. The passport office may keep the damaged document.
- Bring original or replacement citizenship evidence, such as a U.S. birth certificate, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship. Also bring a photocopy of the evidence.
- Present a physical photo ID and a photocopy of its front and back. If the ID is from a different state than the state where you apply, bring a second photo ID.
- Bring one compliant passport photo. Do not attach or staple it to the form; the acceptance agent or passport employee will review and attach it.
- Pay the application and acceptance fees. At the appointment, the agent verifies your ID, administers an oath and has you sign the form.
Photocopies must be on 8.5 inch by 11 inch paper and printed on one side. The embassy in Israel has additional local instructions: it requires a printed barcoded DS-11 and a square 2-inch x 2-inch / 5cm x 5cm photo taken within the last six months. It also requires an appointment. Applicants applying there without the barcoded form are told to return with the correct application.
| Document | Who needs it | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Damaged passport | Applicant replacing a damaged passport | Submit it with the application; the office may retain it. |
| Signed explanation of damage | Applicant with a damaged passport | Include a signed statement describing the damage. |
| Citizenship evidence and photocopy | Applicant | Examples include a U.S. birth certificate, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or naturalization or citizenship certificate. Bring the original or replacement document. |
| Physical photo ID and photocopy | Applicant | Copy both sides. Bring a second photo ID if the primary ID is from a different state. |
| One passport photo | Applicant | The acceptance agent or passport employee reviews and attaches it. |
Choose the application location by your travel date
For domestic applications, your departure date determines which in-person location to use:
- If you are traveling in more than three weeks, apply at an acceptance facility. Examples include a post office, library or local government office. Check whether the location requires an appointment.
- If you have international travel in less than three weeks, make an appointment at a passport agency or center once your departure is within 14 days.
- If you are applying from outside the United States, contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for its instructions.
The embassy in Israel requires appointments for damaged-passport applications and says applicants need the printed, barcoded DS-11 for that appointment. Follow the local post’s instructions rather than assuming the domestic facility process is identical abroad.
A listed disaster may qualify you for a separate fee waiver
A person whose passport was lost or damaged in a federally designated disaster listed by the department may qualify for a waiver of the application and file-search fees. The disaster replacement instructions set different periods for the two waivers: the application-fee waiver is available for 3 years after the disaster, while the file-search-fee waiver lasts 18 months.
The event must appear on the department’s qualifying-disaster list. An unlisted event does not qualify, and fees cannot be reimbursed by another source, such as homeowner’s insurance. A person who has never had a passport or lost an expired passport is also outside this waiver process. If you do not meet the requirements, use the standard in-person application route.
For a qualifying disaster replacement:
- Complete Form DS-5504.
- Complete Form DS-64. Describe the disaster, give the address where the passport was lost or damaged, state the approximate date, and say that another source will not reimburse the fees.
- If travel is more than three weeks away, mail both forms and a new passport photo to an address listed on page 2 of Form DS-5504.
- If travel is less than three weeks away, do not mail the application. Make an appointment at a passport agency or center within two weeks of travel abroad.
The ordinary DS-11 application and disaster replacement process use different forms and instructions. Check the disaster list before filing if a federally designated event caused the damage.
Budget for the application fee and mailing time
As of November 2026, the adult passport-book fee example is $130 for the application plus a $35 acceptance-facility fee. The application payment goes to the department; the facility collects its own fee and sets the payment methods it accepts.
| Cost or timing | Amount or estimate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Adult passport book application fee | $130 | Paid to the department. |
| Acceptance-facility fee | $35 | Paid to the facility; payment methods vary. |
| Adult passport book total before optional services | $165 | Application and facility fees combined. |
| Expedited service | +$60 | The adult book example totals $225 with expedited service. |
| 1–3 day delivery after mailing | +$26.87 | Optional delivery service after the department mails the passport. |
| Routine processing | 4–6 weeks | Processing estimate; mailing time is separate. |
| Expedited processing | 2–3 weeks | Adds $60; mailing time is separate. |
As of November 2026, allow up to two weeks for the facility to send the application to the department, then allow up to two additional weeks for delivery after processing. Faster Priority Mail Express shipping to the department is another option paid for at the acceptance facility; its cost varies by area. Processing estimates do not include mailing time, so include the mailing stages when planning travel.
Only passports with normal wear may meet renewal rules
A passport that has only normal wear may still qualify for renewal by mail if it meets the other requirements. The most recent passport must be available to submit, undamaged apart from ordinary wear, issued within the previous 15 years, and issued when the holder was at least age 16. It must be in the applicant’s current name, or the applicant must provide evidence of a name change. The renewal rules also address limited-validity passports, including passports limited because of multiple damaged passports.
Eligible applicants use Form DS-82 to renew. Acceptance facilities do not accept mailed renewal applications or collect the $35 DS-11 acceptance fee for them. A passport with damage beyond normal wear does not meet the mail-renewal condition.
Online renewal began in 2022 with eligibility restrictions. A proposed rule published August 28, 2026, would expand online renewal for people overseas and relax the restriction tied to the remaining validity of a passport. The proposal is separate from the DS-11 pilot and is not a final change. The department projects that, if the expansion proceeds, it could add up to 220,000 additional overseas online renewal applicants in fiscal year 2027.
Avoid signing early or leaving out the damage statement
Track the application and follow up on returned documents
After you sign and submit the application, the facility mails it to the department. Check the email address listed on the application for status updates, including the “In Process” notice, or use the passport status page. A passport book is sent by trackable delivery service; a passport card is sent by First Class Mail.
The department returns supporting documents, such as a previous passport or citizenship certificate, by First Class Mail. They may arrive up to 4 weeks after the passport book or card. If they have not arrived after that period, call 877-487-2778. For reimbursement if a supporting document is lost, contact the department within 90 days of the date the passport was mailed.
Choose an acceptance facility when travel is more than three weeks away, or make an agency or center appointment within the applicable travel window for urgent international travel. If a listed disaster caused the damage, check the DS-5504 and DS-64 waiver route before filing.
