Online Passport Renewal: The Complete Guide

Renewing your U.S. passport online is the simplest option the State Department offers, but only if you fit its rules. This guide gives you the full picture in one place: who can use it, what the process looks like, what the digital photo has to meet, what it costs, how long it takes, and when you should renew by mail instead. Each section links to a detailed guide if you want to go deeper.

What online passport renewal is

Online renewal is the State Department's official system for renewing an adult passport without paper forms, checks or envelopes. You fill out the application in your browser, upload a digital photo, pay with a credit or debit card, and submit. The only official place to do this is opr.travel.state.gov. The State Department warns that other websites claiming to renew your passport online may be fraudulent, and that no one else can sign and submit your online application for you.

One big difference from mail renewal: you do not send your old passport. You keep it, but the State Department cancels it after you submit, so you cannot use it for international travel once you apply.

Who qualifies, in short

You can renew online only if all of these are true, according to the State Department's online renewal page as checked on October 7, 2026:

• The passport you are renewing is, or was, valid for 10 years, and it expires within 1 year or expired less than 5 years ago.
• You are 25 or older.
• You are not changing your name, sex or other personal information.
• You are not traveling for at least 6 weeks after you submit. Online renewals cannot be expedited.
• You are in a U.S. state or territory when you submit.
• You have the passport, it is not damaged, and it was never reported lost or stolen.

If one item fails, you are not out of options. The online renewal eligibility checklist walks through each condition and tells you where to go if you do not qualify.

The process at a glance

1. Check that you meet every requirement above.
2. Gather your current passport, a credit or debit card, your Social Security number, emergency contact details and a digital photo.
3. Start the application at opr.travel.state.gov and finish it in one sitting. If you leave, your session may expire and you will have to start over.
4. Upload your photo. The tool checks basic requirements and lets you crop and reposition.
5. Pay and submit. Your old passport is cancelled at this point.
6. Watch your email for status updates: in process, approved, and mailed.

Our step-by-step guide to renewing online covers each screen and what to do after you submit.

The digital photo it needs

The photo is where most online renewals go wrong. The State Department says unacceptable photos are the number one reason it puts passport applications on hold. For online renewal, your photo must be a JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC or HEIF file between 54 KB and 10 MB, in color, and taken in the last 6 months.

The same core rules as a printed photo still apply: plain white or off-white background, no shadows, face the camera with both eyes open, neutral expression or natural smile without showing teeth, no glasses, no hat (religious head coverings are allowed). You also cannot use filters or retouching, and you cannot scan or photograph a printed photo.

The upload tool runs a basic check, but a staff member still reviews the photo later. If it fails that review, you get a letter or email asking for a new one, and your application sits on hold until you respond. See the digital passport photo size guide for file details.

Fees and timing summary

Online renewal costs the same application fee as renewing by mail, and there is no acceptance facility fee. As of October 7, 2026, the State Department lists:

Routine processing is listed at 4 to 6 weeks, not counting the time it takes your new passport to reach you by mail. Because online renewals cannot be expedited when you submit, you should only use this route when your trip is at least 6 weeks away. Full details are in our guides to passport renewal fees and passport renewal processing times.

Online vs mail renewal

For the full comparison, read online vs mail passport renewal.

When to renew by mail instead

Mail renewal with Form DS-82 is the better or only choice when:

• You need your passport in less than 6 weeks and want to pay for expedited service.
• Your name has changed. See renewing with a name change.
• You are 16 to 24 years old with a 10-year passport issued when you were 16 or older.
• Your passport still has more than a year of validity left and you want a new one now, for example because it is running out of pages.
• You want your first passport book and only have a card, or your first card and only have a book.

If your passport expired 5 or more years ago, the rules are different again. Our guide to renewing an expired passport explains when you must apply in person with Form DS-11.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using an unofficial site. Only opr.travel.state.gov is official. Sites ending in .com, .org or .us may charge extra fees.
• Applying too close to a trip. Your old passport is cancelled the moment you submit, and online renewal cannot be expedited at that point. If plans change later, you have to call the National Passport Information Center at 877-487-2778.
• Uploading a weak photo. Shadows, a gray wall, glasses, a selfie angle or a filter can put your application on hold. A quick check with our free passport photo checker before you upload can save weeks.
• Ignoring a request for a new photo. You must respond within 90 days of the date on the letter or email. See what to do if your photo is rejected.
• Forgetting the card rules. You can renew a card online, or add a card when renewing a book, but switching from only a card to only a book requires mail. Read passport card renewal.

Every guide in this section

• Can I renew my passport online? Eligibility checklist
• How to renew your passport online, step by step
• Online vs DS-82 mail renewal compared
• Passport renewal fees for 2026
• Passport renewal processing times
• Renewing a passport with a name change
• Renewing an expired passport
• Passport card renewal
• Expedited passport renewal
• Checking your passport renewal status

Want the photo rules in detail? Start with the passport photo requirements guide, or browse all our guides.