How Much Are Passport Photos in 2026?

A U.S. passport photo costs anywhere from almost nothing to around $20, depending on where you get it and whether you need a digital file. The price on the sign is only part of the story. Add-ons, retakes and rejections can change which option is actually cheapest for you.

Every price on this page was checked on the provider's own website in October 2026. Prices change and can differ by store, so confirm locally before you go.

Passport photo prices by provider

Costco is missing on purpose: its warehouse photo centers closed in 2021 and no longer take passport photos. For a full rundown of locations, see where to get a passport photo.

What the price usually includes

Store prices almost always cover one sitting and two identical 2x2 inch prints. Two is exactly what you need for most applications: the mail-in renewal form (DS-82) and the in-person form (DS-11) each ask for one photo, and the second is a spare.

What the price does not always include:

• A digital file. Walgreens includes an emailed copy. CVS charges about $3.99 at select stores. Walmart sells a USB as an option. If you plan to renew online, this matters more than the print price.
• Retakes. Most counters will retake on the spot if you dislike the shot, but policies are informal and differ by store. Ask before you pay.
• Extra sets. Need photos for two people or for a visa as well? Each person is a separate sitting at a store.

Hidden costs to watch for

The most expensive passport photo is the one that gets rejected. If the State Department cannot use your photo, it sends you a letter asking for a new one, and your application waits until you respond. A rejection can mean:

• A second photo at full price.
• Postage to send the new photo back.
• Days or weeks of delay, which may push you into paying for expedited service. Current official fees are on our passport renewal fees page.
• Stress before a trip, which no table can price.

Other hidden costs are smaller but real: gas and time to drive to a store that turns out to have no photo counter, an appointment slot days away at the post office, or paying for prints when you only needed a file.

The cheapest ways to get a passport photo

If price is your top priority, here is the order we would try, from cheapest to most expensive:

1. Home photo, renewing online. If you take the photo yourself and crop it correctly, you upload the file and pay nothing for the photo. Our guide to a free passport photo explains how.
2. Home photo, printed as a 4x6 sheet. A 4x6 sheet holds two 2x2 photos with room to spare, and a single 4x6 print at a drugstore photo counter costs far less than a passport photo service. Check the store's current print price. See how to print a passport photo for the layout.
3. AAA, if your membership includes it. Some clubs give certain tiers a free set each year.
4. Walmart. About $7.64 for two prints at Supercenters with a Photo Center.
5. Everything else lands in the $15 to $20 range.

The risk with the two cheapest options is that you are the quality control. Run your photo through our free passport photo checker before you print or upload it.

When paying more actually saves money

A cheaper photo is not always the better deal. Paying a little more can make sense when:

• You are short on time. If your trip is close, a rejection could cost far more than the difference between a $7 and a $17 photo.
• You need a digital file. Walgreens' price includes the emailed file. At CVS, two prints plus the digital add-on comes to about $22. Know the total before you compare.
• You want a guarantee. Several online services, including our sister service IDPhotoly and Passport Photo Online, state on their own sites that they refund more than you paid if an authority rejects the photo. Read the conditions, such as claim deadlines and the proof they ask for.
• You are photographing a baby or a child. Trying twenty times at home costs nothing extra; trying twenty times at a counter is not realistic.

Prints or a digital file: pay only for what you need

Before comparing prices, decide which format your application uses. Paying for the wrong one is the most common way people overspend.

• Online renewal asks you to upload a digital photo. The State Department lists accepted file types (JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC or HEIF) and a file size range for the upload. Prints are useless here, so a $7 print deal is not a deal. Our page on digital passport photo size has the details.
• Mail-in renewal and first-time applications need a printed 2x2 inch photo. A digital file alone will not help unless you print it.
• Not sure yet? Ask for both at the counter, or pick a service that gives you a file you can print later. Going back for a second sitting usually costs more than buying the file the first time.

How to confirm a price before you go

Chain prices are set nationally for the most part, but individual stores can differ, and franchise stores such as The UPS Store set their own. A two-minute check saves a wasted trip:

1. Open the store's own location page and look for a passport photo section.
2. Call and ask three things: the price, whether a digital copy is included, and whether the photo counter is staffed today.
3. For a post office, book online first; walk-ins are generally not served for photos.

One more tip: if more than one person in your household needs a photo, ask whether the store charges per sitting. At a counter, each person is usually a separate purchase, while a home photo printed on a 4x6 sheet costs the same no matter how many times you try.

Cost by situation

For a store-by-store comparison of the two biggest pharmacy chains, read CVS vs Walgreens passport photos.