Store prices checked September 2026 · independent site
USPS passport photo: price and what you actually get
USPS is less a photo counter than a one-stop passport shop: many post offices can take the photo and accept your DS-11 application in the same appointment. A USPS passport photo costs $15.00 for two 2 x 2 inch prints at participating post offices, by appointment. No digital copy; USPS offers prints only. Before you drive: if your application is online (a DS-160 visa upload or online passport renewal), what you need is a digital file, not prints, and you can check a phone photo against the official rules free right now.
How it works at USPS
- Only select post offices take passport photos; use the USPS scheduler to find a participating location and book an appointment.
- At the appointment, staff take the photo and print two 2 x 2 copies for $15.
- USPS is convenient when you are filing a DS-11 there anyway (many post offices are passport acceptance facilities), so photo and filing happen in one visit.
The acceptance-facility advantage
Thousands of post offices are official passport acceptance facilities, and a subset of those also take photos. If you are filing a DS-11 (first passport, or replacing a lost one), booking a participating location means the photo, the execution fee and the filing happen in one sitting, which no drugstore can offer.
The appointment reality
Photos at USPS are not walk-in: you book through the USPS scheduler, and only participating locations offer the service. If you just need a photo and not the filing, a walk-in counter or your own phone is faster than the post office queue.
USPS vs doing it online
| What you get | USPS | Online maker ($9.99) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $15.00 | $9.99 |
| Prints | Two 2 x 2 photos | Printable 4 x 6 sheet with six copies |
| Digital file for online applications | Usually not offered | Included, checked against the published rule |
| Checked against the official figures | Staff judgment | Every published figure, shown to you |
| Leave the house | Yes | No |
Store prices as published in 2026 comparisons and the chains' own pages, checked September 2026; they vary by location and change. We are independent and not affiliated with USPS.
USPS passport photo questions
How much is a passport photo at the post office?
- $15 for two printed 2 x 2 photos at participating post offices, per published 2026 pricing. Not every post office offers photos, and an appointment is required.
Can I walk into any post office for a passport photo?
- No. Only participating locations take photos, and USPS works by appointment. Check the USPS retail locator for a participating post office and book before going.
Is USPS a good place for passport photos?
- It is the one-stop option: many post offices are passport acceptance facilities, so a DS-11 filing and the photo can happen in the same appointment. On price it sits mid-pack at $15 with no digital file.
Skip the counter: $9.99, previewed free
The digital file plus six printable copies, checked against every published rule, with a 24-hour money-back guarantee.
Make my photo onlineOther stores: CVS · Walgreens · Walmart · The UPS Store · Staples · FedEx Office · stores that stopped (Costco, Sam's Club, Rite Aid) · how to print a passport photo · passport photos near me
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