Changing Your Name on a U.S. Passport

Steps

  1. Check two dates: when your passport was issued and when your name legally changed.
  2. If your passport was issued less than 1 year ago and your name changed after it was issued, the State Department's form is DS-5504, sent by mail with no fee ($60 if you choose expedited service).
  3. Otherwise, see whether you can renew by mail on Form DS-82. If you can't, you apply in person on Form DS-11.
  4. Include your name change document (a certified copy for DS-82; original or certified for DS-5504) and 1 passport photo.
  5. Online renewal isn't available for a name change. The State Department's online renewal is only for people who aren't changing their name.

Sources: State Department, Change or correct a passport (updated September 28, 2026) and Renew online (updated September 30, 2026), checked 10/20/2026.

To find out which passport form applies to you and what you'll pay, use the State Department's passport fee calculator and form guide.

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Free guides, plus an optional tool that copies what you type onto blank official forms you choose. How the tool works

Which form and what it costs

The State Department sorts name changes by two dates and by whether you can renew. Fees below are the State Department's application fees.

Your situationFormHow it's sentFeeSource (checked 10/20/2026)
Passport issued less than 1 year ago and name legally changed after it was issuedDS-5504By mail$0 ($60 if expedited)Change or correct a passport, updated Sept 28, 2026, checked 10/20/2026
Can renew by mail (requirements include: passport issued in the last 15 years, at age 16 or older, valid for 10 years, never reported lost or stolen, and you can send it in)DS-82By mail$130 book · $30 card · $160 bothRenew by mail, checked 10/20/2026
Can't renew (adult)DS-11In person at an acceptance facility$130 book + $35 facility acceptance fee ($165 in all, paid as two separate fees)Apply for your adult passport, updated May 4, 2026, checked 10/20/2026
Child under 16 not using DS-5504 (children can't renew; must apply in person)DS-11In person$100 book + $35 facility acceptance feePassport fees, updated March 19, 2026, checked 10/20/2026

Optional: expedited service is $60 and 1–3 day return delivery is $26.87 (State Department fees).

Not sure which applies? The State Department's form guide and fee calculator asks a few questions and names the form and fee.

This page covers U.S. passports for people applying inside the United States: DS-5504, DS-82 and DS-11 for adults and DS-11 for children under 16. It doesn't cover applying from abroad (contact a U.S. embassy or consulate) or 16–17-year-old applicants; see the State Department pages linked here.

What to send with each form

What counts as a name change document: documents needed for a name change.

DS-5504

Mail Form DS-5504 with your most recent passport, an original or certified document showing the name change (such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree or court order), and 1 passport photo. There's no fee unless you choose expedited service ($60).

Source: State Department, Change or correct a passport.

DS-82

Mail Form DS-82 with your most recent passport, a certified copy of your legal name change document, 1 photo, and a personal check or money order payable to the U.S. Department of State. The State Department returns your name change document, and your old passport, in separate mailings; the old passport can take up to 2 weeks after the new one arrives, and the State Department says supporting documents can arrive up to 4 weeks after the passport.

Source: State Department, Renew by mail.

DS-11

Take Form DS-11, unsigned, to an acceptance facility; the agent will have you sign it. Bring evidence of U.S. citizenship and a photocopy of it, a photo ID and a photocopy of its front and back, and 1 photo. The State Department says you can apply in person "if you have a valid ID in your new name and you complete the marriage details section on page 2 of the Form DS-11." Pay the $130 application fee by check or money order to the U.S. Department of State, and the $35 fee to the facility, which sets its own payment methods. Check with the facility to see if you need an appointment.

Sources: State Department, Apply for your adult passport (updated May 4, 2026) and Change or correct a passport.

No legal document for the new name

If you already use a different name but have no court order, divorce decree or marriage certificate showing it, the State Department asks for an in-person DS-11 application plus Form DS-60, an affidavit completed by 2 people who have known you by both names, and 3 certified or original public records showing you have used the new name for 5 years or more.

Source: State Department, Change or correct a passport.

Photos

One color photo, 2 x 2 inches, taken in the last 6 months.

Source: State Department, Passport photos (updated March 24, 2026).

Updating your name after a gender-identity name change? See name changes for gender identity for the court and agency steps.

How long it takes

As of October 20, 2026, the State Department lists routine processing at 4 to 6 weeks and expedited at 2 to 3 weeks, plus up to 2 weeks for mail each way. For international travel within 14 calendar days, it requires an appointment at a passport agency.

Sources: State Department, Processing times and Renew by mail.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my name on my passport online?

No. The State Department's online renewal is only for people who are not changing their personal information, such as their name. A name change uses DS-5504, DS-82 or DS-11.

Source: State Department, Renew online (updated September 30, 2026).

Is a passport name change free?

Only on Form DS-5504, which is for cases where the passport was issued less than 1 year ago and the name changed after it was issued; expedited service still costs $60. DS-82 and DS-11 carry the regular fees in the table above.

Sources: State Department, Change or correct a passport and Passport fees.

Do I need to send my marriage certificate?

Yes. Send a certified copy of your name change document with DS-82, or an original or certified copy with DS-5504. With DS-82, the State Department returns it in a separate mailing.

Sources: State Department, Renew by mail and Change or correct a passport.

How many photos?

One. The State Department asks for 1 color photo, taken in the last 6 months.

Sources: State Department, Passport photos, Renew by mail and Apply in person.

Do I need to change my name with Social Security first?

USAGov says to notify Social Security early, because other agencies learn of name changes through the SSA.

Source: USAGov name change (updated September 29, 2026).

Official sources

Forms, fees and rules change. Check these official pages before you file.

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Checked 10/20/2026 against the State Department pages linked here. · Not legal advice · Terms · Privacy