Passport Photo Cost 2026: 6 Options Priced

A US passport photo costs anywhere from the price of a print to about $22, and the spread is wider than most people expect for the same 2 x 2 inch picture. The State Department doesn't set the price. It says only that acceptance facilities and photo vendors "charge different fees for taking your photo."

So we read each company's own page on September 16, 2026 and wrote down what it says.

The six options side by side

Store prices can differ by location. Walgreens says its service is available "at most of our Walgreens locations," CVS offers the digital copy "in select locations," and The UPS Store says its locations are independently owned and that prices "may vary by location."

Walmart: $7.64

Walmart's Photo Center page lists "Passport Photo" at $7.64, taken and printed in store, no appointment needed. It says the photos are printed in color at 2 x 2 inches, and that it offers an optional USB "with images for online renewals," without a price on the page. The page doesn't state how many prints are included, so ask at the counter.

It also says passport photos are "a Photo Center in-store service only," so you can't upload your own photo for a Walmart passport print.

One thing to watch: Walmart's FAQ says "No smiling." The State Department's passport page is more relaxed: "You can smile in your photo. Just make sure your eyes are open and your mouth is closed." A neutral expression is fine under both, so it costs nothing, but it shows that a store's summary is not the rulebook.

USPS: $15.00, if you're already there

If you apply in person at a Post Office, USPS lists a $15.00 Post Office photo fee "if needed," alongside the $35.00 Post Office acceptance fee. The State Department's own application fee is separate and paid by check or money order, not card.

This is the convenient option rather than the cheap one: you get the photo and the acceptance in one visit, and if the photo is taken at the appointment, you're not guessing about the rules on your own. It only makes sense for applications that go through an acceptance facility, like a first adult passport on Form DS-11 or any child's passport. Renewals by mail and online don't pass through the Post Office counter.

Walgreens: $16.99, digital copy included

Walgreens lists $16.99 for "two government-compliant printed photos, with a FREE digital copy sent via email at no extra charge." No appointment is needed, and it says photos are typically ready a few minutes after they're taken. It takes photos for all ages, including babies.

The included digital copy is the detail that matters if you might renew online. Walgreens is also explicit that it "is not an acceptance facility for passport applications."

CVS: $17.99, plus $3.99 for a digital copy

CVS lists two 2 x 2 inch ID prints for $17.99, with a "verification certificate," and two add-ons: a digital photo by email for $3.99 and the photo files on a Kodak USB for $10.99. It says the digital copy is offered "in select locations." If a photo "fails government compliance," CVS says you can return it with your receipt to any CVS Pharmacy store.

For an online renewal, the CVS route with a digital copy comes to $21.98 before tax, the most expensive of the store options we priced.

At home with the State Department's free photo tool

The cheapest route is the one the State Department allows outright. Its Passport Photos page lists three places to get a photo: an acceptance facility, "any company that offers photo services," or "a friend or family member."

For a paper application, the Department's free photo tool crops a digital image to a square. Its own notes set the limits: "This photo tool does not check the quality of your image," it is for cropping "only when you are applying or renewing using a paper form," and "Do not use this tool if you are renewing online."

What you still pay for is the print. The State Department asks for matte or glossy photo-quality paper, with no visible printer dots, holes, creases or smudges. A standard 4 x 6 inch print from a photo counter holds several 2 x 2 inch photos if the file is laid out at actual size; Walmart says Walmart+ members get 25 free 4 x 6 inch prints a month. Our guide to printing a passport photo covers the layouts and the settings that keep the size right.

The real cost of this route is risk. The tool doesn't check anything, so every rule, from head size to shadows to background, is on you. Our how to take a passport photo at home guide covers the setup.

At home with our tool: $4.99 or $6.99

Our pricing is $4.99 for a digital file sized for online applications like US online passport renewal, or $6.99 for the file plus a 4 x 6 inch print sheet ready for any photo counter. No subscription. You take the photo at home, we crop it to size and check it against the published rules, and you see the result before paying anything. If the office handling your application rejects the photo, we refund you in full.

You still pay the photo counter for the 4 x 6 print if you need paper, and you still take the photo yourself, against a real white or off-white wall. The State Department says it checks photos for AI tools, so no tool, ours included, should be repainting your background or smoothing your face.

What a family of four pays

The price gap grows with every person, because every applicant, including a baby, needs their own photo. Here's the arithmetic for four passport photos at the listed prices, before tax:

For the youngest children, home has an advantage beyond price: you can wait for a baby's calm, alert moment instead of fitting it into a store visit. Our baby passport photo guide covers the white-sheet setup the State Department suggests.

The price nobody lists: a rejected photo

The State Department puts it plainly: "Unacceptable photos are the number one reason why we put passport applications on hold." If an employee can't accept your photo, the Department sends a letter or email asking for a new one, and says you must respond within 90 days. Your application may be delayed until you do.

That makes the cheapest photo the one that's accepted the first time. A $7.64 photo that comes back costs a second photo and the delay; a free home photo with a shadow behind the head costs the same. Before paying anywhere, it's worth knowing the rules the reviewer applies, all of which are in our US passport photo requirements guide: 2 x 2 inches, head 1 to 1 3/8 inches, plain white or off-white background, no glasses, no edits.

Store guarantees differ. Walgreens says its photos are "guaranteed to be government compliant." CVS lets you return a photo that fails compliance, with your receipt. Neither page says what that covers beyond the photo itself.

Where paying a studio is mandatory: Canada

Everything above assumes a US passport, where a home photo is allowed. Not every country works that way. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada says Canadian passport photos must "be taken in person by a commercial photographer or photo studio," including the digital photo for online renewal, and "We don't accept photos printed at home." The studio also has to put its name, address and the date on the back of the prints.

There is no cheaper Canadian route, and IRCC doesn't publish a price. Our Canada passport photo requirements guide explains the stamp and what a studio has to deliver.

Which option makes sense

• Renewing a US passport online: you need a digital file. Walgreens includes one at $16.99. Our file is $4.99. A print on its own doesn't help.
• Applying in person at a Post Office anyway: the $15.00 photo at the appointment saves a trip.
• Cheapest in-store print: Walmart, at $7.64 on its page.
• Several children, or a baby: home, where you control the timing. Our comparison of a passport photo app vs a pharmacy goes through the trade-offs.
• Canada: a commercial studio, no alternative.

When you've picked the home route, start with a phone photo against a plain wall and check it before spending anything.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a passport photo cost in 2026?

Between nothing and about $22 for one person, depending on where you go. On their own websites in September 2026, Walmart listed $7.64, the Post Office $15 when it takes the photo at your appointment, Walgreens $16.99 and CVS $17.99. At home you pay only for the print, or for a tool if you use one.

What is the cheapest way to get a passport photo?

Taking it at home. The State Department accepts a photo taken by a friend or family member, and its free photo tool crops an image for a paper application. You still pay for a print on photo-quality paper. Of the stores we checked, Walmart listed the lowest in-store price, $7.64.

How much is a passport photo at the Post Office?

USPS lists a $15.00 Post Office photo fee, charged if you need a photo when you apply at a Post Office. It sits next to the separate $35.00 acceptance fee. Both are paid to USPS; the State Department's application fee is paid separately, by check or money order.

Does CVS or Walgreens give you a digital copy for online renewal?

Walgreens says its $16.99 passport photo includes a free digital copy sent by email. CVS lists a digital photo delivered by email for an extra $3.99, available in select locations. You need a digital file, not a print, to renew a US passport online.

Is it cheaper to take a passport photo at home?

Usually, yes, and a friend or family member is an option the State Department lists. The catch is that you carry the risk: the photo must meet every rule, and unacceptable photos are the number one reason the State Department puts applications on hold. A rejected photo costs you time, not just a reprint.

Can I save money on a Canadian passport photo by doing it at home?

No. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada requires passport photos to be taken in person by a commercial photographer or photo studio, including the digital photo for online renewal, and does not accept photos printed at home. The studio sets the price.

Sources

• Walmart Photo - Passport and Visa Photos (price read September 16, 2026)
• Walmart Photo - Prints (Walmart+ free 4x6 prints)
• USPS - Passports: acceptance and photo fees (read September 16, 2026)
• Walgreens Photo - Passport Photos (price read September 16, 2026)
• CVS Photo - Passport Photos (price read September 16, 2026)
• The UPS Store - Passport & ID Photos
• FedEx Office - Passport Services and Photos
• U.S. Department of State - Passport Photos (last updated March 24, 2026; read on the adoption.state.gov mirror)
• U.S. Department of State - Visa Photo Requirements (photo tool limits)
• U.S. Department of State - Respond to a Letter or Email
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada - Photos for Canadian passports (modified February 11, 2026)