How to Change Your Name on Your Passport (2026)

To change the name on your US passport, the right form depends on timing. If your passport is less than a year old, file Form DS-5504 by mail for free. Otherwise, renew with Form DS-82 (or apply in person with DS-11) and pay the standard fee, about $130 for an adult book. Include a certified marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order, plus a new photo. Routine processing takes about 4 to 6 weeks, or 2 to 3 weeks expedited for an extra $60.

Updating your passport is one of the last steps in a name change, and it trips people up because there are three different forms and the right one depends entirely on timing. Pick the wrong one and your application bounces. Get it right and it's mostly painless.

Here's exactly which form you need, what it costs in 2026, what to send, and how to handle a trip that's coming up before your new passport arrives.

Which Form Do You Need?

It comes down to how old your passport is and how you can prove the change:

Your situation	Form	Fee
Passport issued less than 1 year ago	DS-5504 (by mail)	Free
Passport over 1 year old, undamaged, issued in the last 15 years at age 16+	DS-82 (renew by mail)	Standard fee (~$130)
Passport damaged, over 15 years old, or you've never had one	DS-11 (in person)	Standard fee + $35

The short version: a recent passport is a free correction; an older one is a regular renewal; and anything unusual means applying in person.

The Marriage Exception (a Handy Shortcut)

If your name changed by marriage and you already hold a government photo ID (driver's license or state ID) in your new name, the State Department usually treats that ID as proof, so you may not need to send the marriage certificate at all. (Still carry the certificate when you travel until your passport is updated.) This is why updating your license before your passport often saves a step. For the full marriage process, see how to change your name after marriage.

What It Costs (2026)

Item	Fee
Passport book (adult)	$130
Passport card (adult)	$30
DS-11 execution fee (in-person applications)	$35
Expedited service	+$60
1–3 day return delivery (book only)	+$22.05

A DS-5504 name change within the first year is free unless you choose to expedite. A standard renewal book is $130; applying in person with DS-11 is $130 + $35 = $165.

What to Send

• Proof of name change: a certified marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order (or skip it under the marriage exception above).
• Your current passport (it's returned with the new one).
• One new passport photo (2"×2", color, white background, recent).
• DS-11 only: original proof of citizenship plus a photocopy, and a government photo ID in your new name plus a photocopy.
• Payment for the applicable fees.

How to File DS-5504 or DS-82 by Mail

Most name changes never require an appointment. If you qualify for the free DS-5504 (passport under a year old) or the standard DS-82 renewal (older passport you held in your own name), you mail everything to a State Department lockbox and wait. The order that keeps it clean:

1. Fill out the form. Use the State Department's form filler, print single-sided, and leave it unfolded. Don't sign until the signature line at home.
2. Attach your photo. One 2x2 photo, one staple in a corner, not across your face.
3. Gather your proof. The certified marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order showing your old and new names. Originals or certified copies only; they're mailed back to you separately from the passport.
4. Add your current passport. It travels with the application and returns with the new one, so don't mail it right before a trip.
5. Pay by check or money order payable to "U.S. Department of State," with your name and date of birth on the front. The lockbox takes no cash or cards by mail.
6. Mail it trackably, and pay the 1-3 day return delivery add-on if you want it back faster. Keep the tracking number.

Check status online a couple of weeks after mailing. If anything is missing you'll get a letter asking for the specific item, which adds weeks, so assemble everything before you seal the envelope.

How to Apply in Person With DS-11

You'll use DS-11 and apply in person if your passport is damaged, was issued more than 15 years ago, was issued before you turned 16, was lost or stolen, or if you've never had a US passport. The in-person rules are about the passport's history, not the name.

To apply in person:

1. Find an acceptance facility. Many post offices, clerks of court, and libraries accept applications. Use the State Department's facility locator, and book an appointment if the location requires one.
2. Do not sign DS-11 in advance. You sign in front of the acceptance agent, who witnesses it.
3. Bring proof of citizenship plus a photocopy: a certified birth certificate, an old passport, or a naturalization certificate. The original is returned by mail; the photocopy stays with your application.
4. Bring a photo ID in your new name plus a photocopy. If your ID is still in your old name, bring the name-change document that bridges the two.
5. Bring your name-change document, your photo, and two payments: the application fee (to the State Department) and the $35 execution fee (to the facility). Some facilities take the execution fee only by card or exact change.

Because DS-11 means surrendering originals in person, give yourself buffer time before any travel.

Passport Photo Requirements (and Why Photos Get Rejected)

A rejected photo is one of the most common reasons an application stalls, and it's avoidable. The standard is a 2x2 inch color photo, taken within the last 6 months, against a plain white or off-white background. You face the camera straight on, neutral expression or natural smile, both eyes open, in everyday clothing.

The frequent rejection triggers:

• Glasses. Eyeglasses aren't allowed, even clear ones. Take them off.
• Shadows or a busy background. Stand a few feet from a blank wall so you don't cast a shadow behind your head.
• Head coverings. Hats are out unless worn daily for religious or medical reasons, and even then your full face must be visible.
• Filters, heavy retouching, or a selfie held too close, which distorts your features.
• Old photos. If your appearance has changed noticeably, use a current shot.

You can get a photo at a pharmacy or shipping store, or print one to spec at home. The State Department's photo guidelines include a tool to check a digital image before you print it.

Name Change vs. Correcting a Printing or Data Error

These look similar but are different processes, and mixing them up costs money. A name change updates your passport to a new legal name you adopted through marriage, divorce, or a court order. A correction fixes something the passport itself got wrong: a misspelled name, a wrong birth date, or a printing error.

If your passport has a data or printing error and it's less than a year old, you generally use Form DS-5504 for free, the same form used for an early name change, and you return the flawed passport. If the error is older than a year, it's usually folded into a standard renewal. The takeaway: don't file a paid renewal to fix a typo on a recent passport when a free DS-5504 will do.

How Long It Takes

As of early 2026, the State Department's processing estimates are:

• Routine: 4–6 weeks
• Expedited (+$60): 2–3 weeks
• Urgent travel (within 14 days): book an appointment at a regional passport agency

These cover processing time only; add mailing time on both ends.

Traveling Before Your New Passport Arrives

If you have an international trip before the new passport comes back, you can generally travel on your old passport in your former name, as long as you carry proof of the name change (your marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order). U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirms citizens may present the old-name passport with that documentation.

One critical catch: your airline ticket must match the name on the passport you'll travel with. If you booked under your new name but will fly on your old-name passport, call the airline to fix the reservation before you go. When in doubt, book under the name on the passport you'll actually carry.

Changing a Child's Passport Name

Kids' passports follow stricter rules, and the name-change path runs through Form DS-11 in person, not the mail-in forms.

For a child under 16, you cannot renew by mail. Both parents or legal guardians generally must appear with the child at an acceptance facility and present the name-change document (a court order or, in some cases, an amended birth certificate). If one parent can't attend, that parent typically signs a notarized Form DS-3053 (Statement of Consent) and the appearing parent brings it with a photocopy of the absent parent's ID. The child also needs their own photo, proof of citizenship, and proof of the parental relationship.

For ages 16 and 17, the teen can usually sign for themselves, but the State Department still expects a parent to be involved and to show identification. Either way, you bring the court order or marriage-related document that establishes the new name. For the broader process behind a child's name change, see how to change a child's last name.

Recently Naturalized? Applying for a Passport in Your New Name

If you changed your name during naturalization, your naturalization certificate already shows your new legal name, which makes it proof of both citizenship and the name change. Most newly naturalized citizens apply for their first US passport using Form DS-11 in person, since they've never held one. Bring your original naturalization certificate plus a photocopy; the original is reviewed and returned by mail. You don't need a separate court order, because the certificate reflects your court-approved name. If you changed your name after naturalization through a separate court order, bring that order too.

Passport Book vs. Passport Card: Update Both

The passport book is the familiar blue booklet, accepted for international air, land, and sea travel worldwide. The passport card is a wallet-sized card that works only for land and sea border crossings between the US and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda; it is not valid for international air travel.

If you carry both, update both. On the same application you check the box to renew the book, the card, or both ($30 for the card). People forget the card because they rarely use it, then find it still shows the old name at a border crossing or when they reach for a backup ID.

Fitting the Passport Into Your Overall Timeline

The passport is usually one of the last stops, and the sequence matters. The smoothest order is typically: get your court order or marriage certificate, update Social Security, then your driver's license, and only then your passport. Doing the license first is what unlocks the marriage exception above and can spare you from mailing your certificate.

Stack the timing realistically. A routine passport runs about 4 to 6 weeks plus mail time on both ends, and you're without your current passport during that window. If you have travel coming up, either expedite or wait until after the trip to file. For how the passport step fits end to end, see how long it takes to change your name.

A Note on the Sex or Gender Field

Policies on the sex or gender marker printed in US passports have shifted between administrations, and the application form and supporting-document rules can change with them. Because this is one of the more fluid areas of passport policy, don't rely on a blog (including this one) for the current rule. Confirm the present requirements directly on travel.state.gov or by contacting the State Department before you apply, and if your situation involves a gender-marker question, see our transgender name change guide for related context.

Don't Forget: Global Entry and TSA PreCheck

After your passport is updated, log into your Trusted Traveler Programs account and submit a name-change update with your new passport page. You keep your same Known Traveler Number, so PreCheck doesn't reset. The piece travelers miss: make sure every airline profile shows your new name that matches your Known Traveler Number, or PreCheck can silently drop off a boarding pass even though your membership is current.

Your passport is usually one of the last items on a longer list. For everything else to update and the right order, see our name change checklist.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it free to change my name on my passport? Only if your passport is less than a year old (Form DS-5504). Otherwise it's a standard renewal, about $130 for an adult book.

Which form do I use to change my name on my passport? DS-5504 if your passport is under a year old, DS-82 to renew an older one by mail, or DS-11 in person if you can't use DS-82.

Do I need to send my marriage certificate? Usually yes, as certified proof. But if your name changed by marriage and your photo ID already shows the new name, you often don't have to.

How long does a passport name change take? About 4–6 weeks routine, or 2–3 weeks expedited for an extra $60.

Can I travel while my passport is being updated? Yes, on your old passport in your former name, as long as you carry proof of the change and your ticket matches that passport's name.

Do I have to update Global Entry or TSA PreCheck? Yes. Update your Trusted Traveler account with the new passport and keep your existing Known Traveler Number.

Do I need a new photo if mine still looks the same? Yes. Every name-change application requires a new 2x2 photo taken within the last 6 months, even on the free DS-5504. The State Department won't reuse the photo from your current passport.

My recent passport has a typo. Do I pay for a renewal? Usually not. If the passport is less than a year old and the error is a misspelling or printing mistake, you correct it with Form DS-5504, the same free form used for an early name change, and return the flawed passport.

Should I update my passport card too? Yes, if you have one. Check the card box on the same application ($30 for an adult). A passport card only works for land and sea crossings to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda, not international air travel, but you still want the name to match the rest of your IDs.

The Bottom Line

Changing your name on your passport is mostly about picking the right form: free DS-5504 if it's under a year old, a standard DS-82 renewal otherwise, or DS-11 in person for the exceptions. Send certified proof and a new photo, budget 4–6 weeks (or pay to expedite), and don't forget Global Entry and your airline profiles.

Working through a full name change? LegalFriend's name change service prepares your state-specific paperwork and gives you the complete checklist, including your passport.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Passport rules and fees change; confirm current requirements with the U.S. Department of State before applying.

Sources

This guide's forms, fees, and timelines come from official U.S. government resources (linked inline above):

• U.S. Department of State, "Change or Correct a Passport": DS-5504, DS-82, and DS-11 forms and requirements.
• U.S. Department of State, passport fees and processing times (updated January 2026).
• U.S. Department of State, passport photo requirements and the photo-check tool.
• U.S. Department of State, applying for a child's passport and Form DS-3053 consent rules.
• U.S. Department of State, acceptance facility locator for in-person DS-11 applications.
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection: traveling after a name change.
• DHS Trusted Traveler Programs: updating Global Entry / TSA PreCheck.

Fees and processing times were current as of early 2026; confirm the latest at travel.state.gov.