FedEx Passport Photo Cost: Prices, Fees & Ways to Save

FedEx Office sells passport photos at its print and ship centers, taken on site by a store employee. It takes photos only. The passport application itself goes to an acceptance facility, such as a post office, so a FedEx visit is one step in a longer process.

People pick FedEx for the walk-in service and the option of a digital file. The trade-off is price, since FedEx sits in the middle to upper part of listed prices. Below is what FedEx lists, what independent price guides report, and how it compares with other places.

FedEx publishes its passport photo price on its local store pages, and the national passport page and a sample store page agree. The prices come from FedEx Office's own site, but individual stores can differ, so confirm at your location.

All three sources list $15.95. PassportPhotoSnap and PhotoGov are price guides published by companies that sell passport photo services, and they repeat the same figure, which matches the FedEx listing.

FedEx describes the photos as available in printed and digital formats. The San Francisco store page describes a choice between two printed photos or a digital copy delivered on a USB drive. Some guides say you pick one format per purchase. Because the wording differs, ask at the counter whether one purchase gets you both.

A digital copy matters if you plan to renew online, since an online renewal needs a digital file. Prints work for paper applications that go through a post office.

FedEx Office pages say passport photos do not require an appointment, so you can walk in during store hours. Not every store offers the service, so check the location page before you drive over. An employee takes the photo using software meant to catch common problems such as the wrong framing, but acceptance is up to the State Department, not the store.

Remove glasses and hats, and wear everyday clothing. FedEx notes this on its store page, and it matches the official photo rules.

FedEx is not the lowest-priced option, and a few providers charge a bit more. The prices below come from PhotoGov and PassSnap.

Walmart lists $7.64, USPS lists $15 by appointment, Walgreens lists $16.99, and The UPS Store is listed at $11.99 – $13.99. FedEx at $15.95 costs more than Walmart and USPS and less than Walgreens. What the extra money buys is the walk-in convenience and the digital option.

You do not need to bring anything for the photo itself, since the store takes it. Bring the form of payment you plan to use, and plan to be photographed without glasses. If you are headed to an acceptance facility afterward, keep the prints flat and unmarked, and ask the facility how it wants the photo attached to the application.

If you are ordering a digital copy for an online renewal, make sure you leave with the file in a format you can upload, and check that you can open it before you leave the store.

• Price the alternatives first. A discount retailer may cost less, though it may not offer a digital copy.
• Use a photo you already have. If it meets the State Department rules, you do not need to buy another one.
• Check for coupons or account discounts. FedEx runs promotions on printing, but check whether they apply to passport photos before you count on them.
• Ask what happens on a rejection. Policies differ, and a rejected photo means paying again somewhere.