Passport Photos Cost: Prices, Fees & Ways to Save

A passport photo looks like a minor purchase, yet the price swings widely depending on the counter you use. Pharmacies, big-box stores, shipping centers, post offices, and clubs like AAA all sell the same basic product: two prints that meet State Department rules.

The photo is also optional at some steps. If you already have a compliant photo, you pay nothing for one. This guide covers what walk-in counters charge, why published prices differ, what AAA does, and how to avoid paying for a photo twice.

The table below lists the prices for two 2x2 prints at major providers, as reported by PhotoGov. USPS photos are taken by appointment at select post offices.

Walmart is the lowest at $7.64. USPS is $15, FedEx Office is $15.95, Walgreens is $16.99, and CVS is $17.99. CVS also lists a digital copy as an extra at select stores, at $3.99, according to PassportOwl.

Those guides are published by companies that sell passport photo services, so they work as a snapshot of listed prices. Your local store may charge differently.

Two guides that look at the same market can still report slightly different ranges, because they define the market differently.

Both PassSnap and PixID give $7.64 – $17.99 for walk-in counters. Differences between guides usually come from which retailers they include, when they last checked, and whether they count digital files or online photo tools. Regional pricing also matters, since chains do not always charge the same amount in every state.

AAA clubs often sell passport photos to members and non-members, but pricing is set by each regional club, so there is no single national price. The figures below come from one club.

At AAA Central Penn, a non-member pays $15 for one set, and a Classic member pays $8.45. Other clubs charge different amounts, and higher membership tiers at some clubs include free sets. Check your own club's passport page rather than relying on another region's price.

• Printed or digital. Prints are the standard product. A digital copy, when offered, may cost extra or come bundled, depending on the provider.
• Provider type. Pharmacies and shipping centers tend to charge more than discount retailers.
• Membership. Clubs such as AAA price by membership tier.
• Appointment and location. Some providers require an appointment, and not every store offers the service.

Start by checking what you already have. If a recent photo meets the State Department rules, you do not need to buy another, and the rules cover size, background, and how recent the photo is.

You do not have to buy a photo at a counter. A photo you take yourself, or have printed on a standard photo sheet, can work if it meets the official size, background, and lighting rules. The risk is rejection. A rejected photo delays the application and means you buy another one.

If you buy at a counter, ask what happens if the photo is not accepted, whether retakes are included, and whether a digital copy is part of the price. Those answers can matter more than a small difference in the headline price. It also helps to bundle errands: if you are applying at a post office anyway, taking the photo there saves a trip, even when another counter charges less.