🛂 Travel & Immigration
Can You Renew an Expired Passport? Yes — Within Limits
Updated July 25, 2026
Yes, you can renew an expired US passport — but only within limits. If your passport expired less than 5 years ago, was issued when you were 16 or older, was issued within the last 15 years, and is undamaged, you can generally renew by mail using Form DS-82, the same simple process used for unexpired passports. Miss any of those conditions and you are back to applying in person as if it were your first passport.
Finding an old expired passport in a drawer is not a dead end, in other words — it is usually a shortcut. The question is which side of the 5-year line you are on, and whether the passport itself still qualifies. Here is how to tell.
The mail renewal test: four conditions
The State Department lets you renew by mail with Form DS-82 when your most recent passport meets all of the following: it is undamaged and in your possession; it was issued when you were age 16 or older; it was issued within the last 15 years; and it was issued in your current name, or you can document your name change with a marriage certificate or court order.
Because adult passports last 10 years, the 15-year issuance rule works out to roughly this: a passport that expired less than 5 years ago can still be renewed by mail. Expired 6, 8, or 12 years ago? The passport was issued more than 15 years back, and mail renewal is off the table.
- Undamaged and in your possession
- Issued at age 16 or older
- Issued within the last 15 years (in practice: expired less than 5 years ago)
- Issued in your current name, or name change documented
What happens if you miss the window
If your passport expired more than 5 years ago — or it was a child passport, or it is damaged or lost — you cannot use the mail renewal route. Instead you file Form DS-11 and apply in person at a passport acceptance facility (many post offices, clerks of court, and libraries serve this role), bringing proof of citizenship and identification, just as a first-time applicant does.
The in-person route is not a punishment, just more friction: an appointment, original or certified documents, a new photo, and an in-person execution of the application. The practical takeaway is that an expired passport gets more expensive in time and hassle the longer it sits — renewing within the 5-year window keeps you in the easy lane.
For current fees, forms, and processing times, go straight to travel.state.gov — both change periodically, and the official site is the only number worth trusting when you are planning a trip.
Expired passport, upcoming trip: what order to do things in
You cannot travel internationally on an expired passport, and many destinations require six months of validity beyond your travel dates — so an expired passport means the renewal comes before the booking, not after. Confirm which application route you qualify for, submit it, and only lock in nonrefundable travel once you know your timeline.
If you are inside the mail-renewal window, the process is genuinely light: fill out the DS-82, include your old passport and a new photo, and send it in. Your old passport is returned to you separately, canceled. If you need the passport urgently for travel, the State Department offers expedited options — check the official site for what is currently available.
Never race the 5-year clock again
The difference between a 15-minute mail renewal and an in-person appointment with certified documents is nothing but elapsed time. A reminder set to your passport’s expiration date — with nudges starting a year out — means you renew while the passport is still valid and never even meet the 5-year question.
If you are reading this because you just renewed an expired passport: set the reminder now, while the new expiration date is in your hand. The 10-year cycle will erase this memory completely; the reminder will not.
Frequently asked questions
Can I renew a passport that expired 10 years ago?
Not by mail. A passport that expired 10 years ago was issued more than 15 years ago, which disqualifies it from DS-82 mail renewal. You would apply in person with Form DS-11, with proof of citizenship and identification, like a first-time applicant.
Can I renew my child’s expired passport by mail?
No. Passports issued to children under 16 can never be renewed by mail, expired or not. Child passport applications are always made in person, generally with both parents or guardians participating.
Can I travel on an expired passport?
No — an expired passport is not valid for international travel. And because many countries require six months of validity beyond your travel dates, even a soon-to-expire passport can be refused. Renew before you book.
Is renewing an expired passport more expensive?
The mail renewal itself is the same DS-82 process whether your passport is expired or not, as long as you qualify. Falling out of the mail-renewal window means the in-person DS-11 route, which can involve different costs — check travel.state.gov for current fees.
Official sources
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