The U.S. Department of State will renew your passport by mail if a few conditions are true. First, the document needs to be undamaged. Some bends and scuffs are acceptable, but missing pages and water damage are not. Next, your passport must have been issued when you were 16 or older, and the issue date -- found on the first page of the passport -- must be within the past 15 years. To be eligible for renewal by mail, you must also still have the same legal name under which your passport was issued, or you must be able to supply an original or certified copy of a legal document proving your name change. If one or more of these criteria don't apply to you, you'll have to apply for a new passport in person.
To get a new passport by mail, you'll need to complete form DS-82, available online through the Department of State and in person anywhere passport applications are accepted. Gather everything you must include in your mailing: the completed DS-82 form, a passport photo (which can be taken at many stores where photos are processed), your expired passport and a check or money order in the amount of the passport renewal fee. As of the date of publication, the cost is $140, and current information is available through the Department of State. If your name has changed since your expired passport was issued, include your marriage certificate or court order documenting your current name. Mail the package in a padded envelope -- find the address on form DS-82 -- and pay to track the envelope so you can be sure it arrives.
If you don't meet the criteria to renew your passport by mail, you'll have to apply in person at a passport acceptance facility. Post offices and local government offices often hold this title. Bring a passport photo, a government-issued photo ID, a photocopy of the ID and proof of citizenship. If your expired passport is undamaged, it can be used to proof citizenship; otherwise you'll need your original birth certificate or other form proving you're an American citizen. You'll also need to pay the application fee with a check or money order, and will need to fill out application form DS-11. Save time by printing and completing the form at home, but don't sign it until you're submitting everything to an agent.
You won't be allowed to travel internationally with an expired passport, so don't try to skate through customs with it one last time. If you're planning a trip out of the country, you must get your new passport before your departure date. Plan for your passport to take at least two months to be processed and mailed to you. You may speed the process up by paying extra for expedited service. If you're renewing by mail, write "expedite" on your envelope, send your renewal materials by overnight mail and pay an extra fee to have your processed passport mailed back to you via overnight mail. Information about current fees is available through the Department of State. If your trip is within two weeks, make an appointment to visit a regional passport facility. They're located in a few dozen major cities.
