Have your photo taken according to passport regulations -- visit a store that specializes in passport photos to ensure that you meet every qualification. For example, it must be taken in front of a white or off-white background with a neutral facial expression.
Fill out Form DS-11: Application for a U.S. Passport. This form is available on the U.S. Department of State website.
Take your completed form and photograph to a passport agency or a facility that issues passports, like a post office or a Department of Court Records. You must also take with you evidence of citizenship, like a previous passport, a birth certificate or a certificate of citizenship. Present these with a current and valid form of identification, like a driver's license or military ID. In addition to showing these forms of ID, you must also submit photocopies of the front and back of each one.
Pay the fee. As of May 2011, the fee for an adult passport book and card was $165.
