How Do You Replace a Damaged U.S. Passport?

The damaged passport rule in one table

| Track | DS-11, in person, as a first-time style application. No DS-64 report, no mail renewal | | Submit | The damaged passport, a signed statement explaining the damaged or mutilated condition, Form DS-11 with supporting documents, a photo, and fees | | What counts as damage | Stains, mold, significant tears, unofficial markings on the data page, missing or torn out visa pages, or a hole punch | | What does not count | Normal wear and tear, such as folded pages or a small bend | | Fee, adult book | 130 dollars plus a 35 dollar facility acceptance fee, 165 dollars in total | | Fee, adult card | 30 dollars plus 35 dollars, 65 dollars in total | | Do not promise | Return of the submitted damaged passport. A damaged or intentionally altered passport is not returned on renewal |

What makes damaged different

A damaged passport is submitted, not reported. There is no DS-64, no cancellation, and no invalid-even-if-found rule. The damaged passport itself goes in with the application, with a signed statement explaining its condition. That submit list is the whole track, and it runs through the in-person DS-11 channel because a damaged passport cannot be renewed by mail.

The second difference is the fee split. A damaged replacement pays the DS-11 two-fee split, not the DS-82 single fee. Mail renewal pays only the State fee, with no acceptance fee. Damaged replacement pays both, because it is an in-person application with identification verification and mailing by the facility.

The process, step by step

1. Check the damage against the table. Folded pages and a small bend are normal wear and tear. Do not replace the passport for normal wear and tear.
2. Complete Form DS-11 with the Form Filler on a computer and print it single-sided only. Do not sign until the acceptance agent asks.
3. Write and sign the statement explaining the damaged or mutilated condition of the passport book or card. State only what the damage is, in the State's own wording.
4. Gather the damaged passport, the signed statement, citizenship evidence with photocopies, a physical photo ID with front-and-back photocopies, and one photo. Do not staple the photo. The agent staples it.
5. Appear in person at an acceptance facility. The agent verifies ID, administers the oath, and witnesses the signature.
6. Pay the two-fee split: 130 dollars plus 35 dollars for an adult book. Expedited service adds 60 dollars. Return delivery in 1 to 3 days adds 26 dollars and 87 cents.

Airlines may deny boarding on a damaged passport, and a traveler can face difficulties abroad with one. If the passport was damaged in a federally designated disaster, a separate fee-waiver track can apply, with the application fee waivable for 3 years after the disaster and the file search fee waivable for 18 months. That track is separate from this page's steps. If the damaged passport is abroad, contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for instructions rather than following the domestic steps here.

Related passport guides

A lost or stolen passport follows the report-then-replace track, not this one. After applying, track the application on the status check page. For every passport track side by side, see the U.S. Passport Guides by Situation directory.

Source

The submit list, the damage and normal-wear split, and the fee split on this page come from the U.S. Department of State: the Passport Services FAQ and the Replace a Passport After a Disaster page. The disaster page states the damage list used here. Fees come from the State Passport Fees page as verified for the first-time track. Facts verified 2026-10-27.

This page explains how the process works and what the official rules say. It is general information, not legal advice. For a dispute about your specific situation, talk to a lawyer or your government agency.