How to Fill Out a Money Order for a U.S. Passport: Payee, Example and Common Mistakes
Fill out a passport money order with the correct payee, applicant memo and exact fees, keeping the acceptance facility payment separate.
Quick Answer
To pay for a U.S. passport with a money order, make it payable to "U.S. Department of State", write the applicant's full name and date of birth in the memo section, and buy it for the exact amount of the government fees. If you apply in person with Form DS-11, you also pay a separate $35 acceptance (execution) fee to the facility, so don't combine that payment with the State Department money order. Optional extras, such as expedited service, are added to the same State Department payment.
Fees and payment rules can change. Confirm the current amounts and accepted payment types on the State Department's passport fees page before you buy a money order.
Do You Need a Money Order?
A money order is one of several accepted ways to pay the State Department's passport fees by mail or in person. According to the State Department, you can pay with a check (personal, certified, cashier's or traveler's) or a money order payable to "U.S. Department of State." A money order is useful if you don't have a checking account or prefer not to mail a personal check.
| Situation | How you pay the State Department fees |
|---|---|
| First-time or in-person application (Form DS-11) | Check or money order payable to "U.S. Department of State" |
| Renewal by mail (Form DS-82) | Check or money order payable to "U.S. Department of State" |
| Renewal online | Credit card or debit card, as the State Department's online renewal page directs |
| The $35 acceptance fee at a post office or other facility | Pay the facility directly. Ask the facility which payment methods it accepts |
Because rules can differ by application type and location, read the payment instructions that come with your form.
A Quick Clarification: There Is No Special "Passport Money Order"
Some low-quality websites describe a "passport money order" as a special product for sending money abroad. That is wrong. A money order for a U.S. passport is just an ordinary money order (from the Postal Service, a bank, Western Union, MoneyGram or a store) that you make payable to the U.S. Department of State to cover your passport fees. Nothing about it is international or specific to passports.
What You Pay and to Whom
For a DS-11 application, you pay two separate fees:
- To the U.S. Department of State: the application fee, plus any optional services you choose, by check or money order.
- To the acceptance facility: the $35 execution fee. Each facility sets its own accepted payment methods, so ask before you go. This is the payment most guides skip, and the payee is different from the State Department's. For example, a secondary source summarizing the USPS passport page says post offices take a check or money order payable to "Postmaster" for this fee, with card payments accepted at many locations. A county clerk's office, library or other facility will name its own payee. Ask the facility who to make it out to before you write anything.
One money order cannot be made out to two different parties, so the State Department payment and the facility payment need separate payments.
For a DS-82 mail-in renewal, you send one payment to the U.S. Department of State with the application.
Example amounts (adult passport book)
The amounts below are for an adult passport book and use the fees as of the last time we checked. Verify the current figures on the State Department's website or its fee calculator before buying your money order.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee, adult passport book | $130 |
| Optional expedited service | $60 |
| Optional 1 to 3 day return delivery | $26.87 |
| Money order to the U.S. Department of State, no extras | $130 |
| Money order with expedited service | $190 |
| Money order with expedited service and 1 to 3 day return delivery | $216.87 |
| Acceptance fee (DS-11 only), paid separately to the facility | $35 |
The State Department says optional fees are added to your total and included in the same check or money order made out to the U.S. Department of State. For a first-time application, our guide to how to expedite a first-time passport explains when expedited service is worth it.
How to Fill Out a Passport Money Order, Field by Field
Money orders from the Postal Service, Western Union, MoneyGram and retailers look slightly different, but they ask for the same basic information. Field labels vary by issuer, so "Pay to," "Pay to the order of," "Recipient" or "Payee" all mean the same thing, and "Memo," "For" or "Purpose" all mean the notes line. Use blue or black ink and write clearly. Fill it out before you leave the counter so you can ask the clerk to fix any error. Anyone can buy the money order for you, since the purchaser's name doesn't have to match the applicant's, as long as the memo line shows the applicant's full name and date of birth.
| Field on the money order | What to write | Example (sample data only) |
|---|---|---|
| Pay to / Pay to the order of | U.S. Department of State | U.S. Department of State |
| Amount | Exact fee, usually already printed by the issuer | $130.00 |
| Purchaser / From (name) | The person buying the money order | Jane Sample |
| Address | The purchaser's street address, city, state and ZIP | 123 Main St, Springfield, IL 62701 |
| Memo / For / Purpose | The applicant's full name and date of birth | Jane Sample, DOB 01/15/1990 |
| Signature (if there is a signature line for the purchaser) | Sign as instructed | Jane Sample |
A filled-in example
PAY TO THE ORDER OF: U.S. Department of State
AMOUNT: $130.00
PURCHASER / FROM: Jane Sample
123 Main St, Springfield, IL 62701
MEMO / FOR: Jane Sample DOB 01/15/1990
Paying for more than one person
The State Department recommends a separate check or money order for each application, and a county clerk's fee guide for passport applicants says the same. It also says to write each applicant's full name and date of birth on the front of their own payment. Don't combine family members into one money order.
Where to Get a Money Order
You can buy a passport money order at:
- U.S. Post Offices (a postal money order)
- Banks and credit unions, sometimes for account holders only
- Grocery and discount stores that sell money orders
- Check-cashing and money-transfer outlets
Fees and per-order limits vary by issuer, so compare before you buy. Bring a valid photo ID and payment, and ask the clerk to confirm the payee and memo lines before you leave. Keep your receipt or the stub in case the money order is lost or you need to trace it.
Buy it before your appointment
Do not assume the acceptance facility sells money orders. Buy the State Department payment before your appointment and confirm the payment methods accepted for the separate facility fee.
How you can pay for the money order itself
Post offices and stores usually take cash or a debit card for a money order, and many issuers don't accept credit cards, partly because card-advance fees can make that expensive. Ask the issuer before you go, and expect a small purchase fee that is separate from the passport fee.
Take a photo before you send it
Before you hand over or mail the money order, take a clear photo of the filled-out front, the receipt and the money order number. It makes tracing easier if anything goes missing.
Where Does the Money Order Go?
- DS-82 mail-in renewal: place it loose in the envelope with your application, your most recent passport and any supporting documents. Don't attach it to the form or the photo. (The photo is the only item you staple. See how to staple a passport photo to the application.)
- DS-11 in person: hand it to the acceptance agent with your application and documents, along with your separate payment for the facility fee.
Common Mistakes That Cause Delays
- Wrong payee. Write "U.S. Department of State," not "Passport Office," "USPS," "Passport Agency" or any other name.
- Abbreviating the payee. Some passport service pages tell applicants not to abbreviate "Department" as "Dept." Spell it out to be safe.
- Leaving the payee blank. Fill it in at the counter, because a blank money order can be cashed by anyone who finds it.
- Wrong amount. Add the base fee and any optional services correctly. If the amount is wrong, the application can be held up.
- Missing name and date of birth. The State Department asks you to write the applicant's name and date of birth in the memo section.
- Combining the acceptance fee with the State Department payment. The facility fee is paid separately.
- One money order for several applicants. Use a separate payment for each application.
- Sending cash. Don't mail cash. Use a check or money order.
- Using a foreign or non-dollar money order. If you are renewing by mail from abroad, the State Department says payment must be a check or money order payable in U.S. dollars.
- Losing the receipt. Without it, tracing or replacing a lost money order is much harder.
- Not checking current fees. Fees change, so verify the amount shortly before you apply.
What About Refunds?
By law, the State Department keeps the application and execution fees even if a passport isn't issued. Expedited service is treated differently: one clerk's passport guide says the $60 expedite fee may be refundable if expedited service was paid for but not provided within its stated timeframe. Read the State Department's refund page for the current policy before you rely on this.
If a money order is lost before it reaches the State Department, contact the issuer with your receipt to ask about a refund or replacement.
Before You Pay, Check Your Photo
A passport application can be delayed over a photo as easily as a payment error. Before you buy your money order and send anything in, check that your 2x2 photo meets the requirements. PhotoOmni can resize your photo to the official spec and check the background and head position, and our guide to US passport photo requirements lists every rule.
Passport Money Order Checklist
- Confirmed the current fee for my application type on travel.state.gov
- Added optional services (expedite, 1 to 3 day return delivery) to the State Department total
- Money order payable to U.S. Department of State
- Amount is exact
- Applicant's full name and date of birth are in the memo line
- Purchaser name and address filled in
- Separate payment ready for the $35 acceptance fee (DS-11)
- One money order per applicant
- Receipt or stub saved
Frequently Asked Questions
Who do I make a passport money order out to?
Make it payable to "U.S. Department of State."
What do I write on a money order for a passport?
Write "U.S. Department of State" on the payee line, and the applicant's full name and date of birth in the memo section. Fill in your own name and address as the purchaser.
How much should the money order be?
It should be the exact total of the government fees you owe the State Department, including any optional services. For an adult passport book, that is $130 for the application fee, $190 with expedited service, or $216.87 with expedited service and 1 to 3 day return delivery. Confirm current fees before you buy.
Do I pay the $35 acceptance fee with the same money order?
No. The acceptance fee is paid separately to the facility where you apply, and each facility decides which payment methods it accepts.
Can I use a personal check instead of a money order?
Yes. The State Department accepts personal, certified, cashier's and traveler's checks, as well as money orders, payable to "U.S. Department of State."
Can I pay for my passport with a credit card?
For the State Department's fees on a paper application, the State Department lists checks and money orders. Online renewal uses a credit or debit card. Check the payment options for your specific application type, and ask your acceptance facility what it accepts for the $35 fee.
Who do I make the $35 acceptance fee money order out to?
Ask the facility. Post offices are reported to take a check or money order payable to "Postmaster" for this fee, but other facilities, such as county clerk offices and libraries, set their own payee and payment methods. Don't use "U.S. Department of State" for this payment.
Can someone else buy the money order for me?
Yes. The purchaser's name doesn't need to match the applicant's. What matters is that the payee is "U.S. Department of State" and the memo line shows the applicant's full name and date of birth.
Can I put the State Department fee and the acceptance fee on one money order?
No. A money order can be made out to only one payee, so use separate payments.
Is a "passport money order" an international money transfer?
No. Some websites describe it that way, but it is an ordinary money order payable to the U.S. Department of State.
Where can I buy a money order for a passport?
At a post office, bank, credit union, many grocery or discount stores, and other money-transfer locations.
Do I need a separate money order for my child's passport?
Yes. Use a separate payment for each application and write the child's full name and date of birth in the memo line.
What if I made a mistake on the money order?
Ask the issuer right away. Don't write over or cross out a money order, because a corrected one may not be accepted. If you notice the error after leaving the counter, bring your receipt and ask about a replacement.
Is the money order refundable if my passport isn't issued?
Generally no. By law, the State Department keeps the application and execution fees even if a passport isn't issued. The expedite fee may be refundable if the service wasn't provided as promised.
Bottom Line
A passport money order is simple when you get four things right: payee "U.S. Department of State," the exact amount, the applicant's full name and date of birth in the memo line, and a separate payment for the $35 facility fee. Check the current fee, fill in the money order at the counter, keep the receipt, and use one payment per applicant. Then make sure your photo is ready with PhotoOmni so your application isn't delayed for another reason.
Official Sources
- U.S. Department of State: passport photo requirements
- U.S. Department of State: passport fees and payment methods
Official guidance checked on October 16, 2026. Follow the current application instructions before submitting.
About the Author
PhotoOmni Editorial Team
The PhotoOmni Editorial Team explains official passport, visa and identity-photo requirements, with practical guidance on taking photos, preparing files and printing. This guide draws on the official sources listed above. The issuing authority sets the application requirements and makes the final acceptance decision.