Where to Get Passport Photos: 7 Options Compared on Price, Speed & Rejection Risk
Pharmacies: Walgreens & CVS
Walgreens and CVS are the most widely available walk-in passport photo option in the US, with locations in most cities and suburbs. Both chains charge around $16.99 for two printed 2×2 photos — verify at walgreens.com or cvs.com for your location. No appointment is needed; walk in to the photo counter during store hours. The setup is designed for passport compliance: white backdrop, calibrated lighting, trained staff. Turnaround is typically under 15 minutes. These are the right choice when you need a photo fast and don't have a compliant home setup, or when you'd simply rather pay for certainty. The main downside is price — at roughly $17 per visit, it's among the most expensive per-print options even though it's one of the most convenient.
Walk in, no appointment needed
Head to the photo counter. Staff will photograph you against their white backdrop. Ready in under 15 minutes.
Price: around $16.99 for two prints
Verify at walgreens.com or cvs.com — pricing varies by location and may change.
Best for: speed + certainty
Ideal when you need a compliant photo quickly and want trained staff to handle the setup.
Big-Box & Warehouse Clubs: Walmart & Costco
Walmart photo centers offer passport photos at around $10 at most locations — significantly less than pharmacy chains for essentially the same service. The process is the same walk-in format. Warehouse clubs like Costco offer even lower pricing for members, typically around $5–6 for two prints at locations that carry the service; not all Costco locations offer passport photos, so check before making a trip. Big-box stores can have longer wait times during peak periods, particularly on weekends, but the savings are meaningful if you're near one. For members who already shop at Costco regularly, it's the best-value counter option in this comparison.
Walmart: around $10, walk-in
Lower price than pharmacy chains for the same printed 2×2 service. Verify availability at your nearest store on walmart.com.
Costco: around $5–6 for members
Lowest counter price for those with membership. Not all locations offer the service — check before visiting.
Best for: budget + walk-in convenience
Best counter value if you're already shopping at these stores or have a membership.
Shipping Stores: UPS Store & FedEx Office
UPS Store and FedEx Office both offer passport photo services at most locations. UPS Store typically charges $12–17 depending on the franchise; FedEx Office runs around $15. These are individually franchised locations, so pricing and service availability vary more than at pharmacy chains. The advantage of shipping stores is their location density in commercial areas, business districts, and near government offices — convenient if you're already near one for shipping purposes. Turnaround is typically quick, comparable to pharmacy chains. Neither shipping store has a unique advantage over pharmacies on price or quality, but they're a solid backup if a pharmacy isn't convenient.
UPS Store: roughly $12–17
Franchise pricing varies. Confirm cost by calling your nearest UPS Store location before visiting.
FedEx Office: around $15
Comparable to pharmacy pricing. Convenient if located near a government office or passport agency.
Post Offices & AAA
Some USPS post offices offer passport photo services for around $15, and the key advantage is that they often bundle photo service with a passport acceptance appointment at the same location — meaning you can get your photo taken and submit your application in a single visit. Not every post office offers photos or acceptance appointments; search usps.com to find locations with these services. AAA offers passport photos to members, often free or at very low cost (free to $10 depending on the region and membership level). If you have an AAA membership, this can be the best deal available — check your local AAA branch for availability.
USPS: ~$15, bundles with passport acceptance
Single-stop for photo + application submission. Find passport-accepting offices at usps.com — not all locations offer this.
AAA: free to ~$10 for members
Excellent value for members. Availability varies by branch — contact your local AAA office to confirm.
Professional Photographers
A professional portrait photographer can produce a passport photo, though it's typically overkill for this purpose. A session costs roughly $150–500 or more depending on market and usage rights — far beyond what a passport application requires. The one scenario where a professional photographer makes sense for passport photos is if you're already booking a portrait or headshot session and want to add a passport photo to the same session. Otherwise, any counter service or DIY approach produces technically identical results for passport purposes, since the specification doesn't reward photographic artistry — it requires specific technical compliance that any method can achieve.
Cost: typically $150–500+ for a session
Far exceeds the value for a passport photo alone. Only makes sense bundled with a portrait session you're already booking.
DIY at Home: Cheapest Option (~$0.50 Total)
The most cost-effective approach is to produce the photo yourself and use any photo printing counter only for the physical print. Take a photo against a plain white wall using a smartphone — good natural front lighting, no glasses, neutral expression, both eyes open. Upload the image to EditThisPic and use the free passport photo formatter to crop the image to the correct 2×2 inch dimensions, adjust the background to meet the white background requirement, and verify head proportions. Download the formatted image and order it as a standard 4×6 print from any photo printing service — Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, or any photo counter. A 4×6 print costs $0.35–0.50. Two 2×2 passport photos fit on one 4×6. Cut them out. Total cost: under $0.50. This approach is fully legitimate — the State Department evaluates the content and dimensions of the photo, not how it was produced. The DIY route has slightly more steps but saves $16 or more per application.
Take your own photo
Smartphone against a white wall, good front lighting. Remove glasses, neutral expression, both eyes open.
Format free with EditThisPic
Crop to 2×2 inch US spec, white background, correct head proportions. Free, no account required.
Print 4×6 and cut
Order as a standard 4×6 print at any photo counter ($0.35–0.50). Two 2×2 photos fit on one print. Cut out with scissors.
Total cost: under $0.50
Saves $16+ compared to full counter service. Compliance depends on your photo quality — check requirements before shooting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Format your passport photo free — skip the $17 counter fee
Upload your photo and get it formatted to US passport specs. Print anywhere for under $0.50.
Make Passport Photo Free
"convert this to a compliant US passport photo — 2x2 inches, white background, head properly sized and centered"
Release to upload