Houston Public Library accepts passport applications at six city locations. Appointments can be booked up to two weeks in advance, and new slots open every day.
People who need to apply for a United States passport in Houston have six options within the Houston Public Library (HPL) system, from downtown to Alief, Park Place and the southwest part of Houston.
Libraries operate as authorized acceptance facilities for applications requiring the DS-11 form, including first-time passports, applications for minors, and certain cases in which an older passport can no longer be renewed by the regular process.
HPL allows appointments up to two weeks in advance and releases new slots daily. If a date fills up, new appointments may open the next day.
Six Houston libraries accept passport applications
| Library | Address |
|---|---|
| Alief-David M. Henington Regional Library | 11903 Bellaire Blvd., Houston, TX 77072 |
| Central Library | 500 McKinney St., Houston, TX 77002 |
| Collier Regional Library | 6200 Pinemont Dr., Houston, TX 77092 |
| McGovern-Stella Link Regional Library | 7405 Stella Link Rd., Houston, TX 77025 |
| Park Place Regional Library | 8145 Park Place Blvd., Houston, TX 77017 |
| Walker Neighborhood Library | 11630 Chimney Rock Rd., Houston, TX 77035 |
The six facilities also offer passport photo service.
Appointments can be booked up to two weeks before the desired date. HPL asks visitors to arrive at least 15 minutes before the scheduled time and maintains the phone number 832-393-7277 for service inquiries.
Appointments and the current requirements can be checked directly at Houston Public Library Passport Services.
Houston charges $35 to accept the application and $10 for the photo
Applying for the passport at a Houston library requires two separate payments.
Houston charges a nonrefundable fee of $35 for each accepted application. If the person needs the library to take the photograph, the service costs $10 additional.
These charges are paid to the City of Houston and are separate from the fee charged by the State Department for issuing the passport.
For a person aged 16 years or older applying for the first time, the current federal fees are:
| Document | Department of State | HPL Acceptance Fee | Total without Photo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passport Book | $130 | $35 | $165 |
| Passport Card | $30 | $35 | $65 |
| Passport Book and Card | $160 | $35 | $195 |
For minors under 16, the book costs $100 with the State Department, plus the $35 acceptance; the card costs $15 plus $35, and applying for both documents costs $115 plus $35.
The HPL photo adds $10 to the corresponding cost.
The State Department’s expedited service costs $60 additional. The delivery of the passport already issued within one to three days currently has an optional fee of $23.36 for the booklet.
The passport card cannot be used for international air travel.
The application requires DS-11, citizenship, identification and copies
Applicants must complete the DS-11 form before going to the library. The form must be filled out in black ink, but should not be signed until instructed by the acceptance agent.
Physical proof of United States citizenship and a photocopy are also required. Among the documents that can establish citizenship are a U.S. birth certificate that meets federal requirements, a previously valid U.S. passport, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or a naturalization or citizenship certificate.
The applicant must also present a physical photo ID and a copy of the front and back.
The application requires a passport photo. Those who do not bring one can obtain it at any of the six HPL facilities for $10.
For minors under 16 there are additional parental consent requirements. Legal guardians must appear with the minor or comply with the corresponding federal procedures when one cannot attend.
Not all renewals require an appointment at the library
HPL serves people applying for their first passport, minors under 16, and applicants whose previous passport was issued when they were under 16, was lost, stolen or damaged, or was issued more than 15 years ago.
An adult who still qualifies for renewal via the DS-82 form typically does not need to submit the application at a library and may be eligible to complete renewal by mail or online.
This distinction is important when scheduling an appointment: libraries function as acceptance facilities for in-person applications, not as a mandatory counter for all renewals.
The normal processing currently takes between 4 and 6 weeks
The State Department currently estimates between 4 and 6 weeks for regular processing and between 2 and 3 weeks for expedited service.
Those times do not include shipping. An application can take up to two weeks to reach the State Department, and the shipment of the newly issued passport can add additional time.
For international travel in less than three weeks, the State Department recommends checking options at a passport agency or center rather than relying solely on a regular acceptance facility.
