How much is a Staples passport photo?
Staples takes passport photos at every store, with no appointment, for $19.99 for two printed photos at most locations, or $21.99 for a digital copy on a USB drive. Prices are higher at some stores in the Los Angeles and New York City areas. If the State Department rejects the photo, Staples retakes it for free when you bring the receipt and the rejection letter.
- $11.99 with the digital file, or $21.99 at Staples for the digital copy on USB
- Every official rule checked before you pay
| Price | $19.99 (two prints), most stores |
|---|---|
| Digital copy | $21.99 on a USB drive |
| Appointment | Not needed |
| Ready in | About 10 minutes |
Staples guarantees its photos meet the State Department requirements. If one is rejected, it retakes it free with your receipt (within 6 months) and the State Department letter.
Source: Staples: passport and visa photo services . Prices can vary by store. PassportOwl is not affiliated with Staples.
What you get
Staples offers three choices: two printed photos ($19.99), a digital copy on a USB drive ($21.99), or both. Extra prints are $5.99 each. Staples says higher prices apply at some stores in the Los Angeles and New York City metropolitan areas, so check with your store.
If you are renewing online, you upload a digital file, not a print. The online renewal form takes a JPG, PNG, HEIC or HEIF file between 54 KB and 10 MB. See the online renewal photo rules.
Before you go
Staples suggests a dark top without patterns and no large or shiny jewelry. Glasses are not allowed, and head coverings only for religious reasons. These are the State Department rules; see what to wear.
The free retake, and what it doesn’t cover
To get a free retake you need your sales receipt, dated within the last 6 months, and the letter from the State Department that says your photo did not meet the requirements. The same person must come back for the new photo. Staples does not refund the photo or any application fees; it only retakes the photo.
Can you apply for a passport at Staples?
Staples takes the photo; its page does not say it accepts passport applications. Its site links to a partner, a private service that charges extra to check and expedite renewals. You can renew by mail or online yourself for the standard $130 fee, or apply in person at an acceptance facility such as a post office. See how to renew a US passport.
Compared with other stores
| Where | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PassportOwl (at home) | $11.99 + under $1 to print | Digital file + 4×6 sheet, free retakes, guaranteed |
| Walgreens | $16.99 | 2 prints, digital copy by email included |
| CVS | $17.99 | 2 prints; digital copy $3.99 extra at select stores |
| USPS | $15.00 | At some post offices, appointment needed |
| Walmart | $7.64 | Photo Center stores only |
| Staples | $19.99 | 2 prints at most stores; digital copy on USB $21.99 |
| FedEx Office | $15.95 | 2 prints or a digital copy on USB |
Full comparison: how much a passport photo costs at each store
The rules a store photo must meet
The State Department checks these rules on every photo, including photos taken at a store.
| Photo size | 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm), printed |
|---|---|
| Head size | 1 to 1 3/8 in (25–35 mm), chin to top of head |
| Background | Plain white or off-white, no shadows, texture or objects |
| Colour, on matte or glossy photo paper | |
| Glasses | Not allowed, unless medically needed (signed statement) |
| Expression | Neutral or a natural closed-mouth smile, both eyes open |
| Head covering | Religious or medical only, with a signed statement; one colour, full face visible |
| Taken | In the last 6 months |
Tips for your photo at Staples
- Wear everyday clothes. Uniforms, camouflage and headphones are not allowed.
- Take off your glasses, unless you need them for a medical reason (with a signed statement).
- No hat or head covering, unless it is for religious or medical reasons, with a signed statement and your full face visible.
- Look straight at the camera with both eyes open: a neutral face or a natural closed-mouth smile.
- Before you leave, check the photo against the table above: head size, a white background with no shadows, sharp and not retouched.
- Ask for no retouching: the photo must have no filters, retouching or AI edits.
Good and bad photo examples
20 common reasons a US passport photo gets rejected. Tap any example to see why.
A good photo
Sharp and in color, with even light and no shadows. The head is straight, facing the camera and the right size, on a plain white or off-white background.
How to fix:
We check this on your photo:
Example photos, generated; not real people.
If your photo is rejected
If the photo does not meet the rules, the State Department asks you for a new photo, and your application can be delayed until you send one. A store photographer may not check every rule, so check the photo before you leave.
A photo you take at home with PassportOwl is checked against each rule before you pay. If it is rejected for a photo reason, we refund you in full and make you a new photo, free.
Questions
How much does Staples charge for passport photos?
$19.99 for two printed photos at most stores, or $21.99 for a digital copy on a USB drive. Some stores in the Los Angeles and New York City areas charge more.
Do I need an appointment for a passport photo at Staples?
No. Staples says passport photos are offered at every location with no appointment needed.
What if my Staples passport photo is rejected?
Staples retakes it for free if you bring your receipt, dated within 6 months, and the State Department letter that says the photo did not meet the requirements.
Can I use a Staples photo to renew my passport online?
Choose the digital copy on USB ($21.99). Online renewal needs a JPG, PNG, HEIC or HEIF file between 54 KB and 10 MB, so check the file before you upload it.
Can I wear glasses in a Staples passport photo?
No. Since 2016, US passport photos cannot show glasses unless you have a medical reason and a signed statement. Take them off before the photo.
How long is a Staples passport photo good for?
The State Department needs a photo taken in the last 6 months that looks like you do now. If yours is older, take a new one.
Other places for passport photos
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