You can usually renew a passport either online/by mail or in person , depending on your eligibility and how fast you need it.

Main places to renew a U.S. passport

  • Online through the official U.S. Department of State renewal portal, if you meet the requirements (live in the U.S., routine service only, adult passport, undamaged, etc.).
  • By mail, sending Form DS‑82 and your old passport to the National Passport Processing Center, if your current passport is undamaged, issued when you were 16 or older, within the last 15 years, and in your current name (or you can document a name change).
  • In person at a passport agency or center if you are traveling very soon (typically within 2–3 weeks) and need urgent or emergency processing; you must make an appointment.
  • At passport acceptance facilities such as many post offices, some libraries, and local government offices (city halls, clerk’s offices), which accept applications and often take photos; these are mainly for first‑time applicants or people who do not qualify to renew by mail/online.

Quick example of how it works

  • If you qualify to renew by mail or online, you usually do not go to a physical office; you submit everything remotely.
  • If you do not qualify (for example, your passport is too old, damaged, or from when you were under 16), you go in person to a post office or other acceptance facility and apply as if it were a new passport.

If you need help finding a specific location

  • Check your national government’s official passport website (for U.S. citizens, that is travel.state.gov or usa.gov passport pages) and use their “find a passport acceptance facility / passport agency” lookup by ZIP code or city.
  • Many postal services list which branches handle passport services and whether you need an appointment.

If you tell me your country (and, optionally, city/region), I can outline the exact places and options that apply to you specifically.