Berks County Prothonotary's Office

The Berks County Prothonotary's Office serves as Reading's courthouse-based passport acceptance agent, working out of 633 Court Street in the heart of the downtown civic district. As the office that keeps the county's civil court records, it doubles as a designated acceptance facility where staff process passport applications alongside their clerk-of-courts duties.

Agents here accept new adult applications, first passports for minors, and replacements for lost, stolen, or damaged books, forwarding each completed packet to a State Department facility. The office charges the standard federal execution fee and cannot issue a passport on the spot. Note that it does not take passport photos, so bring a compliant photo with you or have one made beforehand.

Appointments are required and there are no same-day slots, so call ahead to reserve. Its downtown location suits applicants already handling court filings or living near the county seat, while the Gus Yatron Post Office to the north is the alternative when you also need a photo taken.

This office does not offer passport photos, so arrive with a compliant 2x2 photo already made. Call 610-478-6970 to book, and see the wider Pennsylvania passport office guide if you need an option closer to home.