Passport Acceptance Offices in Wisconsin
Wisconsin's 289 passport acceptance offices reach into 210 cities and towns, so wherever you are in the state, a place to submit a first-time application is rarely far off.
🔎 Find an office near you
210 cities
📖 About Wisconsin
Wisconsin's 289 passport acceptance offices reach into 210 cities and towns, so wherever you are in the state, a place to submit a first-time application is rarely far off. The heaviest concentration sits in the populous southeast: Milwaukee alone hosts 20 offices, and Waukesha, Racine, and Kenosha round out the metro core near the Lake Michigan shore. Madison, the state capital in Dane County, adds 8 more.
Head northeast into the Fox Valley and you'll find clusters in Green Bay, Appleton, and Oshkosh, while Eau Claire and La Crosse serve the western river country. Up in the far northwest, Superior sits at the tip of Lake Superior directly across the bay from Duluth, Minnesota. This is dairy-and-lakes territory, and the offices tend to be local post offices, county clerks, and city halls that take applications during posted hours.
Coverage reaches every one of Wisconsin's 72 counties, but not every branch keeps the same schedule or takes walk-ins. Some ask you to book a time first, and a few handle passport photos on site while others do not. It's worth a quick phone call before you drive over, especially in the smaller northern towns where hours can be limited.
🗺️ Areas covered
📝 How applying works
Most passport acceptance offices are U.S. Post Offices, public libraries, and county or city clerk offices that act as official acceptance facilities. You apply in person using Form DS-11 if you are getting a passport for the first time, if your previous passport was lost, stolen, or damaged, if it was issued more than 15 years ago, or if you were under 16 when it was issued.
Fill out the form ahead of time but do not sign it — a passport agent must watch you sign. Some facilities accept walk-ins during set passport hours, while others require an appointment, so it is worth calling the office listed on your city’s page before you go.
🎒 What to bring
💳 Fees
| Service | To U.S. Dept. of State | To the facility |
|---|---|---|
| Adult passport book (age 16+) | $130 | $35 |
| Adult passport card (age 16+) | $30 | $35 |
| Adult book + card | $160 | $35 |
| Child passport book (under 16) | $100 | $35 |
| Child passport card (under 16) | $15 | $35 |
| Child book + card | $115 | $35 |
The application fee is paid to the U.S. Department of State; the $35 execution (acceptance) fee is paid to the facility where you apply. Expedited service adds $60, and faster return delivery is available for a small extra charge. Fees are set nationally and are the same at every acceptance office in the country.
⏱️ Processing times
As of 2026, routine passport applications take about 4–6 weeks to process, and expedited applications about 2–3 weeks, counted from the day the State Department receives your application. Add roughly 2 weeks for mailing on each end.
The busiest season runs from late winter through summer, so apply between October and December when you can. If you are traveling within 14 days, you will need an appointment at a regional passport agency rather than a local acceptance facility.
💡 Good to know
Appointments at the regional agencies are reserved for travelers leaving the country within 14 days, or within 28 days when a foreign visa is also needed — the acceptance offices listed here handle routine, non-urgent applications instead. Applicants under 16 must appear in person with both parents or legal guardians present (or the proper consent paperwork). Bring proof of citizenship and a photo ID, and expect to pay the federal application fee plus a separate execution fee at the office. Processing timelines are set nationally by the State Department, not by any individual Wisconsin office, so the location you choose won't speed things up.