Passport Acceptance Offices in Maryland
Maryland wraps itself around the Chesapeake Bay, and its passport network mirrors that shape: acceptance offices ring the water from the Eastern Shore towns to the Potomac suburbs, with the two big population poles pu…
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📖 About Maryland
Maryland wraps itself around the Chesapeake Bay, and its passport network mirrors that shape: acceptance offices ring the water from the Eastern Shore towns to the Potomac suburbs, with the two big population poles pulling most of the traffic. On one side sit the Washington, D.C. suburbs of Montgomery and Prince George's counties; on the other, Baltimore anchors the north. Between them you'll find 353 offices spread across 213 communities, the great majority of them counter windows inside U.S. Post Offices.
The state also carries an unusually heavy federal and military footprint, and that shows up in where people apply. Fort Meade, home to the National Security Agency, alone accounts for a large cluster of offices, and there are more around Joint Base Andrews, the Aberdeen Proving Ground, and the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. The densest concentrations sit in Baltimore, Fort Meade, the Andrews base area, and the capital at Annapolis, followed by the growing suburbs of Frederick, Rockville, Silver Spring, Columbia, and Gaithersburg.
Most travelers simply apply at the post office closest to home or work and let the routine handle itself. If your departure date is bearing down, though, the location of an office matters less than the calendar, so it helps to know both where to go and how the timing works before you set out.
🗺️ 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
Every agency and acceptance-office visit for a new passport requires the applicant to appear in person, and first-time adult applicants, minors, and anyone replacing a lost book must show up rather than mail their forms. Children under 16 need both parents or legal guardians involved in the application, with consent documented if one cannot attend.
Many Maryland post offices take passport photos on site, but hours for the passport window are often narrower than the retail counter and some require you to book ahead — worth a quick phone call before you go. Processing timelines are set nationally by the State Department, not by any individual office, so the same waits apply whether you file in Baltimore or on the Eastern Shore.