Passport Acceptance Offices in Florida
Florida runs the busiest passport counters in the Southeast, and for good reason: this is a state of international travelers.
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📖 About Florida
Florida runs the busiest passport counters in the Southeast, and for good reason: this is a state of international travelers. Cruise passengers stream out of PortMiami and Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, families book overseas trips around the Orlando theme parks, and snowbirds who split the year between the U.S. and abroad all need current documents. That demand is spread across 512 acceptance offices in 252 cities and towns, from the Miami metro north through Orlando and Tampa Bay to Jacksonville, the state capital in Tallahassee, and the panhandle around Pensacola. Most of these are neighborhood post offices, county clerk of court offices, and public libraries where you apply in person and mail your application to the State Department for routine processing.
Florida is one of the states that hosts its own federal passport agency. The Miami Passport Agency, on Biscayne Boulevard downtown, handles in-person, appointment-only service for travelers with urgent international departures inside 14 days. Everyone else — the vast majority of applicants — is far better served by walking into a local acceptance office. Because the peninsula is long, a resident in Pensacola sits roughly 650 miles from Miami, so distance to the agency matters: plan renewals early rather than counting on a same-week appointment eight hours away.
Hurricane season, running June through November, adds a wrinkle unique to Florida. Storms can close government offices for days and disrupt mail, so travelers with fall trips are wise to apply well ahead. Between cruise deadlines, park vacations, and seasonal residents, the state's counters stay steady year-round rather than spiking only in spring.
🗺️ 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
Most Florida acceptance offices ask you to bring your own passport photo, though many post offices, libraries, and drugstore counters can take one on-site for a small fee — call ahead, since not every location offers it. County clerk of court offices and larger post offices frequently require or strongly prefer appointments, while smaller branches may take walk-ins during limited passport hours only.
Time your application with Florida's calendar in mind. Spring break and the run-up to summer cruise season fill counters fast, and hurricane season can shutter government offices with little notice. If a storm is forecast, apply early or expect delays in both office hours and mail delivery.