McCook County Auditor's Office

The McCook County Auditor's Office, inside the historic 1934 county courthouse at 130 W Essex Ave, is Salem's county-run passport acceptance point. In many South Dakota communities the county rather than the post office handles this task, and here the auditor's staff review your documents, watch you sign, and mail your application to the passport processing center.

This is a practical stop for residents who are already at the courthouse for vehicle titles, elections paperwork, or property records, since they can fold a passport visit into an existing errand. It also gives applicants in Salem a government-office alternative to the post office counter a few blocks north.

Contact the auditor at 605-425-2791 to confirm availability, and bring proof of citizenship, a valid photo ID with a photocopy, and the fees in the correct form. Note that county offices generally do not take the passport photo, so you may need to have that done separately. When both Salem options are busy, other acceptance sites across South Dakota can help.

Call 605-425-2791 ahead of time to confirm the auditor's office is accepting applications and to ask whether an appointment is needed. Bring your own passport photo, as county offices often do not offer photo service. See more Salem details on the local passport page.