Passport

Dallas County passport services help residents submit new U.S. passport applications through acceptance offices operated by the Dallas County District Clerk. This article explains which applications the county accepts, how appointments work, what documents applicants must bring, how fees must be separated, what parents need for a child’s application, and when urgent travelers should contact the U.S. Department of State instead of using a county acceptance office.

District Clerk Passport Services

The Dallas County District Clerk operates passport acceptance offices for people who must apply in person. These offices review an applicant’s documents, witness the applicant’s signature, collect the county execution fee, and forward the application package to the U.S. Department of State for processing.

The District Clerk does not issue the finished passport. Passport approval, printing, delivery, application status, federal fees, and federal processing rules are handled by the Department of State. The county office serves as the local acceptance facility where eligible applicants submit their materials.

Dallas County provides three acceptance locations: the Downtown office in the George L. Allen, Sr. Courts Building, the East Dallas Government Center, and the North Dallas Government Center. The county’s passport office location and hours page identifies each location as open by appointment only. Applicants should therefore schedule a time rather than relying on walk-in availability.

Who Applies in Person

The county’s appointment checklist identifies the DS-11 application as the form used by people who have never received a U.S. passport and by children who are applying or renewing. A DS-11 may also be required when a previously issued passport has been lost, together with Form DS-64.

Every person applying through the acceptance office must appear in person, including infants and children. A parent cannot submit a child’s application without the child being present. Applicants should review the county’s passport appointment checklist before selecting an appointment date.

Mail Renewal Rules

Some people who already have a passport may qualify to renew by mail. The county appointment system states that all applicants who are eligible for renewal by mail must use the mail-renewal process rather than scheduling an acceptance-office appointment.

A person should determine which application procedure applies before booking a county appointment. Using the wrong process can result in an unnecessary visit or an application that cannot be accepted. The Department of State establishes renewal eligibility and provides the applicable forms and instructions.

Passport Appointments

Dallas County uses an online scheduler for passport acceptance appointments. Applicants can use the official District Clerk passport appointment system to make a new appointment or manage an existing one.

The scheduling system temporarily stores personal information needed to create the appointment. A person making a new appointment must acknowledge that temporary storage before continuing. Applicants with an existing booking can reschedule or cancel by entering the appointment number and the email address or phone number associated with the reservation.

Choosing an Office

The appointment system allows applicants to select an available District Clerk acceptance location. Available dates and times may differ by office. Applicants should choose a location they can reach early enough to complete check-in without missing the scheduled time.

The Downtown, East, and North offices provide the same general passport acceptance function. The best location is usually the office with an available appointment that fits the applicant’s schedule and travel distance. An applicant should not assume that an appointment booked for one office can be used at another office.

Application Hours

The county’s general passport information states that appointment application hours are Monday through Friday from 8:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. That page also publishes walk-in hours from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., while the individual location listings identify all three passport offices as appointment-only. Because the county’s location-specific instructions are more restrictive, scheduling an appointment is the safest way to avoid being turned away.

Office availability may also be affected by county holidays, closures, staffing, or appointment capacity. The appointment scheduler should be treated as the current source for bookable times.

Arrival and Check-In

Dallas County instructs applicants to arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled appointment. Applicants should bring the confirmation number received after booking because it is used during check-in.

Arriving early gives the applicant time to locate the correct suite, complete check-in, organize documents, and address simple copying or payment issues. An applicant who arrives without required identification, citizenship evidence, payment instruments, or a required parent may not be able to complete the application.

Required Application Forms

Each applicant must have a separate passport application. The Dallas County requirements document states that the DS-11 must be completed in black ink and must include the emergency contact section.

The applicant should complete the form before the appointment but must not sign it in advance. The signature is completed in front of the passport acceptance agent. Signing before the appointment can create delays because the acceptance agent must witness the signature.

DS-11 Applications

A DS-11 is required for a person who has never been issued a U.S. passport and for a child’s passport application or renewal. The form should be printed single-sided, completed legibly, and reviewed for missing answers before the appointment.

Information on the form should match the applicant’s citizenship evidence and identification. Differences in names, dates, or personal details may require additional documentation under Department of State rules.

Lost Passport Applications

The county checklist states that a person applying after a previously issued passport was lost should bring both Form DS-11 and Form DS-64. Form DS-64 is used to report the lost passport, while Form DS-11 is used for the new application.

Applicants should follow the instructions on both forms and bring any additional materials required for their circumstances. Reporting a passport as lost is a separate action from submitting a replacement application, so both parts of the process must be addressed.

Identity Documents

Applicants must present valid government-issued photo identification. A valid driver’s license is one example listed in the county requirements, although other identifying documents may be accepted under federal passport rules.

The applicant must also provide a photocopy of the identification. The Dallas County requirements specify a copy of the front and back. Applicants who arrive without the copy may be charged $1 per copy by the District Clerk’s Office.

Identification Copies

Identification copies should be clear enough for the information and photograph to be read. Applicants should place the front and back images on plain white paper and avoid reducing the image to an unreadable size.

A photocopy does not replace the original identification. The applicant must bring both the valid original identification and the required copy. A photograph or digital image stored on a phone should not be treated as a substitute for the physical identification document.

Parents’ Identification

For a minor’s application, Dallas County requires copies of the front and back of the identification belonging to both parents whose names appear on the child’s birth certificate. The parents must also bring their valid government-issued photo identification when their presence is required.

Parents should verify that copies are included before leaving for the appointment. Missing copies can add time and copying charges, while missing original identification may prevent the application from being accepted.

Citizenship Evidence

Every applicant must submit acceptable evidence of U.S. citizenship. The county checklist gives examples that include a certified birth certificate, a previously issued U.S. passport for an applicant age 16 or older, and a certificate of naturalization.

For an applicant age 15 or younger, the checklist states that a valid previously issued U.S. passport should be accompanied by the birth certificate. Applicants should use the county’s passport application requirements document to review the local document preparation instructions.

Birth Certificate Standards

Dallas County warns that many short or abstract versions of Texas and California birth certificates may not be acceptable for passport purposes. The county’s general information states that an acceptable U.S. birth certificate should:

Be issued by the city, county, or state of birth.
List the applicant’s full name, date of birth, and place of birth.
List the full names of the applicant’s parent or parents.
Show a filing date within one year of the applicant’s birth.
Include the registrar’s signature.
Include the seal of the issuing authority.

The document must be an original certified birth certificate or another acceptable original form of citizenship evidence. The county requirements state that proof of citizenship cannot be damaged, laminated, or replaced by an ordinary photocopy.

Citizenship Photocopies

The Department of State requires a photocopy of the citizenship evidence in addition to the original or certified document. The original is reviewed and submitted as part of the application process, while the photocopy is retained with the passport record.

The copy must be legible, printed in black ink on 8.5-by-11-inch white paper, and printed on only one side. If the citizenship document contains information on the reverse side, a copy of the back is also required.

Dallas County charges $1 per copy when an applicant does not provide the required copy. A citizenship photocopy does not satisfy the requirement to present the original certified document.

Previously Issued Passports

The county’s general information states that the additional citizenship photocopy requirement does not apply when an adult uses an expired passport as citizenship evidence. The Department of State’s citizenship-evidence photocopy guidance also indicates that a person does not need to submit a photocopy of a passport book or card being used as primary citizenship evidence.

Passport Photo Rules

Each applicant must submit one 2-by-2-inch U.S. passport photo. The photo must meet Department of State requirements. An unsuitable photo can delay acceptance or federal processing.

Dallas County can take the photograph at the acceptance office for $15 per person. The county’s general passport information states that the photo fee may be paid by cash, debit card, or credit card.

Applicants who bring their own photo should verify that it was prepared specifically for a U.S. passport application. A casual personal photograph, school portrait, cropped driver’s license image, or image printed on ordinary paper may not meet federal standards.

Applications for Children

Passport applications for children require additional documentation and parental participation. All children must attend the appointment, regardless of age. The application cannot be completed based only on the appearance of the parents.

Children Age 15 or Younger

The Dallas County checklist states that both parents should appear with valid government-issued photo identification for an applicant age 15 or younger. The child’s citizenship documentation and parental identification copies must also be provided.

When only one parent or legal guardian appears, the county checklist identifies several forms of documentation that may address the second parent’s absence:

Form DS-3053, Statement of Consent.
A birth certificate naming only one parent.
A certified court order that satisfies the applicable requirement.

Applicants using Form DS-3053 should read the federal form instructions because the form must be completed and notarized. Dallas County also requires a copy of the absent parent’s identification to be presented with the form.

Parental Names and Copies

Parents should compare the names on their identification with the names appearing on the child’s birth certificate. Copies of both parents’ identification are required when both parents are named on the certificate, subject to the documentation rules that apply when one parent cannot appear.

A family submitting applications for several children should prepare a separate DS-11 and a separate document set for each child. Each child also has a separate federal application fee, county execution fee, photograph, and citizenship-evidence requirement.

Passport Fees and Payments

Passport applicants make separate payments to the U.S. Department of State and Dallas County. Combining the amounts into a single payment can prevent the office from accepting the application.

Federal Passport Fees

The Dallas County appointment checklist provides the following Department of State fee amounts:

Adult passport book: $130.
Minor passport book for age 15 or younger: $100.
Adult passport card: $30.
Child passport card: $15.
Expedited service: an additional $60.
Optional express delivery of a printed passport book to the applicant: $23.36.

The federal application fee and optional federal service fees must be paid by personal check, money order, or bank draft payable to “Department of State.” Temporary checks are not accepted. The county scheduler emphasizes that the passport fee must be paid by check or money order for each person applying, and the county checklist states that cash is not accepted for the federal payment.

A family applying together should be prepared to provide the required federal payment for each applicant. Applicants should confirm the payee and amount before the appointment rather than leaving the check blank.

County Processing Fees

Dallas County charges a $35 execution fee for each application. That fee is paid separately from the federal passport fee. The county accepts cash, debit cards, or credit cards for the execution fee.

The county also charges $15 for an on-site passport photo and $1 for each copy made by the office. Credit and debit card payments are subject to a service fee.

Payment Preparation

Before arriving, applicants should separate the federal payment from the county payment. A useful payment check includes:

A personal check, money order, or bank draft for the Department of State.
A separate method for the Dallas County execution fee.
An additional county payment method if photos or copies are needed.
Separate federal payments for each person applying when required by the appointment instructions.

Processing and Delivery

The Dallas County checklist dated June 28, 2026, states that routine service generally takes four to six weeks and expedited service generally takes two to three weeks. These are federal processing periods rather than guarantees from the county acceptance office.

Processing time begins after the application reaches the Department of State and may not include every mailing or delivery period. Applicants should avoid making nonrefundable travel commitments based only on an estimated processing range.

Expedited service requires the additional federal fee. The optional express-delivery fee shown on the county checklist applies to the State Department’s delivery of a passport book to the applicant after it has been printed. It is separate from expedited processing.

Urgent International Travel

A Dallas County passport acceptance appointment is not the same as an urgent appointment at a federal passport agency or center. Travelers with immediate departure dates should follow Department of State procedures rather than assuming that a county appointment will produce a passport before travel.

Travel Within 14 Days

The Dallas County scheduler directs people with urgent travel needs to the Department of State or the National Passport Information Center. It also states that a third-party courier seeking to hand-deliver an application to a passport agency or center must be able to prove imminent travel within 14 calendar days or a need for one or more visas.

For urgent travel within 14 days, applicants should follow the federal appointment process. A passport agency appointment has different eligibility and scheduling rules from a Dallas County acceptance appointment.

Life-or-Death Emergencies

A person may qualify for a life-or-death emergency appointment when international travel is required within two weeks because an immediate family member outside the United States has died, is dying, is in hospice care, or has a life-threatening illness or injury. The Department of State considers parents or legal guardians, children, spouses, siblings, and grandparents to be immediate family members for this service.

The traveler must obtain documentation of the emergency, provide a professional translation if the document is not in English, and show proof of international travel within two weeks. The federal life-or-death emergency passport page explains the qualifying circumstances and appointment process.

For assistance during the Department of State’s published weekday service hours, applicants may call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778. The federal emergency guidance provides additional telephone instructions for deaf or hard-of-hearing callers, weekends, federal holidays, and after-hours emergencies.

Travel Planning Before Applying

A passport is only one part of international travel preparation. Entry rules, visa requirements, passport-validity rules, local laws, safety conditions, and destination-specific advisories can vary by country.

Applicants can review official destination information through the Department of State’s international travel portal. Travelers should review the destination’s current advisory and entry requirements while allowing enough time for passport processing and delivery.

Common Application Mistakes

Many preventable problems occur before the applicant reaches the acceptance counter. The following issues can delay or stop a Dallas County passport submission:

Signing the DS-11 before meeting with the acceptance agent.

Completing the application in ink other than black.

Leaving the emergency contact section incomplete.

Failing to bring the appointment confirmation number.

Arriving without the applicant, including a child applicant.

Bringing only a photocopy of citizenship evidence instead of the original certified document.

Presenting a damaged, laminated, or unacceptable abstract birth certificate.

Failing to provide a single-sided citizenship-evidence photocopy.

Forgetting copies of the front and back of required identification.

Bringing only one payment when federal and county fees must be paid separately.

Attempting to pay the Department of State fee with cash, debit card, or credit card.

Missing a required parent, consent form, identification copy, or certified court order for a child’s application.

Booking a county appointment when the applicant is required to renew by mail.

Using a county acceptance appointment for urgent travel that requires a federal passport agency appointment.

Appointment Document Review

Applicants can reduce the chance of a second visit by organizing one complete packet for each person. Documents should be separated so the acceptance agent can identify the application, identification, copies, citizenship evidence, photograph, and payments without sorting through unrelated papers.

Adult Application Packet

Completed but unsigned DS-11 in black ink when required.
Valid government-issued photo identification.
Photocopy of the front and back of the identification.
Original acceptable citizenship evidence.
Single-sided photocopy of citizenship evidence when required.
One compliant 2-by-2-inch passport photo or payment for an on-site photo.
Federal passport payment in an accepted form.
Separate payment method for the county execution fee.
Appointment confirmation number.
Form DS-64 when required for a lost passport.

Child Application Packet

A separate completed but unsigned DS-11 for the child.

The child’s acceptable original citizenship evidence.

The required citizenship-evidence photocopy.

One passport photo or payment for an on-site photo.

The child’s presence at the appointment.

Both parents’ valid government-issued photo identification when required.

Copies of the front and back of both parents’ identification when their names appear on the birth certificate.

Form DS-3053, a qualifying birth certificate, or a certified court order when applicable.

Separate federal and county payments.

Appointment confirmation number.

Passport Offices

Downtown Passport Acceptance Office — George L. Allen, Sr. Courts Building, 600 Commerce Street, Suite 136, Dallas, TX 75202-4606 — (214) 653-6075

East Passport Acceptance Office — East Dallas Government Center, 3443 St. Francis Avenue, Dallas, TX 75228 — (214) 321-3182

North Passport Acceptance Office — North Dallas Government Center, 6820 Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway, First Floor, Suite 1100, Dallas, TX 75240 — (214) 904-3030

Passport FAQs

What if my birth certificate says copying is illegal?

You may submit a second certified copy of your birth certificate instead of making a photocopy. One certified copy serves as the citizenship document, while the other can remain with the federal passport record. Do not substitute an ordinary copy for the certified original. Dallas County applicants can review the official citizenship evidence photocopy FAQs before preparing their documents.

Can I photocopy a naturalization certificate?

Yes. Although a naturalization or citizenship certificate may display language such as “do not copy,” federal guidance permits applicants to photocopy the document for a passport application. Bring the original certificate as well as the required copy. The copy should be clear, printed on standard white letter-size paper, and placed on only one side of the page.

What if security markings make the copy unclear?

Lines, watermarks, and other patterns may be built into the security paper used for birth, naturalization, or citizenship documents. Make the clearest copy reasonably possible without altering the image. Avoid editing, enhancing, cropping, or covering any portion of the document. Applicants should follow the formatting instructions in the official Dallas County application requirements.

Is a copy required when using an old passport?

You generally do not need to photocopy a U.S. passport book or passport card when it is being submitted as primary citizenship evidence. The original document must still meet federal eligibility requirements for the application being filed. Because the correct form and evidence depend on the applicant’s circumstances, check the Department of State instructions linked through the Dallas County consular affairs page.