- Passport fees for adults and children, online against paper
- Who can renew an adult passport
- Renewing online in six steps
- Why you shouldn't book flights before the new passport arrives
- Paper forms, Check and Send and paying by post
- Lost, stolen or damaged passports need a replacement
- Free passports for people born on or before 2 September 1929
- Plain verdict on renewing your passport
- Frequently asked questions
You can renew an adult UK passport online through GOV.UK or with a paper form from a Post Office. As of Nov 2026, GOV.UK says it costs 102 pounds online or 115.50 pounds on paper, and to renew online you'll need your old passport, a digital photo and a debit or credit card.
Renewing a passport sounds like an afternoon job, and online it mostly is. The catch is in the detail: your new passport carries a new number, the paper route costs more, and a damaged passport counts as a replacement rather than a renewal. Here's what HM Passport Office's pages on GOV.UK say, route by route, so you don't lose time or money going the wrong way.
Passport fees for adults and children, online against paper
GOV.UK sets the fee by how you apply. These are the figures on its Passport fees page, as of Nov 2026:
| Passport | Apply online | Apply by paper form |
|---|---|---|
| Adult (16 and over) standard 34-page | 102 pounds | 115.50 pounds |
| Adult (16 and over) 54-page frequent traveller | 116 pounds | 129.50 pounds |
| Child (under 16) standard 34-page | 66.50 pounds | 80 pounds |
| Child (under 16) 54-page frequent traveller | 80.50 pounds | 94 pounds |
| Born on or before 2 September 1929 | Free | Also free |
GOV.UK says it's 13.50 pounds cheaper to apply online than by post. You can't get a refund if you cancel your application or you turn out not to be entitled to a passport. A different fee applies if you apply from another country, getting a passport urgently costs more, and the Post Office's Check and Send service is an optional extra you pay for.
Who can renew an adult passport
You must be 16 or over, or turning 16 in the next 3 weeks, to get an adult passport. Children have a separate process, and there are different ways to renew or replace a passport if you're outside the UK.
GOV.UK says you must renew before you can travel if your passport has expired or you don't have enough time left on it. How much time you need depends on the country you're visiting, so check that country's entry requirements first. If your passport is burgundy or has 'European Union' on the cover, you can still use it as long as it's valid for travel, so the colour alone isn't a reason to renew.
Renewing online in six steps
- Check how long it'll take to get a passport before you apply. GOV.UK publishes processing guidance, and there are Online Premium and 1 week Fast Track services if you need one urgently.
- Get a digital photo. If you'd like help, Post Office staff can take it and help you fill in the online application through the digital Check and Send service, which costs extra.
- Have a debit or credit card ready. You'll need one to use the online service.
- Start the GOV.UK online service and enter your details. It's also available in Welsh.
- Send your old passport, plus any valid passports you hold from another country, or a colour photocopy of every page of them, blank pages included.
- Track the application with your application reference number until the new passport arrives by courier or Royal Mail.
When it arrives, the courier or Royal Mail will post it through your letterbox, hand it to you if you're home, or leave a card or send a letter saying how you can get it. GOV.UK points out that the card or letter won't say the package is your passport.
Why you shouldn't book flights before the new passport arrives
This is the detail most people miss. GOV.UK warns that your new passport won't have the same number as your old one, and tells you not to book travel until you have a valid passport in your hands. Anything you book with the old details carries a number that won't be on the passport you travel with.
If your old passport holds a visa that's still valid, send the old passport with the visa attached along with your application. GOV.UK says the old passport will be returned to you, and you'll be able to use the visa if you carry both passports. The rules are different if you're travelling to Russia.
Paper forms, Check and Send and paying by post
You can get a paper form by going to a Post Office that has a Check and Send service or by calling the Passport Adviceline. A paper renewal costs 115.50 pounds. You can pay by debit or credit card, using the form in the application pack, or by cheque made payable to 'HM Passport Office'. You'll need 2 new and identical printed photos of yourself.
GOV.UK says it takes longer to apply by post than online. If you'd like a second pair of eyes, Post Office staff can check you've filled in the paper form correctly through the paper Check and Send service, but you'll need to bring your own photos. Here's how each route can be paid for, according to the GOV.UK Passport fees page:
| How you apply | Debit or credit card | Cheque or postal order | Cash |
|---|---|---|---|
| Post Office Passport Check and Send | Yes | Postal order only, payable to 'Post Office Ltd' | Yes |
| Apply by post | Yes, on the form in the application pack | Payable to 'HM Passport Office' | No |
| Apply online | Yes | Not accepted | No |
Supporting documents, such as birth certificates, come back to you free by normal second class post. It usually costs an extra 5 pounds if you'd like them returned by secure delivery, which you choose on your application.
Lost, stolen or damaged passports need a replacement
If your passport's been lost or stolen, you must cancel it before you apply for a replacement. If it's damaged, you must replace it, and you may not be able to travel with it. HM Passport Office treats a passport as damaged if:
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- you can't read any of your details
- any of the pages are ripped, cut or missing
- there are holes, cuts or rips in the cover
- the cover is coming away
- there are stains on the pages, for example ink or water damage
A replacement costs the same as a renewal: 102 pounds online or 115.50 pounds on a paper form. Online, you'll need to ask someone to confirm your identity if you're replacing a lost or stolen passport. On paper, your form and 1 of your photos must be signed by someone else, a countersignatory, to prove your identity. If you need an interview, you'll be contacted after your application has been processed to book it, and interviews take place by video online.
Free passports for people born on or before 2 September 1929
If you're a British national born on or before 2 September 1929, you can get or renew a British passport for free. You can also use the Post Office Check and Send service free and get free secure delivery. You'll still pay a fee if you need a passport urgently or want a frequent traveller passport, which has 54 pages instead of 34.
Plain verdict on renewing your passport
Renew online if you can. GOV.UK's Renew or replace your adult passport page shows it's the cheaper route, and all it asks for is a digital photo, a card and your old passport. Check the processing time on GOV.UK before you apply, and hold off booking travel until the new passport, with its new number, has arrived.
If a work trip is coming up, this business trip packing list helps once the passport's sorted, and if a flight goes wrong later, here's how flight delay compensation in the UK works.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to renew a UK passport?
As of Nov 2026, GOV.UK lists 102 pounds online and 115.50 pounds by paper form for an adult standard 34-page passport. The 54-page frequent traveller passport is 116 pounds online or 129.50 pounds by paper form.
Can I still use my burgundy passport?
Yes. GOV.UK says a burgundy passport, or one with 'European Union' on the cover, can still be used as long as it's valid for travel.
Will my new passport have the same number?
No. GOV.UK says your new passport won't have the same number as your old one, which is why it tells you not to book travel until you have a valid passport.
What do I need to renew my passport online?
A digital photo, a credit or debit card and your old passport. If you hold a valid passport from another country, you'll need to send it or a colour photocopy of every page.
Can I get a refund if I cancel my passport application?
No. The GOV.UK Passport fees page says you can't get a refund if you cancel your application or you're not entitled to a passport.
How old do you need to be for an adult passport?
You must be 16 or over, or turning 16 in the next 3 weeks. Younger children need a child passport, which has its own process and fees.
