Passports

The DeSoto County Clerk’s Office is one of approximately 9,000 passport acceptance agencies in the United States. The following is a breakdown of types of passports:

• Passport book – Used for travel anywhere in the world and by any method and is valid for 10 years. The cost for a passport book is $130. A check or money order payable to the U.S. Department of State is required and must be sent with the passport application. The Clerk processing fee is $35 and can be paid by cash, check, or credit card in our office. If you choose to have your passport photo taken at the Clerk’s Office, there is an additional charge of $10. The total for a passport book with photo taken at Clerk's Office is $175 (payable as follows: $130 to the U.S. Department of State and $45 to the Clerk of Court).
• Passport card – Limited to land or sea travel to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda and is valid for 10 years. The cost for a passport card is $30. A check or money order payable to the U.S. Department of State is required and must be sent with the passport application. The Clerk processing fee is $35 and can be paid by cash, check, or credit card in our office. If you choose to have your passport photo taken at the Clerk’s Office, there is an additional charge of $10. The total for a passport card with photo taken at Clerk's Office is $75 (payable as follows: $30 to the U.S. Department of State and $45 to the Clerk of Court).
• Children – When applying for a child passport, the child and both parents are required to be present at the time of application. In the event one parent is unable to appear, a Statement of Consent form must be completed by the absent parent, notarized, and mailed with the application along with a front and back photo of the absent parent’s identification. If one parent is deceased a death certificate must be mailed with the application. If there is no father listed on a child’s birth certificate then parental consent is not required. If one parent’s whereabouts are unknown a Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances must be completed and mailed with the application. The cost for a child passport book is $100 and a child passport card is $15, also requiring a check or money order to the U.S. Department of State.  The Clerk’s processing fee is the same for adults and children ($35) as well as the photo fee ($10). Both the book and card are valid for 5 years.

When applying for a passport, you need to bring the following documentation:

• Valid Florida identification (identification from any other state requires a secondary form of identification such as a school ID or credit card)
• Original birth certificate with parents names listed (the original document MUST be mailed with the passport application, but will be returned to you)

Passport applications are available free of charge at the Clerk’s Office. They must be completed in black ink only. Your passport will be sent to you by mail and your birth certificate will be returned to you in a separate mailing.

Please visit www.travel.state.gov for more information.