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How we verifyPricing$11.86Where to get oneMoney-back guaranteeCostco Passport Photo: discontinued
Costco closed its photo centers in 2021 and no longer takes passport photos. If you came here looking for that service, here is what is still available.
What happened
- 01Costco closed its in-store photo centers in February 2021.
- 02Passport photos were discontinued along with the photo departments.
- 03Members searching for this service need another option.
What to know
If you are looking for Costco passport photos, they no longer exist — you will need a drugstore, a post office, or an online service.
What happened to Costco photo centers
Costco closed its in-store photo departments in February 2021, and the online photo service followed. The decision was about the wider collapse in printed-photo volume rather than anything specific to passports, but passport photos went with it because they were produced by the same counter and the same staff.
There was no replacement. Costco does not offer passport photos through a partner, an app, or the pharmacy, and membership makes no difference. Search results that suggest otherwise are usually out of date rather than wrong about a particular warehouse.
What Costco members usually do instead
The nearest equivalent on price is Walmart at $7.64 for two prints, which is the cheapest staffed counter in most of the country. Walgreens at $16.99 costs more but is the only cheap chain that includes the digital file needed for an online renewal.
The equivalent on convenience is not going anywhere. A photo taken at home costs $11.86 for both the digital file and a printable sheet, with the compliance report shown before payment — and the sheet prints at any kiosk for around 35¢, which is the only part of a store you actually need.
What the counter will not tell you to check
These are the failures a clerk framing by eye does not catch.
Photos that pass
✓ PassesAcceptable
Even frontal lighting, no shadows on the face or the wall, plain white background, neutral expression with the mouth closed, and a mid-tone top that separates cleanly from the background.
✓ PassesAcceptable
A relaxed, closed-mouth smile is fine — the rule is about teeth and exaggeration, not about looking stern. Lighting is even and the background is plain.
✓ PassesAcceptable
Children follow the same rules as adults once they can sit unsupported: eyes open, facing the camera, plain background, nobody else in the frame.
Photos that get refused
✕ RefusedNot accepted — background
The single most common rejection. A bookshelf, lamp and picture frame are all visible, and the warm indoor light has tinted the wall. The background must be plain white or off-white with nothing behind you.
✕ RefusedNot accepted — shadows
Harsh side lighting has thrown a shadow across half the face and a second one onto the wall behind. Both are refused. Face a window on an overcast day, or stand well away from the wall.
✕ RefusedNot accepted — glasses
Glasses have not been permitted in US passport photos since November 2016, and here the glare is obscuring both eyes anyway — which would fail even in countries that do allow them.
✕ RefusedNot accepted — expression
A broad open-mouthed smile with teeth showing, and the eyes have narrowed from smiling. Biometric matching needs a neutral face with both eyes clearly open.
✕ RefusedNot accepted — arm's-length selfie
The phone is far too close, so the nose and forehead are enlarged by lens distortion, and the outstretched arm is in shot. This is why the official checklist says no selfies. Shoot from about six feet instead.
✕ RefusedNot accepted — head covering
Hats are refused outright. Head coverings are permitted only for religious or medical reasons, with a signed statement, and must never shadow the face as this cap does.
✕ RefusedNot accepted — head too small
Framed too loosely, so the head measures well under the required 1 to 1⅜ inches. Too small is far more common than too large, because people instinctively step back.
Illustrative examples — the people shown are AI-generated.
What you get if you do it at home
A 1200 × 1200 pixel digital file for the online application, plus this printable sheet at 600 dpi with cut guides. Take it to any photo kiosk — including Costco — and printing costs about 35¢.
An actual sheet produced by this service, at 6 × 4 inches and 600 dpi.
See if your selfie passes — free
Nine measured checks against the federal specification, shown before you pay. If it passes, the photo and a printable 4×6 sheet are$11.86 — and you can still print that sheet at any photo kiosk for about 35¢.
Check my photoFrequently asked
How much is a passport photo at Costco?+
Costco no longer offers passport photos — the service ended when the photo centers closed in 2021.
Does Costco give you a digital passport photo?+
No. Costco provides prints only, so if you are renewing online you would need a digital file from somewhere else.
Do I need an appointment at Costco?+
Not applicable — the service no longer exists.
How long does it take at Costco?+
Not applicable — the service ended in 2021.
Can I print my own passport photo sheet there instead?+
Yes, and it is considerably cheaper. A 6 × 4 inch photo print costs roughly 35 to 50 cents at any kiosk. Order it as an ordinary photo print rather than a passport photo, and turn off any auto-crop or auto-enhance so the measured positions and background color are preserved.
Can I just take the photo myself?+
Yes. No country requires a professional photographer for printed passport photos — only that the finished photo meets the official measurements. That is what our checker verifies, free, before you pay.
Prices checked August 2026 via Costco. Costco is not affiliated with this service.