Getting a first U.S. passport in Alabama usually means a short trip to a courthouse, post office or similar counter near you. The U.S. Department of State issues the passport, but the face-to-face step happens locally. Our directory lists 86 of these offices across the state, from Birmingham and Huntsville to small county seats such as Butler, Camden and Centreville. This page explains how the system fits together and how to pick the right office for your situation.

How Passport Services Are Organized in Alabama

Alabama has no state passport agency. Eligibility rules, fees and processing are set by federal law and Department of State regulations, and they are the same in Mobile as in Michigan. What differs from place to place is the local counter where you submit your paperwork. These counters are called passport acceptance facilities. Their job is to check your identity, watch you sign the application, collect your payment and forward everything for processing.

Alabama has 67 counties, and each has a courthouse at its county seat. In many counties the probate office or the circuit clerk's office takes passport applications alongside its other duties. That explains why so many listings sit at courthouse addresses, such as the Escambia County office on Belleville Avenue in Brewton, the Cherokee County office at 100 Main Street in Centre, and the Baldwin County office at 312 Courthouse Square in Bay Minette. Each office sets its own hours, appointment rules and payment methods, so the experience can vary from one county to the next.

Two kinds of applications exist. A first-time adult applicant, anyone under 16, and anyone whose old passport was lost, stolen or issued long ago must apply in person on Form DS-11. Many adults renewing a recent, undamaged passport can renew by mail with Form DS-82 and never visit an office. The rest of this page focuses on the in-person route, because that is what the offices in our directory handle.

Metro Birmingham, Huntsville and Montgomery: Where Alabama's Offices Cluster

The densest concentration is in Jefferson County, which has seven listings. The Birmingham Passport Office is at 351 24th Street North (205-521-0822). The Bessemer Passport Office is at 1112 4th Avenue North (205-428-2563), and the Center Point Passport Office is at 2365 1st Street Northeast (205-854-6603). Jefferson County runs courthouse operations in both Birmingham and Bessemer, so a western-side resident can often skip the drive downtown.

In north Alabama, the Haysland Passport Office at 8401 Whitesburg Drive South serves Huntsville and the rest of Madison County (256-882-7413). Huntsville's large aerospace and defense workforce, including people tied to Redstone Arsenal, creates steady demand for passports. Work travel and overseas assignments often come with short notice, so book early.

In the capital, the Downtown Montgomery Passport Office at 135 Catoma Street (334-244-7581) serves Montgomery County and the surrounding Black Belt counties. In west Alabama, the Tuscaloosa County Passport Office at 714 Greensboro Avenue (205-464-8260) is a natural stop for University of Alabama students heading to study-abroad programs. These students tend to apply in a rush each spring, and appointments fill quickly.

Metro offices handle more applicants, so expect more structure: appointments, set windows for photos and shorter hours for walk-ins. The benefit is predictability. You can usually confirm a time by phone and plan your trip around it.

Rural Alabama: County Seats, Longer Drives and Smaller Staffs

Outside the cities, passport service depends on the county seat. The Choctaw County Passport Office at 117 South Mulberry Avenue in Butler (205-459-2414), the Wilcox County office in the courthouse annex in Camden (334-682-4126), the Pickens County office in the Judicial Building in Carrollton (205-367-2053) and the Clay County office in Ashland (256-354-7926) are typical examples. Staff in these offices handle many other duties, so passport hours may be narrower. An office might close at midday or on court days.

You are not limited to your home county. Federal rules let you apply at any acceptance facility in the country. If your county office has limited hours, a neighboring county seat or a larger city office may fit your schedule better. Residents of Butler, for example, might compare options before driving farther.

Some counties have several listings. Talladega County has four, including the Talladega County Passport Office at 148 East Street North (256-761-2102) and the Sylacauga Passport Office at 1 South Broadway Avenue (256-245-4631). Baldwin County has five, reflecting the Gulf Coast's population growth and heavy travel. In the northeast, the Etowah County Passport Office at 800 Forrest Avenue in Gadsden (256-549-5337) and the Marshall County office in the Albertville courthouse (256-571-7785) cover the Sand Mountain and Tennessee Valley areas.

What to Bring to an Alabama Passport Appointment

Arriving with the right documents is the single biggest factor in whether you leave with a completed application. Bring the following:

If you were born in Alabama and need a certified birth certificate, the Alabama Department of Public Health keeps these records through its Center for Health Statistics in Montgomery. County health departments can typically help as well. Hospital keepsake certificates and plain photocopies will not be accepted.

Applying for a Child Under 16

Children must appear in person, and both parents or guardians should attend. If one parent cannot come, bring a signed and notarized consent form plus a photocopy of that parent's ID. A passport for a child under 16 is valid for five years, so many families plan the visit around the next trip abroad rather than applying far in advance.

Fees and Timing

At the last federal schedule, a first adult passport book carries a $130 application fee plus a $35 acceptance fee. A child's book carries a $100 application fee plus the same $35. Expedited handling costs extra. Routine processing takes several weeks after your application is mailed, so apply well before any international trip. Fees and processing times change, so confirm current figures with the Department of State before you go.

Passport acceptance facilities in Alabama are distributed across post offices, county clerks' offices, and public libraries, providing residents with accessible locations to submit passport applications without traveling to a regional agency. Alabama residents with urgent travel needs may also have access to a regional passport agency for in-person expedited service.

Passport Offices locations are available in 74 cities across Alabama. They are spread across 42 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration of passport offices include Birmingham, Montgomery, Talladega, reflecting larger populations and greater volumes of international travelers requiring passport services.

Residents of Alabama should verify that their chosen acceptance facility accepts walk-ins or requires an appointment, as policies vary by location. Processing times fluctuate with seasonal demand, so applying several months before planned international travel is strongly advised.

Passport Offices by Counties

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Residents of Alabama applying for a passport should complete their application form in advance, gather all required documents including proof of citizenship and a compliant passport photo, and confirm whether their chosen facility requires an appointment. Many passport renewal applicants in Alabama can mail their DS-82 form directly to a processing center, avoiding an in-person visit altogether.

Browse Passport Offices by county across Alabama to find the nearest location.

Planning Around Alabama's Airports, Holidays and Weather

Alabama's main international departure points shape when people apply. Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International (BHM), Huntsville International (HSV) and Montgomery Regional (MGM) all offer connecting flights to overseas hubs. Many residents also leave from Atlanta or from Gulf cities for cruises and beach-country trips. Peak application months are early spring and early summer, so booking in winter or fall tends to mean shorter waits.

Local calendars matter too. Many county offices close for state and local holidays beyond the federal list. These can include Confederate Memorial Day in April and Jefferson Davis's birthday in June, plus Mardi Gras Day in Mobile and Baldwin counties. A courthouse office that is normally open on a Monday may be closed, so call before driving a long distance.

Weather can also close a courthouse. Gulf Coast counties such as Baldwin shut offices ahead of hurricanes, and severe spring storms can close rural county seats for a day. Always confirm by phone on the morning of your appointment, and leave extra time if you are crossing several counties. For listings in the capital region, see Montgomery County. West Alabama travelers can look at Choctaw County.

No. You can apply at any passport acceptance facility in the country, whether or not it is in your home county. This helps in rural Alabama, where a county office may keep short hours. A resident of Choctaw County might find a Tuscaloosa or Birmingham office easier to reach, and a Baldwin County commuter might choose an office near work. Check each office's appointment rules before you go, because some courthouse counters give priority to local residents or limit walk-ins to certain days.

Often, yes. You can usually renew by mail with Form DS-82 if your most recent passport is undamaged and in your possession. It must have been issued when you were 16 or older, and it must have been issued within the last 15 years. If you meet those conditions, you do not need an acceptance facility. If your passport was lost, stolen, damaged or expired long ago, you must apply in person with Form DS-11 at one of the Alabama offices in this directory.

For a birth in Alabama, order a certified copy from the Alabama Department of Public Health. Its Center for Health Statistics in Montgomery keeps the state's vital records, and county health departments can typically help as well. The copy must show your full name, date and place of birth, and your parents' names, and it must carry the registrar's seal. Hospital keepsake certificates and photocopies are not accepted. Order early, because a missing document is a common reason applicants are turned away at the counter.

At the last federal fee schedule, a first adult passport book carries a $130 application fee plus a $35 acceptance fee. A passport book for a child under 16 carries a $100 application fee plus the same $35 acceptance fee. The application fee goes to the U.S. Department of State, and the acceptance fee goes to the facility. Many offices want them as separate payments, and the Department of State fee is usually a check or money order. Ask which forms of payment your office accepts, and confirm current federal fees before you go.

It depends on the office. Some county courthouse counters take applicants during set hours with no appointment. Others require a booking, particularly in busy metro areas and during spring and summer. Because policies change, call before you drive. For example, the Birmingham Passport Office lists 205-521-0822, the Downtown Montgomery office lists 334-244-7581, and the Haysland office in Huntsville lists 256-882-7413. When you call, ask about appointment rules, closing times for lunch, accepted payment methods, and whether the office takes passport photos on site.

First, pay for expedited service when you apply at a local office. If you are traveling within about 14 days, or need a foreign visa urgently, you may qualify for an appointment at a regional passport agency. You must call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 to request one, and you will need proof of your travel dates. Alabama does not have a regional agency of its own, so applicants usually travel to one in a neighboring state. Local acceptance offices cannot issue same-day passports.