Every parent asks the same question when starting a baby passport application: where can I actually get the photo taken? The answer is "lots of places" — but most of them are not designed for infants. This guide compares every major option: pharmacy chains, warehouse clubs, postal services, and at-home apps. Cost, speed, quality, and most importantly baby-friendliness.
Before you leave the house, know this: taking a baby passport photo at home is almost always easier than taking it at a store. Pharmacy kiosks have fixed camera heights built for adults, staff are rarely trained for infants, and you typically get 1-2 attempts before they print whatever they captured. If the photo is rejected, you pay again for a reshoot.
For the full photo requirements (size, background, head position, etc.), see our US Baby Passport Photo Requirements guide.
Quick Comparison Table
| Option | Cost (2 photos) | Attempts | Baby-Friendly | Retries If Rejected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snap2Pass (home) | $9.95 | Unlimited | Excellent | Free for 14 days |
| CVS | $16.99 | 1-2 | Poor | Pay again |
| Walgreens | $17.99 | 1-2 | Poor | Pay again |
| Walmart | $8.98-$14.44 | 1-2 | Poor | Pay again |
| Costco | $5.99 | 1 | Poor (members only) | Pay again |
| Sam's Club | $5.99 | 1 | Poor (members only) | Pay again |
| UPS Store | $15.99 | 1-2 | Poor | Pay again |
| FedEx Office | $14.95 | 1-2 | Poor | Pay again |
| AAA (members) | $10-$15 / Free | 1-2 | Poor | Pay again |
| USPS | $15.00 | 1 | Very poor | Pay again |
Prices vary by location. Costs and availability are current as of April 2026 — call ahead to confirm.
Pharmacy Chains
CVS
- Cost: $16.99 for 2 printed 2x2 photos
- Hours: Typically 7am-10pm, varies by location
- Process: Walk-in, no appointment needed at most locations
- Baby-friendly: No. Fixed camera height at about 5 feet, no dedicated infant setup. Staff have limited training for infants and will often print the first shot they capture.
- Quality: Standard Kodak-branded 2x2 prints, usually compliant for adults but often fails for babies due to positioning
- Retries: If your photo gets rejected by the State Department, you pay again for a reshoot
CVS is convenient because there's one on nearly every corner in the US, but the convenience trade-off is that they are optimized for adult passport photos. Parents report frequent issues with hands visible in the frame, head tilted, and expressions caught mid-cry.
Walgreens
- Cost: $17.99 for 2 printed 2x2 photos
- Hours: Most locations 8am-10pm
- Process: Walk-in, take the photo at the in-store kiosk, get prints in 1 hour
- Baby-friendly: No. Similar issues to CVS — fixed camera height, no infant setup, limited staff training
- Quality: Compliant for most adults, inconsistent for babies
- Retries: Pay again
Walgreens has a formal in-store photo kiosk at most locations, which adds a layer of consistency but does not solve the core infant positioning problem.
Rite Aid
- Cost: $9.99-$12.99 for 2 printed photos
- Availability: Fewer locations than CVS or Walgreens, and many have closed in 2024-2026 due to bankruptcy
- Process: Walk-in
- Baby-friendly: No
Rite Aid has been closing stores rapidly, so call ahead to confirm your local store still offers passport photo services.
Warehouse Clubs
Costco
- Cost: $5.99 for 2 printed 2x2 photos (among the cheapest options)
- Hours: 10am-8pm weekdays, shorter on weekends
- Requirement: Costco membership required
- Process: Go to the photo center, they take and print the photo on the spot
- Baby-friendly: Poor. Photo centers are busy and parents report long waits. Camera setup is optimized for documents and adults.
- Retries: Pay again
Costco is the cheapest in-person option if you're already a member, but the photo quality for babies is inconsistent and the busy environment is rough on infants.
Sam's Club
- Cost: $5.99 for 2 printed 2x2 photos
- Requirement: Sam's Club membership required
- Process: Similar to Costco — walk up to the photo center
- Baby-friendly: Poor
- Retries: Pay again
BJ's Wholesale
- Cost: Varies, typically $8-$10
- Requirement: BJ's membership required
- Availability: Mostly East Coast US
- Baby-friendly: Poor
Shipping Stores
UPS Store
- Cost: $15.99 for 2 printed 2x2 photos
- Hours: Typically 8am-7pm weekdays, shorter on weekends
- Process: Walk-in, they take the photo and print on the spot
- Baby-friendly: Poor. Small locations with limited space, no dedicated infant setup
- Retries: Pay again
- Notable: UPS locations are also passport acceptance facilities for some applications, so you can potentially photo + apply in one visit
FedEx Office
- Cost: $14.95 for 2 printed 2x2 photos
- Hours: Often 24 hours at larger locations, limited hours at smaller ones
- Process: Walk-in
- Baby-friendly: Poor
- Retries: Pay again
Government & Travel Services
USPS (Post Office)
- Cost: $15.00 for 2 printed 2x2 photos
- Hours: Varies by location, typically 8am-5pm weekdays
- Process: Only at passport acceptance facilities. Not every USPS location has photo services — check with the USPS Locator and filter for "Passport Photo"
- Baby-friendly: Very poor. USPS passport counters are busy, staff are juggling acceptance duties, and the photo setup is basic.
- Retries: Pay again
The biggest advantage of USPS for passport photos is that you can combine the photo and application into one visit at a passport acceptance facility. But the photo quality is inconsistent and the experience with babies is stressful for everyone.
AAA (American Automobile Association)
- Cost: $10-$15 for members, sometimes free for members as part of travel benefits
- Requirement: AAA membership
- Hours: Typically 9am-5pm weekdays
- Process: Walk-in at AAA branch offices
- Baby-friendly: Poor
- Retries: Pay again
If you're already a AAA member, this is one of the cheapest options — sometimes free with membership. The baby-friendliness problem remains the same.
At-Home Options (Recommended for Babies)
Snap2Pass
- Cost: $9.95 for the digital photo, unlimited retries
- Hours: Any time — your own schedule
- Process: Take the photo at home with your phone, upload to Snap2Pass, the AI handles background removal, exact 2x2 sizing, head positioning, and compliance verification in about 60 seconds
- Baby-friendly: Excellent. You control the environment, the timing, and how many attempts to take
- Retries: Unlimited free retries for 14 days. If the first shot isn't right, take another. And another. No extra charge.
- Print options: Download the digital photo and print at any kiosk (CVS, Walgreens, Costco, Walmart) for about $1, or print at home on glossy photo paper
Other home apps
There are several other passport photo apps on the market, but most are not built specifically for infant photos. Snap2Pass handles the exact pixel-perfect sizing, the baby leniency rules, and the State Department's specific compliance checks for infants.
Why At-Home Wins for Baby Passport Photos
The math is simple:
- Baby cooperation is unpredictable. You might get a perfect shot on attempt 1, or attempt 47. Store kiosks let you take 1-2 shots. Home lets you take as many as you need.
- Timing matters. Babies are calm right after feeding and a nap. You can control this at home, not at a store on their schedule.
- Environment matters. Bright harsh store lighting, strangers walking by, and time pressure make babies fussy. Your own living room is the opposite.
- Retries are free at home. If the photo is rejected, you pay again at a store. Snap2Pass gives you 14 days of free retries.
- Same price or cheaper. Snap2Pass at $9.95 is cheaper than every pharmacy chain, and roughly the same as Costco/Sam's Club (if you're already a member).
The only reason to go to a store is if you don't have a phone with a decent camera, or if you prefer in-person customer service. For everyone else, at-home is the better path with babies.
How to Print a Baby Passport Photo at Home
If you've taken the photo digitally with Snap2Pass but still want physical prints for your passport application:
- Download the 4x6 print sheet (includes two 2x2 photos ready to cut)
- Upload to a photo kiosk at CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, or Costco — they will print a 4x6 for about $1
- Cut along the provided lines — the sheet includes trim marks
- Bring both cut photos to your passport acceptance appointment
Total cost: about $11 ($9.95 for Snap2Pass + $1 for kiosk prints) with unlimited retries, vs. $17-$18 at a pharmacy chain with 1-2 attempts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the cheapest place to get a baby passport photo?
Costco and Sam's Club are the cheapest in-person options at $5.99 for 2 prints — if you're already a member. Snap2Pass is $9.95 with unlimited retries, which often ends up cheaper than a store when you factor in the reshoot costs if the first photo gets rejected. Walmart is the cheapest non-membership option at $8.98-$14.44.
Can I get a baby passport photo at the post office?
Yes, at USPS passport acceptance facilities that offer photo services. Cost is $15 for 2 prints. Not all USPS locations offer this — use the USPS Locator and filter for "Passport Photo." The photo and application can be done in one visit at acceptance facilities.
Does CVS take passport photos for babies?
Yes, CVS takes passport photos for people of all ages including infants. Cost is $16.99 for 2 prints. However, the camera is at a fixed adult height and staff are rarely trained for infants, so parents frequently report the first attempt failing and needing a reshoot. At-home options with unlimited retries are usually easier with babies.
How much does a baby passport photo cost at Walgreens?
Walgreens charges $17.99 for 2 printed 2x2 passport photos, valid for both adults and babies. The kiosk is at a fixed adult height, which makes infant photos harder to position correctly.
Can Costco take a baby passport photo?
Yes, Costco photo centers take passport photos for members at $5.99 for 2 prints. The same caveat applies as other store options: you typically get 1-2 attempts, and the setup is not designed specifically for infants.
What if the store's baby passport photo gets rejected?
You will need to pay again for another photo at the store. There is no refund policy for rejected passport photos at pharmacy chains or warehouse clubs. Snap2Pass includes free unlimited retries for 14 days, so rejections are fixable without paying again.
Do I need two copies of my baby's passport photo?
Yes. The US State Department requires two identical printed photos for a new passport application. Make sure whichever option you choose provides two prints.
Can I use the same photo for a US and international visa?
Only if they use the same size. The US uses 2 x 2 inches. Most other countries (UK, Schengen, China, Canada, etc.) use different sizes. See our Baby Visa Photo Requirements guide for country-by-country sizing.
Get Your Baby's Passport Photo at Home
Save the trip, skip the kiosks, and take the photo on your schedule. Snap2Pass handles the hard parts — background replacement, exact 2x2 sizing, and compliance verification — in about 60 seconds. Unlimited retries for 14 days means a fussy baby is not the end of the world. 99.8% acceptance rate.
