CVS Passport Photos

CVS Passport Photo Price in 2026

The standard in-store passport photo service at CVS costs $17.99. That includes two 2x2 inch printed photos taken by a store associate using the Kodak Moments system, plus a compliance verification certificate. The digital copy is not included in the standard price.

Prices correct as of June 2026. Confirm locally. Digital copy availability varies by store.

The Kodak Moments Passport and ID Photo System

CVS uses a patented compliance system called the Kodak Moments Passport and ID Photo System for all in-store passport photos. This is not a standard camera setup operated by an associate using their judgment. It is a dedicated system specifically designed to produce government-compliant passport and ID photos.

The system automatically verifies that the photo meets current State Department requirements for head size, background color and uniformity, head position, lighting, and framing. According to CVS, it updates as government criteria change, which means you are not relying on an associate knowing the latest rules. After verification, CVS prints a compliance certificate alongside your photos confirming they meet government standards.

What the verification certificate is for

The certificate that comes with your CVS passport photos documents that they were produced by a system verified against State Department requirements. If your application is later queried or rejected for reasons unrelated to the photo, the certificate provides evidence that the photos themselves were compliant at the time of printing. Most competing pharmacy chains do not provide this documentation.

The certificate does not guarantee acceptance. State Department adjudicators make final decisions and occasionally reject photos that technically meet the specifications. But the certificate provides a paper trail that supports the money-back guarantee if a rejection does occur.

What the CVS Passport Photo Service Includes

The $17.99 standard service covers two 2x2 inch printed photos on photo-quality paper, taken by a store associate using the Kodak Moments system, plus the compliance verification certificate. That is it. The digital copy is not included.

At participating locations you can add a digital copy for $3.99, which sends a JPEG file to your email. At some locations you can also get the file on a Kodak Moments Memory Saver 8GB USB drive for $10.99, which is useful if you need to keep a physical backup or do not want to receive files by email. Not every CVS location offers all add-on options, so confirm what is available at your store before visiting if the digital copy is important to you.

CVS also offers additional prints: two more copies for $3.99 at the time of the original session.

CVS is not a passport acceptance facility

CVS photographs you and prints the photos. It cannot accept your completed passport application, process your paperwork, or issue any travel document. Once you have your photos, you take your application to a separate acceptance facility: a participating post office, regional passport agency, court, or other authorized location. Find your nearest acceptance facility at travel.state.gov.

The Digital Copy: How CVS Compares to Walgreens

This is the most practically important difference between CVS and Walgreens, and it affects the total cost significantly if you need a digital file for an online passport application or visa submission.

Walgreens includes a digital copy free with its $16.99 standard service. CVS charges $3.99 extra for the same. If you need both printed photos and a digital file, the total at CVS is $21.98. The total at Walgreens is $16.99. On a like-for-like basis for the full package, CVS costs around $5 more.

For MyTravelGov online passport renewals, you upload a digital JPEG directly. There is no code system in US passport applications. You simply need the file. If you are applying online and want to use CVS, add the digital copy at the counter when you pay. The $3.99 is worth it compared to returning later for a separate digital file.

Confirm that your specific CVS location offers the digital copy add-on before visiting. The $3.99 email option is available at most but not all CVS locations. Call ahead if the digital file is the primary reason you are going to CVS rather than a competitor.

How to Get Your Passport Photo at CVS

No preparation is needed beyond wearing appropriate clothing and knowing you need to remove your glasses. Walk in to any CVS with a photo center during photo department hours, typically 9am to 9pm, and ask for a passport photo at the photo counter.

1. Ask the associate for a US passport photo when you reach the counter. If you need a different country's format, say so upfront. 2. The associate positions you in front of the Kodak Moments backdrop — a white pull-down screen — and takes your photo. The system guides positioning for head size and framing. 3. You can review the photo before it is confirmed. If you are not satisfied with the result, ask for a retake at this stage. Retakes during the same session are free. 4. Decide whether you want the digital copy ($3.99) or USB ($10.99) add-ons at this point, before paying. 5. Pay at the photo counter. The Kodak Moments system prints your photos and the compliance certificate. Both are ready in a few minutes. 6. Check the prints before leaving. Look at head size, background clarity, and expression.

The whole process typically takes 5 to 10 minutes. Busy locations may take slightly longer if there is a queue at the photo counter.

Review the prints before walking away from the counter. If something looks wrong, a retake at that point costs nothing. Once you have paid and left the store, using the money-back guarantee requires returning with a State Department rejection notice.

The CVS Money-Back Guarantee

CVS offers a money-back guarantee on passport photos. If the State Department rejects your application specifically because of the photo, bring your receipt and the official rejection documentation from the State Department back to the same CVS location. CVS will refund your payment.

The guarantee covers photo-related rejections only. If your application is delayed or rejected for a different reason — incomplete supporting documents, incorrect forms, or processing issues — the photo guarantee does not apply.

The compliance certificate that comes with your photos supports this guarantee. It documents that the Kodak Moments system verified the photos at the time of printing. If CVS disputes a refund claim, the certificate provides evidence of the compliance process that was followed.

In practice, CVS passport photos are accepted the majority of the time. The automated Kodak Moments system is designed specifically to prevent compliance failures, and the guarantee reflects CVS's confidence in that system. The money-back option exists as a backstop, not because rejections from CVS are common.

Printing a Passport Photo at CVS for $0.39

If you already have a verified digital passport photo, you can bypass the $17.99 service entirely and print at CVS for the cost of a standard 4x6 inch photo: around $0.39 to $0.42 depending on the location. This gives you four 2x2 passport photos cut from a single sheet, for less than the price of a newspaper.

How it works

Format your verified digital photo as a 4x6 inch template with four 2x2 passport photos arranged on it, with crop marks. Upload the file to the CVS Photo website at cvsphoto.com or the CVS Photo app. Select a standard 4x6 glossy print. Choose same-day pickup at your nearest store. When you collect it, cut out the four photos along the crop lines with scissors.

One setting to check before confirming your order: the print must be at actual size with no cropping or zoom. CVS Photo sometimes defaults to filling the frame, which would scale the image and change the dimensions of the 2x2 photos on the template. Look for a "do not crop", "fit to frame", or "actual size" option and make sure it is selected.

What this route does not give you

No compliance check. No verification certificate. No money-back guarantee. CVS prints whatever you upload without running it through the Kodak Moments compliance system. If the underlying photo is not State Department-compliant and you submit it, the rejection risk is entirely on you. The print hack only makes sense when the starting photo has already been verified.

Get your photo compliance-checked before ordering the 4x6 print. A non-compliant photo printed for $0.39 is still a non-compliant photo.

Finding a CVS That Does Passport Photos

CVS has over 9,000 locations in the United States, and most carry passport photo services. However, not every store does. Some locations without a dedicated photo center, and some smaller format CVS MinuteClinics, may not offer the service. Even 24-hour CVS stores may have passport photos available only during the hours when trained photo staff are on site.

Use the CVS store locator at cvs.com and look for locations with a photo center. When in doubt, call the store before visiting, particularly if you are making a dedicated trip or are working to a deadline.

The Kodak Moments system is specific to CVS photo centers. If the store does not have a photo center, it does not have the service. A CVS with only a pharmacy counter and no photo department cannot take passport photos.

Baby and Child Passport Photos at CVS

CVS takes passport photos for all ages. For children old enough to follow instructions and hold a position, the in-store Kodak Moments setup works well and the automated compliance check covers standard requirements.

For babies and young infants, the white backdrop and fixed lighting in-store can be more challenging. The State Department recommends placing babies in a car seat covered with a white or off-white blanket and photographing from in front. CVS associates can attempt this but the setup is designed for adults standing or sitting at counter height.

The home photo option for babies

Many parents of newborns find it more practical to take the photo at home using the State Department method, get it verified for compliance, format it as a 4x6 template, and print it at CVS for $0.39. This separates the taking of the photo — where home gives you more control over positioning and lighting — from the printing of it, where CVS is convenient and quick. The result is a compliant photo without the difficulty of managing a newborn in a pharmacy photo center.

CVS vs Walgreens: The Direct Comparison

CVS and Walgreens are the two pharmacy chains most Americans encounter for passport photos, and the comparison is worth spelling out because the prices are close but the details matter.

If you only need prints for a paper application, Walgreens is $1 cheaper. If you need both prints and a digital file for an online application, Walgreens is around $5 cheaper when you add CVS's $3.99 digital copy charge.

The argument for CVS is the Kodak Moments automated compliance system and the verification certificate. If you want documented, system-verified compliance rather than a manual associate check, CVS provides that. For most straightforward adult applications, the practical difference in outcomes is small. For more complex situations (international document formats, uncertain compliance, applications with tight deadlines), the Kodak Moments system and the certificate provide more reassurance.

Walmart at $7.64 is considerably cheaper than both if you only need prints and do not need a digital file. The 4x6 print hack at any of the three is under $0.50 for a self-formatted template.