Short answer
You apply for a U.S. passport in Lawton at the Lawton Main Post Office, 501 SW 5th St, by appointment booked through the USPS scheduler. The Comanche County Court Clerk's office, 315 SW 5th St, Room 304, also accepts passport applications by appointment. Both take your application, your passport photo, and your fees in one stop.
This is one of those questions almost every family moving here asks at some point, whether it's for a PCS overseas, a first family trip, or just updating an expired book. The good news: Lawton has two places that accept passport applications, no long drive to Oklahoma City needed. Here is exactly how it works.
Where to apply in Lawton
The main passport acceptance facility in Lawton is the Lawton Main Post Office at 501 SW 5th St (phone (580) 353-1500). Passport appointments run Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM and Saturday from 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM, and you book them online through the USPS scheduler at tools.usps.com. There is also a short walk-in window Tuesday through Thursday from 3:00 to 4:00 PM. The post office takes passport photos on site, which saves a separate errand.
One heads-up: the other Lawton post office, the Sheridan branch at 6601 W Gore Blvd, does not offer passport services. Go to the Main office on SW 5th St downtown.
If the post office hours don't work for you, the Comanche County Court Clerk's office at 315 SW 5th St, Room 304 (phone (580) 355-4017) also accepts passport applications by appointment. Hours and appointment rules change, so call ahead before you drive over.
Who has to apply in person
First-time adult applicants apply in person using Form DS-11, which is why you visit one of the two Lawton facilities above. Renewals are different: if your most recent passport is undamaged, was issued when you were 16 or older, and was issued in the last 15 years, you can renew by mail with Form DS-82, or online through the State Department, and skip the office visit entirely.
What to bring
For a first-time application you will need your citizenship evidence (a certified U.S. birth certificate or an unexpired U.S. passport), a government-issued photo ID such as your driver's license, photocopies of both, a 2x2 inch passport photo (available at the post office), and payment for the fees. Minors have their own rules and need both parents or guardians present or notarized consent, so check the requirements before you go.
What it costs
A first-time adult passport book is $165 total: $130 application fee to the State Department plus a $35 acceptance fee collected at the post office or county clerk's office. A passport card is $30 plus the same $35 acceptance fee for $65, and a book plus card together is $160 plus $35 for $195. Expedited service adds $60. Renewals by mail run $130 for a book with no acceptance fee. The official, up-to-date fee table is on the State Department site at travel.state.gov.
How long it takes
Routine processing runs about 4 to 6 weeks, and expedited service runs about 2 to 3 weeks, not counting the time your application spends in the mail to and from a passport center. If you are traveling sooner than that, see the State Department's urgent travel guidance at travel.state.gov, which requires an appointment and proof of travel within 14 days.
Passport paperwork is one of those errands that lands in the same first two weeks as your license and vehicle tags. Our driver's license and vehicle registration guide covers the rest of that paperwork, and the moving to Lawton checklist walks through the whole first month.
Travis's tip
Book your appointment before you gather your documents. Passport slots at the Lawton post office fill up faster than you'd expect, especially in spring and summer, so reserve your time on the USPS scheduler first, then collect your paperwork at your own pace. And if a trip is on the calendar, check your passport's expiration date early. Many countries require at least six months of validity beyond your travel dates, so look at that before you book flights.
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