Is paying $16.99 at CVS really necessary? Here's the honest breakdown — including a faster, cheaper alternative.
Try the Cheaper AlternativeCVS charges $16.99 for a set of two passport photos in 2025. This price has increased from $14.99 in prior years. The service includes two 2×2 inch printed photos on a 4×6 sheet.
| Service | Cost | Time | Digital File |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVS | $16.99 | 30–60 min | No |
| Walgreens | $15.99 | 30–60 min | Rarely |
| USPS | $15.00 | 20–45 min wait | No |
| PassportSnap | Much cheaper | 2 minutes | Yes |
PassportSnap produces compliant 2×2 inch passport photos in 2 minutes. Skip the CVS trip entirely.
Create Your Passport PhotoFor $16.99, CVS provides:
CVS quality is generally acceptable for US passport applications, but there are known issues:
CVS photo setups often produce shadows on the background — a common rejection cause.
Unlike doing it at home, you don't get to choose the best photo from a hundred shots.
If the State Department rejects your CVS photo, CVS won't refund you.