You're standing in the middle of a massive Costco warehouse, smelling the rotisserie chicken, and you realize your passport expires in three months. Naturally, you head toward the back of the store. You're looking for that familiar counter where a friendly employee used to snap your photo for about five bucks. But then you see it. Or rather, you don't see it. The photo center is gone. It's been replaced by more rows of vitamins or maybe a display of high-end blenders.
Honestly, it's a bummer.
For years, the costco passport photo was the gold standard for budget travelers who didn't want to pay twenty dollars at a local pharmacy. It was fast. It was cheap. It was reliable because Costco employees generally knew the strict State Department requirements better than the average teenager working a summer job at a drugstore. But things changed. In early 2021, Costco made a sweeping corporate decision that caught a lot of members off guard: they shut down all in-store photo centers across the United States.
Why Costco Pulled the Plug on In-Store Photos
If you're wondering why they’d get rid of such a popular service, it basically comes down to the numbers. Digital photography happened. People stopped printing 4x6 glossies of their vacation to Maui because they just post them on Instagram now. Costco’s leadership saw the writing on the wall. They realized that maintaining expensive chemical printers and dedicated floor space for a dwindling service didn't make sense for their bottom line.
They shifted their entire photo operation to their website. But here is the kicker: you can't take a passport photo online. Well, you can't take the physical picture that requires a white background and specific lighting using a warehouse's professional setup. When the physical centers closed, the ability to walk in and get a costco passport photo vanished with them.
It wasn't just about the prints. It was about the convenience. You’ve probably felt that specific frustration of needing a government-compliant photo and realizing your only options now are more expensive or significantly more annoying.
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The Online Transition and Current Options
Costco still has a "Photo Center," but it’s strictly an e-commerce play hosted through Shutterfly. In 2023, Costco fully migrated their photo services to the Shutterfly platform. This means if you have old photos stored on the Costco Photo site, you’ve likely already had to migrate your account.
But let's be real. Can you get a passport photo through Shutterfly?
Technically, you can upload a photo you took yourself and have them print it to the 2x2 inch specifications. But this is where people get into trouble. The U.S. Department of State is notoriously picky. If your shadow is too dark, if your head is tilted by three degrees, or if your glasses have a tiny bit of glare (actually, you can't even wear glasses anymore), they will reject your application.
When you did your costco passport photo in the warehouse, the staff used a camera that was already calibrated for the right height and lighting. Doing it at home on your iPhone against a white door is a gamble. Honestly, most people who try the "DIY" route end up spending more time and money correcting their mistakes than they would have spent just going somewhere else in the first place.
Where Everyone is Going Instead
Since the warehouse option is dead, where are the Costco loyalists going? There are a few main players left in the game, but they all have their quirks.
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UPS and FedEx Stores
These are probably the most reliable now. They handle government documents all day. They have the right cutters to make sure the photo is exactly 2 inches by 2 inches. However, you're going to pay for it. While Costco used to charge around $5.34 for two photos, UPS will often charge you $15 or even $20. It's a steep hike for a piece of paper that costs three cents to print.
CVS and Walgreens
These are the most common alternatives. Most locations still have a kiosk. The quality is... hit or miss. It really depends on the person working the counter that day. If they aren't trained well, you might get a photo that gets rejected by the passport office. Always check your photo against a white wall before you leave the store to ensure there are no "hot spots" from the flash.
AAA Offices
If you are a AAA member, this is actually the closest thing to the old Costco experience. Some membership tiers even offer free passport photos. Even if you aren't a "Premier" member, the cost is usually lower than the drugstores.
The "Secret" Digital Workaround
If you are tech-savvy and really miss that Costco-level pricing, there is a way to sort of "hack" the system using the Costco/Shutterfly partnership.
First, you need a high-quality digital photo. You can use a free tool like the Department of State's "Photo Tool" website to crop it correctly. Once you have a compliant digital file, you don't order it as a "passport photo." Instead, you create a 4x6 inch print layout that contains six copies of your 2x2 passport photo.
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You upload this 4x6 layout to the Costco/Shutterfly site.
The cost for a 4x6 print is usually pennies. You'll have to cut them yourself with a very steady hand or a paper cutter, but you’ve basically bypassed the $15 "passport photo" fee that most retailers charge. It’s a bit of a hassle, but for a family of four, you're saving sixty bucks. That’s a lot of hot dogs.
Dealing with the Post-2021 Reality
It’s important to remember that the rules for passport photos have actually tightened up in the last few years. You can't wear a uniform. You can't wear a hat (unless it's for religious or medical reasons with a signed statement). You definitely cannot wear glasses. Even if you have a prescription and you're blind as a bat without them, the State Department says take them off.
The most common reason for passport application delays is a bad photo.
When Costco stopped offering the service, they essentially removed a "safety net" for travelers. The warehouse employees were surprisingly good at catching these issues. Now, the responsibility is entirely on you. If you choose to go the DIY route and print through the Costco online portal, you have to be your own quality control.
Practical Steps for Your Next Passport
If your passport is sitting in a drawer and the expiration date is creeping up, don't wait until the last minute. The processing times for the State Department fluctuate wildly. Sometimes it's six weeks; sometimes it's six months.
- Check your local library. This is a huge "pro tip" that most people ignore. Many public libraries are actually designated passport acceptance facilities. They often offer photo services that are cheaper than UPS and more professional than a drugstore.
- Use a dedicated app. There are apps like "Passport Photo Booth" that use your phone's camera but provide an overlay to ensure your face is the right size. If you’re going to use the Costco online printing trick, use one of these apps first.
- Lighting is everything. If you take the photo yourself, stand about 3 feet away from a white background and have someone else take the photo in natural light. Avoid overhead lights that create shadows under your eyes. You want to look like a flat, shadow-less version of yourself.
- The "Shadow" Test. Before you send your photo in, look at the background. It must be white or off-white. If there is a shadow of your head on the wall behind you, the photo is useless. Move further away from the wall to eliminate that shadow.
While the days of grabbing a costco passport photo while shopping for bulk paper towels are over, you aren't totally out of luck. You just have to be a bit more intentional about it. Whether you pay the premium at a shipping store or try to navigate the Shutterfly printing workaround, the goal is the same: getting that little blue book so you can actually get out of the country. Just don't expect the warehouse to do the heavy lifting for you anymore.
Actionable Next Steps
- Verify your membership: If you plan to use the Costco/Shutterfly discount, ensure your Costco membership is linked to a Shutterfly account to get the 51% off member pricing on prints.
- Locate a Passport Acceptance Facility: Visit the U.S. Department of State website to find a local post office or library that accepts applications.
- Download the "Photo Tool": Use the official Department of State cropping tool to ensure your digital file meets the exact 600x600 pixel requirements before printing.
- Check for "No-Fee" Options: If you have a premium credit card (like some Amex or Chase cards) or a AAA membership, check if they offer complimentary passport photo services before paying a retail pharmacy.