CVS Passport Photo — Cost, Quality, and the $4 Alternative
CVS charges $16.99 at the passport-photo counter. With our $3.99 tool plus CVS's regular $0.33 – $0.49 4×6 kiosk print, total cost drops to $4.48 for the same printed result on the same paper.
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Cost breakdown — CVS counter vs. our $3.99 + kiosk
| Option | Total cost | Photos included | Wait time |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVS passport-photo counter | $16.99 | 2 prints | ~15 min in-store |
| Our $3.99 tool + CVS 4×6 kiosk | $4.48 | 4 – 8 prints on the 4×6 sheet | ~3 min online, ~1 hour same-day pickup |
How to print a passport photo at CVS
- Pick your country on our site — US passport, UK passport, or browse all 100+ countries.
- Upload a portrait against a plain wall in even light.
- Preview free, pay $3.99 only when you decide to keep the file.
- Download the 4×6 print sheet from your order page.
- Open the CVS Photo app (https://www.cvs.com/photo/passport-photos) and start a new 4×6 print order.
- Upload the sheet. Choose "4×6 Glossy". Disable any "auto-enhance" or "photo-enhance" setting — these shift skin tone and can push photos off-spec.
- Pick a CVS location. Pickup ready in ~1 hour same-day.
- Pay $0.33 – $0.49 per sheet on pickup. Cut the sheet along the corner guides.
What makes CVS different
- Most expensive of the major US pharmacy chains at the counter
- Identical printer and paper to Walgreens — the price difference is only in counter labour
- Pickup notification arrives via SMS when ready
Frequently asked questions
How much is a passport photo at CVS?
CVS charges $16.99 at the in-house passport-photo counter, which includes 2 printed photos. Their regular 4×6 photo-print kiosk is $0.33 – $0.49 per sheet — same paper, same printer, just without the operator capturing the photo.
Can I bring my own photo file to print at CVS?
Yes. Upload the 4×6 print sheet from our tool to the CVS Photo app (https://www.cvs.com/photo/passport-photos) and pick up at any CVS location in ~1 hour same-day. Pay $0.33 – $0.49 per sheet — typically a fraction of the in-house counter price.
Will CVS reject a passport photo I upload as a 4×6 print?
The kiosk operator doesn't compliance-check the photo against State Department rules — they just print whatever you upload. Our tool produces the file at the exact 51 × 51 mm State Department specs, so the printed kiosk result is compliant when used for US passport applications.
Does CVS offer international (non-US) passport photos?
CVS's passport-photo counter is US-passport only at most locations. Our tool supports 100+ countries; you can still print the resulting 4×6 sheet at any CVS kiosk regardless of the destination country.
Are the printed photos from CVS's kiosk the same quality as the counter service?
Yes. CVS's kiosk uses the same Fuji or Kodak silver-halide printer and the same glossy 4×6 paper as the in-house passport-photo counter. The price difference between the counter and the kiosk is operator labour, not print quality.
Compare other US print locations
- Walgreens — counter $14.99, kiosk $0.33 – $0.49
- Walmart — counter $7.44, kiosk $0.13 – $0.39
- FedEx Office — counter $14.95, kiosk $0.49 – $0.99
- Costco Photo Centre — counter n/a (closed at most locations since 2023), kiosk $0.17 – $0.39
- The UPS Store — counter $11.99 – $14.99, kiosk n/a — no self-service kiosk
- Target — counter discontinued (most stores), kiosk $0.49 per 4×6 (via the photo kiosk)
Make your passport photo now
Start at US passport photo for the State Department template, or browse all 100+ supported countries. For the cheapest print breakdown across every option, see the cheapest way to print a passport photo.