How to Cancel Your USPS Passport Appointment

You can cancel your USPS passport appointment online, by phone, or in person — the method depends on how you booked it

If you booked your appointment through the USPS Passport Acceptance Agent locator tool on usps.com, you can cancel it directly on that same website without calling. Log in with the email address you used to book, find your appointment, and select the cancellation option. The system will confirm the cancellation immediately.

If you booked by phone or in person at your local post office, you'll need to contact that specific location to cancel. Call the post office directly — not the general USPS customer service line — and have your appointment confirmation number ready. The staff member will remove you from the schedule and may ask why you're cancelling, though you don't have to explain.

Cancelling early matters because passport appointment slots fill up quickly in many areas. When you cancel, your time slot opens for someone else, and you free yourself from the appointment without penalty.

Key Takeaways

• Online cancellations through usps.com are instant and require only your confirmation email and the email address you used to book.
• Phone cancellations require you to call the specific post office where you booked, not a central USPS number.
• You should cancel as soon as you know you won't make the appointment so the slot can go to another person.
• Keep your confirmation number handy when you call, as staff will use it to locate your appointment in the system.

Cancelling through the USPS website

Go to usps.com and find the Passport Acceptance Agent locator tool — this is the same tool you used to book. You'll see a section for managing existing appointments. Enter the email address associated with your booking and your appointment confirmation number.

The system will display your scheduled appointment with the date, time, and post office location. Select the option to cancel. You'll receive an on-screen confirmation that the cancellation is complete, and USPS will send a confirmation email to the address on file. This entire process takes less than five minutes and requires no phone call.

Cancelling by phone

Call the post office branch where your appointment is scheduled, not the main USPS customer service number. You can find the direct phone number by searching for your post office on usps.com or by calling 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777) and asking for the local branch number. Have your appointment confirmation number ready when you call.

Tell the staff member you need to cancel your passport appointment and provide the confirmation number. They will look up your appointment in their system and remove you from the schedule. Ask them to confirm the cancellation and note the date and time you called — this creates a record in case there's confusion later.

What happens after you cancel

Once your cancellation is processed, your appointment slot is released and becomes available for other people to book. You will not be charged a fee for cancelling, and there is no penalty for cancelling an appointment you no longer need.

If you think you might need a passport appointment in the future, you can book a new one at any time through the same USPS locator tool or by contacting your local post office. Cancelling one appointment does not affect your ability to schedule another.

If you need to reschedule instead of cancel

If you want to keep your appointment but need a different date or time, you don't have to cancel first. Instead, book a new appointment for your preferred date through the USPS website or by calling your post office. Once the new appointment is confirmed, then cancel the original one using the steps above.

This approach prevents you from losing your spot entirely if the new date you want is not immediately available. Some post offices have long waits between appointments, so booking the new slot before releasing the old one protects you.

Cancelling if you've already submitted documents

If you've already submitted your passport application and documents at a previous appointment, you cannot cancel that submission. However, if you have a separate follow-up appointment scheduled (for example, to pick up your passport or to submit additional documents), you can cancel that future appointment using the methods above.

Contact the post office directly if you're unsure whether cancelling will affect an application you've already submitted. Staff can clarify what stage your application is in and whether cancelling a scheduled appointment will cause any problems.

Common reasons people cancel and what to do instead

People cancel passport appointments for different reasons. If you're cancelling because you realized you don't have all the required documents, contact your post office to ask what you're missing before the appointment date — they may be able to tell you over the phone, and you can reschedule once you have everything. If you're cancelling because the appointment time no longer works, book a new appointment for a time that does work, then cancel the original.

If you're cancelling because you no longer need a passport, simply cancel through the website or phone and don't book another appointment. There's no obligation to follow through once you've scheduled.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I lose money if I cancel my passport appointment?

No. Cancelling a passport appointment at USPS costs nothing and carries no penalty. You only pay the passport fee when you actually submit your application at the appointment.

Can I cancel my appointment the day before or the day of?

Yes. You can cancel anytime before your appointment, even the day of or a few hours before. However, cancelling as early as possible is considerate because it gives someone else time to book that slot.

What if I can't find my confirmation number?

Check the email address you used to book the appointment — USPS sent a confirmation email with the number. If you can't find the email, call your local post office with your name and the date of your appointment, and staff can look it up in their system.

Do I need to tell USPS why I'm cancelling?

No. You don't have to provide a reason. If asked, you can simply say the appointment no longer works for you. Staff will not require an explanation to process the cancellation.

If I cancel, can I book another appointment right away?

Yes. You can book a new appointment immediately after cancelling the old one. There's no waiting period between cancellation and rebooking, though availability depends on your local post office's schedule.