The everything guide to US Passports & the application process

Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas: Passport Office in Columbus OH

Last Reviewed on March 14th, 2024


Location:
Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas
Address:
369 S High St
 
Columbus, OH 43215
 
Hours of Operation Shown in (EST)
Monday
8:00AM - 5:00PM
Tuesday
8:00AM - 5:00PM
Wednesday
8:00AM - 5:00PM
Thursday
8:00AM - 5:00PM
Friday
8:00AM - 5:00PM


Handicap Accessible (ADA): Yes

Passport Photos: No, you will need to get passport photos taken before going there. Here is our passport photo guide for reference and here is a list of places to get passport photos in Columbus.


Columbus Passport Office: Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas Location Overview

Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas is an acceptance agent/passport office. For passport service in Columbus, OH you can go here for passport help. Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas is a Court facility that is able to witness your signature and seal your passport documents - standard processing is 4-8 weeks. This office DOES NOT issue passports, they will send your passport forms directly to a regional passport facility. There are 18 other passport acceptance agent offices located in Columbus. Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas is located in County, Ohio.

About Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas

Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas is not a passport issuance facility and you will NOT receive a passport on-site there. This facility is an acceptance agent, the Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas is sort of like a special notary for the Department of State / Passport Agency in which they can "Witness" your signature and officially "Seal" your application and documents. There is a separate $35 fee for this that is paid at the time of sealing.

Needs to visit an acceptance agent
New Passports Application (Child or Adult)
Lost / Damaged Passport Replacement

Doesn't need to visit an acceptance agent
Passport Renewal
Passport Name Change Application

Passport Processing Times at Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas

Standard Processing - Because of Covid-19, the current processing times are 10-12 weeks after submitting an application.

Expedited Processing - You can pay an extra $60 when sealing your documents at Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas to get your passport quicker, typically in 4-6 weeks.

Emergency Processing - (NOT AVAILABLE at Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas): If you have proof of travel within 3 days you can request an emergency appointment at one of the regional passport offices close to Columbus. Also see our info about 3rd-party passport expediters.

Nearest Regional Passport Offices to Columbus, OH

Detroit Passport Agency - 141.9 Miles
Chicago Passport Agency - 239.2 Miles
Buffalo Passport Agency - 255.5 Miles

Passport Services Offered at Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas

Passport Forms - If you need to pick up a physical pre-printed application that you can fill out by hand, the Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas will have pre-printed passport forms. You may also get passport forms from our website and print them on your own printer.

Passport Document Sealing / Passport Application Signature Witness - Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas is an official Acceptance Agent as appointed by the Department of State. Certain municipal and postal employees at this location are authorized to "Witness" your signature (kind of like a notary).
NOTE: not required for passport renewals
Acceptance Agent fee is $35 (see more about Acceptance Agent Fees)

4-6 week passport expediting / 10-12-week standard passport service - These are the standard processing times for passports at any acceptance agent.

Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas Service Area Radius

This passport office is located in - Franklin County and serves the passport needs for residents of other nearby zipcodes including: 43215, 43260, 43266, 43268, 43270, 43271, 43272, 43279, 43287, 43251, 43236, 43226, 43234, 43216, 43222, 43206, 43205, 43201, 43212

Frequently asked questions

How fast can I get a passport at Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas?

Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas does not issue passports, they are sent to a central processing facility, it will take at a minimum of 4 weeks if using expedited service and up to 12 weeks for standard processing.

I need a passport sooner than that, what are my options?

It's about 290 miles roundtrip, so it is pretty far from Columbus to Detroit Passport Agency, the closest passport issuing agency. You might want to consider using a passport expediting service to save you the time of going there yourself.

Does Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas charge for passports?

Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas is an acceptance agent, Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas does not issue passports – they do however charge the standard $35 acceptance agent fee to seal your documents, this is only required for new or replacement passport applications; renewals do not need to be sealed and thus no acceptance agent fee is required. Please see our detailed information on passport fees.

Can I get walk-in passport service at Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas?

If by walk-in service you mean get your passport there at Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas? Then no. They do not issue passports, you can get walk-in passport issuance at a regional passport facility only, not local acceptance agent facilities; passport are sent to a central processing location.

Does Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas do passport renewals?

If you have your expired or soon-to-be expired passport, it is in good condition and the validity period on your expired passport was for 10-years, then you do not even need to visit an acceptance agent. You can do your application online, print-it and send it in with new passport photos, the old passport, and the required passport fees. See our guide about passport renewals to renew your passport yourself.

Can Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas tell me about the status of my application?

No, they are acceptance agents and have nothing to do with the application once they witness your signature and seal your application. Once an application is in-process, Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas will not be able to assist any further.

Does Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas take passport photos?

No, you will have to get your passport photo taken before you go to Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas for the sealing of your passport. Do not go there without getting passport photos first or you will not get your application sealed. Here's the list of locations to get passport photos in Columbus.

What forms of payment does Franklin County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas accept?

You can pay for the acceptance agent fees with cash, check, debit card, or money order. Your passport application fees will be paid separately by check or money order only.

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