My wife and I have a passport that will expire soon. I went looking for the information on how to renew and found the proper forms in short order. Isn't Google great? The bigest hassle is the photo. The last time I had a professional photographer process the photos and Wow was that a shock when I said,"what do I owe you". Times have changed and now you can get them at CVS Drug for about $8.00.
http://cvs.pnimedia.com/passport_photos.aspx
Here is where you can obtain the form for new or renewal:
http://www.unitedstates.org/passport.php
The fee is a whopping $65.00 for new/renew.
Please Note: When traveling by air, all U.S. citizens must present a passport or a secure travel document to reenter the United States. This includes children.
When traveling by land or sea , oral declarations of citizenship at the border will no longer get you through a U.S. border crossing. As of January, 31, 2008 all U.S. citizens age 19 and older must present documentation proving identity and citizenship, such as a driver's license plus a birth certificate; those younger than 18 are only required to show proof of citizenship.
This documentation must include your name, your photo and your date of birth. To view a full list of acceptable documents go to the official site of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Here, you'll also find some FAQs on required travel documents.
For more information, consult the official site of the U.S. Department of State.