UK ePassport code licence cost calculator (simple)
Work out the real cost of a UK ePassport code pack — effective £/code at full use, 60% use and 30% use, with a simple decision rule for shops.
A pack looks cheap when you divide the sticker by the allowance. It looks different when you divide by the codes you actually issue. This is a shop calculator, not a dealer quote and not a GOV.UK tool.
Passport Photo Code is an independent service. It is not affiliated with HM Passport Office, and no licence or software path can guarantee a photo will be accepted.
The only formula you need
Effective £/code = pack price ÷ codes actually used
Not codes in the brochure. Not “we might get busy in summer.” Last year’s completed UK passport jobs, or a honest forecast for this year.
Write three numbers on a card:
- What the pack costs this year (confirm with your dealer — list prices move)
- How many UK Photo Codes you issued last year
- Effective £/code = (1) ÷ (2)
If you have not issued codes yet, use passport print jobs as a ceiling. You will not suddenly issue more codes than people who already sit for a photo.
Illustrative packs
Dealer lists have shown figures in the region of £150 for 1,500 codes and £260 for 5,000 codes. Those are examples only. Use your real invoice in the same table.
| Pack (illustrative) | Use | Codes used | Effective £/code |
|---|---|---|---|
| £150 / 1,500 | 100% | 1,500 | £0.10 |
| £150 / 1,500 | 60% | 900 | £0.17 |
| £150 / 1,500 | 30% | 450 | £0.33 |
| £260 / 5,000 | 100% | 5,000 | £0.05 |
| £260 / 5,000 | 60% | 3,000 | £0.09 |
| £260 / 5,000 | 30% | 1,500 | £0.17 |
Rounded to the nearest penny. Hardware, media, a missed renewal and staff time sit on top of these figures. A “cheap per code” pack is still expensive if the printer is the reason you have not offered codes at all.
Decision rule
- You will use most of the allowance on a printer you already own → a pack can still be rational. Stay if the ecosystem is already paid for. See DNP ePassport licence alternative.
- You will use a minority of the allowance, or you do not have the hardware → do not buy unused codes to chase a headline rate. Try a browser studio workspace on the till you have.
- You do not know the volume → count last year before you renew. Guessing “5,000” because the large pack looks cheaper per unit is how quiet shops overpay.
A second till or a second branch multiplies unused allowance. That is a cloud login versus per-shop licence question, not a reason to buy two big packs and hope.
What this does not decide
- Your retail price to the customer. That is a package on the till — what to charge.
- Whether HMPO will accept the photo. Nothing in the pack price changes that.
- Live studio subscription figures. We do not invent £ prices here. Contact for current studio pricing or email [email protected].
Next step
If the table shows you paying for codes you will not issue, compare the pack with a browser trial: For photo studios and vs DNP.