Originally Posted by
garykung
If OP is renewing at a Passport Office, i.e. a State Department office, I believe that the State Department can allow this as well.
The problem is with COVID-19, many State Department services have been impacted, including ACS. Now, the best way to get a passport, in OP's case, is to renew by mail.
I am personally very aware of how our embassies/consulates have been impacted by this virus situation and include all such things in my assessment of how to go about things.
The OP’s passport doesn’t expire until around March 2021.
Even GPO is going to be ramping up production of passport books up to close to normal runs and gets on the bandwagon for State a couple days after the 4th of July. I suggest taking it as yet another sign that there will be more options to get consular services in person for passport issuance in the US and at US embassies/consulates by September/October 2020.