Techniques for in-situ passive performance measurement are described. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a data packet at a first network element, determining whether measurement information is to be collected for the data packet, providing one or more measurement fields for the data packet based on a determination that measurement information is to be collected for the data packet in which at least one measurement field identifies a measurement type, and forwarding the data packet to a second network element. The method further includes determining, by the second network element, the measurement type for the data packet, and performing one or more actions based on the measurement type.