The Change of Address Checklist: Who to Notify When You Move

How to change your address with USPS

The Postal Service is the first stop on any change of address checklist, because forwarding catches the mail you forget to redirect yourself. There are two ways to file:

• Online at the official USPS website. According to the Postal Service, filing online costs $1, charged to a credit or debit card
• In person at any post office. Ask for the Mover's Guide at the retail counter and follow the instructions inside

Either way, you will choose whether the move is for one person, a whole family, or a business, whether it is permanent or temporary, and the date forwarding should start. File about two weeks before moving day so the request has time to take effect.

One caution: search results for "change of address" can include non-postal websites that charge more than the Postal Service's $1 fee. Make sure you are on the official USPS site before entering any payment details.

What USPS mail forwarding does and does not do

USPS mail forwarding is a bridge, not a permanent fix. Keep three limits in mind:

• It is temporary. Forwarding runs for a limited period and then stops. Check with USPS for the current time limits when you file
• Not every kind of mail is forwarded. Letters and bills generally are. Magazines are forwarded for a shorter time, and advertising mail and some packages may not be forwarded at all
• It does not update your address with anyone. Your bank, your insurer, and the DMV will keep using the old address until you tell them otherwise

That is why the rest of this checklist matters. Each time a piece of forwarded mail arrives with a yellow forwarding sticker on it, treat it as a reminder to contact that sender.

Who to notify when you move

Work through this list in order. The timing column shows when each update is best made.

DMV, voter registration, taxes, and benefits

Driver's license and vehicle registration. States expect you to update your address with the DMV after you move, and a move to a new state means a new license, registration, and plates. Deadlines and required documents vary by state, so check with the state DMV for the rules that apply to you.

Voter registration. Your registration is tied to your address. Update it with your state or county election office well before the next election, since registration deadlines also vary by state.

Taxes. The IRS has its own change of address form, Form 8822, and many state tax agencies have their own process too. Filing it helps refunds and notices reach you. If you have questions about how a move affects your taxes, ask a CPA.

Benefits. If you receive Social Security, Medicare, veterans, or state benefits, tell each agency directly. Do not rely on forwarding for benefit mail.

Employer, banks, and insurance

• Employer: payroll records, your W-2 mailing address, and benefit plans
• Banks and credit unions: checking, savings, and safe deposit box records. Order checks with the new address
• Credit cards: the billing address must match for many purchases, so update these before the move
• Loans: mortgage, auto, and student loan servicers
• Retirement and investment accounts
• Auto insurance: rates and required coverage depend on where the car is kept, so call your agent before the move
• Home or renters insurance: start the new policy on the day you take possession, and ask what is covered while your belongings are in transit
• Health, dental, and life insurance

Medical providers, schools, subscriptions, and everyone else

• Doctors, dentists, and specialists: update your address or, if you are leaving the area, ask how to transfer your records
• Pharmacy: move prescriptions to a location near the new home
• Veterinarian: request records and update pet licenses and microchip registrations
• Schools and daycare: notify the current school, request records, and enroll at the new one
• Magazines and newspapers: publishers often need several weeks of notice
• Online shopping accounts: change the default shipping address so orders do not go to the old house
• Clubs, gyms, alumni groups, and places of worship
• Attorney and accountant
• Friends and family

Utilities have their own sequence. See our guide to setting up utilities at a new home.

How to change your address on a timeline

Spreading the calls and forms over a few weeks keeps a change of address when moving from turning into one long afternoon on hold.

1. Four weeks before: start a list of every piece of mail that arrives. It becomes your personal checklist. Notify magazines and schools
2. Two to three weeks before: file with USPS. Schedule utilities. Update banks, credit cards, and insurance
3. The week before: tell your employer, doctors, and pharmacy. Give your new address to friends and family
4. The first two weeks after: update address with DMV records, voter registration, and tax agencies. Check that mail is arriving
5. The first two months after: contact every sender whose mail still shows up with a forwarding sticker

If you are crossing state lines, the list is longer, and so is the planning. Our long-distance moving page explains how those moves are quoted, and the moving checklist puts every task in order. When you are ready for dates and numbers, request a free quote.