Change of Address Checklist: Who to Notify When You Move

Moving to a new home takes more than a change of address filed with the United States Postal Service. That request reroutes your mail, but it does not update your driver's license, your bank statements, your voter registration, or the dozens of accounts tied to your old address. A complete change of address covers filing with USPS and directly notifying the agencies, companies, and services that need your new address on file.

This guide walks through the full process, from what to do before you pack a box to what to check weeks after you've unpacked the last one.

Change of address timeline

Two to four weeks before moving

• File your USPS change of address online or in person
• Notify your landlord, property manager, mortgage lender, or HOA
• Schedule utility shutoff at your old address and activation at your new one
• Notify employers, schools, childcare providers, and any professional licensing bodies
• Update banks, credit card issuers, lenders, and investment or brokerage accounts
• Update health, dental, life, renters, homeowners, and auto insurance records
• Arrange medical-record transfers if you're changing healthcare providers
• Update pharmacy, dentist, veterinarian, and other healthcare-related records
• Update addresses on recurring deliveries and subscriptions
• Save confirmations and copies of every address-change request you submit

One week before moving

• Confirm your USPS confirmation code and any Move Validation Letter arrived
• Double-check utility connection dates at the new address

Moving day

• Confirm utilities are active at the new address
• Photograph utility meters where relevant
• Give the new address and access details to movers and emergency contacts
• Check the mailbox, package area, and building access instructions
• Remove or securely destroy labels and documents showing the old address

After moving

• Update your driver's license or state ID according to your state's rules
• Update vehicle registration and auto insurance
• Update voter registration through your state's election website
• Update IRS and state tax records
• Update Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, VA, USCIS, or other benefit records, when applicable
• Update courts, child-support agencies, probation offices, or licensing boards, when applicable
• Update online shopping, food-delivery, ride-share, pharmacy, and payment-app addresses
• Monitor forwarded mail and contact senders still using your old address
• Confirm important bills and statements reflect your new address
• Cancel USPS forwarding once you no longer need it

USPS change of address checklist

Permanent versus temporary forwarding

USPS offers two types of forwarding requests:

• Permanent change of address: Use this when you are relocating for good. Most moves fall into this category.
• Temporary change of address: Use this if you're relocating for a limited stretch, such as an extended stay with family, seasonal housing, or school, and plan to return to your original address. USPS accepts temporary forwarding requests for relocations of roughly 15 days up to one year, rather than a fixed six-month cutoff.

If you are moving somewhere new and do not intend to return to your old address, file a permanent request even if the move happens to be for less than a year.

Information you'll need

Whether you file online or in person, USPS will ask for:

• Full name
• Email address
• Mobile phone number
• Old address and new address
• Whether the move is for an individual, a family, or a business
• Whether the request is permanent or temporary (and, for temporary requests, a start and stop date)

Online and in-person options

Online: File at the official USPS Change of Address website. You'll complete the form, then verify your identity through a code or link sent to your mobile phone. USPS charges a $1.25 identity verification fee, charged to a credit or debit card whose billing address matches your old or new address. Be careful to use the official USPS site directly. USPS Inspectors warn that third-party sites often charge $40 or more for the same free-or-low-cost service.

In person: Visit your local Post Office, ask for a Mover's Guide packet, and complete PS Form 3575 with a retail associate. Bring an acceptable photo ID. There is no fee for filing in person, since your identity is verified on the spot.

Filing in person is also required if you're moving outside the United States, submitting a request on someone else's behalf, or unable to verify your identity online.

Start date, confirmation, modification, and cancellation

You'll choose a start date for forwarding. USPS generally lets you submit a request somewhat in advance of your move and still allows a short window after you've already relocated, though the exact number of days can vary, so confirm the available range when you file.

If your online identity check succeeds, USPS emails a confirmation code. Save it. You'll need it to review, modify, or cancel your request later. USPS also sends a Move Validation Letter to your old address to confirm the request is legitimate, and a Customer Notification Letter with your confirmation code to your new address, typically about five business days before your start date.

Submit your request about two weeks before your move date to give USPS time to process it, even though forwarding can sometimes begin within a few business days.

What USPS forwarding does and does not cover

USPS forwards First-Class mail and periodicals for free, and Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, and USPS Ground Advantage packages for free. Media Mail items are forwarded, but you pay the shipping cost from your old Post Office to your new address. USPS Marketing Mail is not forwarded at all.

Standard forwarding lasts 12 months, and you can pay to extend it. After forwarding ends, USPS returns unforwarded mail to the sender, marked with your new address, for a further period. Forwarding is also not immediate delivery insurance: USPS does not guarantee that every piece of mail or every package will reach you through forwarding, which is exactly why direct notification of important senders matters.

Government agencies to notify

IRS and state tax agency

The IRS does not receive your new address from USPS forwarding. You can notify the IRS by:

• Entering your new address on your next tax return
• Filing Form 8822, Change of Address, by mail
• Submitting another IRS-accepted written or identity-verified notification method, where available

According to the IRS, address-change requests generally take about four to six weeks to fully process. Businesses use Form 8822-B instead, for changes to a business address or responsible party. Don't rely on USPS forwarding alone for a tax refund, IRS notice, or other time-sensitive correspondence. Check with your state tax agency separately, since state processes vary.

DMV or state motor-vehicle agency

Requirements and deadlines for updating a driver's license, state ID, or vehicle registration after a move vary by state. Check your state DMV or motor-vehicle agency's official website for the specific rule and timeframe that applies to you.

Voter registration

Voter-registration rules and deadlines also vary by state. If you moved to a new state, you generally need to register in your new state rather than simply updating your old registration. Use your state's official election website, or start at Vote.gov or USA.gov's voter-registration guidance, to confirm what's required where you now live.

Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, VA, USCIS, and other benefits

If you receive Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, VA, or USCIS-related benefits or correspondence, update your address with the relevant agency directly, since USPS forwarding is not a substitute for an updated agency record.

Courts, child support, and licensing boards

When applicable, update your address with any court, child-support agency, probation office, professional licensing board, or local tax office you're involved with. Not every mover needs to contact every one of these; update only the ones that apply to your situation.

Financial services and accounts to update

A USPS change of address does not automatically update your records with banks, lenders, credit-card companies, insurers, or investment providers. Each one keeps its own address on file, so you need to update every account directly, ideally through the organization's secure website, mobile app, phone system, or a branch visit.

Which financial accounts to update

• Banks and credit unions
• Credit-card companies
• Mortgage lenders and home-equity lenders
• Auto-loan lenders and lease providers
• Student-loan servicers
• Personal-loan and buy-now-pay-later providers
• Brokerage, retirement, and investment accounts
• Payment services and digital wallets
• Employers, payroll departments, and pension administrators
• Financial advisers, accountants, and tax preparers
• Insurance companies, including auto, homeowners, renters, life, health, and disability insurance
• Credit-reporting and identity-monitoring services, when relevant

What to keep in mind when updating them

• Update the mailing and residential address separately when an organization asks for both
• Confirm the effective date of the change
• Update every account individually, including joint accounts and accounts for dependents where applicable
• Check whether the billing address on each payment card also needs to be changed
• Update the address used for statements, tax forms, replacement cards, checks, and legal notices
• Confirm that automatic payments and electronic transfers remain active after the change
• Review scheduled payments, autopay settings, direct deposits, and recurring transfers
• Verify that the new address appears correctly on the next statement or account profile
• Save confirmation emails, reference numbers, screenshots, or secure-message records
• Add the new address to the account's trusted contact or fraud-prevention information, if requested
• Remove the old address from saved profiles only after confirming no pending transaction or correspondence still requires it

A simple process for updating financial accounts

1. Make a list of every financial provider using your old address. Check recent statements, your email accounts, payment apps, tax documents, and a copy of your credit report to catch accounts you might otherwise forget.
2. Log in through the provider's official website or app, or call the number printed on a statement or the back of your card.
3. Change the address in your account profile, and confirm whether the provider tracks separate mailing, residential, billing, and tax addresses.
4. Verify the updated information on screen and save a confirmation of the change.
5. Review your next statement, and contact the provider again if the old address still appears.

Keep sensitive details out of email. Don't send your Social Security number, full account numbers, passwords, card numbers, or copies of your ID through ordinary email or a link you haven't verified. Update your address through the provider's official app, secure message center, or verified website, or by calling the number on your card or statement, rather than replying to an unsolicited email or text.

Home services and online accounts

Each provider keeps its own billing and service address, so a missed update can mean a service interruption at your new place, a bill still going to your old one, or a package shipped to the wrong door.

Which home services and online accounts to update

• Electric, gas, and water utilities
• Trash and recycling service
• Internet, cable, and home phone providers
• Home security and smart-home services
• Streaming, subscription boxes, and membership services
• Online retailers and marketplaces with saved shipping addresses
• Food delivery, ride-share, and payment apps
• Any other service with a saved billing address on file

Making address changes easier

An address change touches more agencies than most people expect — and GOV+ is designed to make sure each one gets notified correctly, the first time. 

If you are working through an address change, here's how GOV+ can help:

• GOV+ auto-fills the right forms for USPS, IRS, SSA, VA, and more with your new address — you review, sign, and send.
• Your kit arrives pre-sorted by agency, with each form bundled with its own prepaid, pre-addressed envelope and step-by-step instructions.
• Real-time tracking keeps you updated on every agency, from kit delivery to confirmation received.

Some of the additional benefits that come with a GOV+ subscription:

• Digital vault: upload your documents once and GOV+ pre-fills every future form automatically.
• Document shield: if your documents are lost, stolen, or damaged, replacement kits are ready when you need them.
• Identity protection: GOV+ monitors for fraud and alerts you instantly.

Ready to get started? Change your address with GOV+.

Frequently asked questions

How early should I submit a USPS change of address? 

Submit your request about two weeks before your move date. USPS also allows you to file somewhat in advance of your move, and accepts requests for a short period after you've already relocated, so filing early still leaves you a workable window if your move date shifts.

Does USPS change my address with banks and government agencies? 

No. A USPS change of address only reroutes your mail. It does not update your records with banks, the IRS, your state DMV, voter registration, or any other organization. You need to contact each one directly.

How much does it cost to change your address? 

Filing online at USPS.com costs a $1.25 identity verification fee. Filing in person at a Post Office is free, since your identity is verified in person at that time.

How do I change my address with the IRS? 

You can update your address on your next tax return, file Form 8822 by mail, or use another IRS-accepted notification method. Processing generally takes about four to six weeks. Businesses use Form 8822-B instead.

Do I need to change my driver's license after moving? 

In most states, yes, though the specific deadline and process vary by state. Check your state DMV's official website for the rule that applies where you live.

Do I need to update voter registration after moving?

Yes, if you want to vote at your new address, and the deadline and process vary by state. If you moved to a different state, you generally need to register there rather than just updating your old registration. Your state's official election website, or Vote.gov, has the details.

Will all my mail be forwarded? 

Most First-Class mail, periodicals, and most package services are forwarded, but USPS Marketing Mail is not forwarded, and forwarding is not a guarantee that every piece of mail or every package will reach you. Update important senders directly rather than relying on forwarding alone.

Sources

• USPS. Standard Forward Mail & Change of Address. https://www.usps.com/manage/forward.htm 
• USPS. Change of Address: The Basics. https://faq.usps.com/s/article/Change-of-Address-The-Basics 
• United States Postal Inspection Service. Change of Address Scams. https://www.uspis.gov/news/scam-article/change-of-address-scams 
• IRS. Address Changes. https://www.irs.gov/faqs/irs-procedures/address-changes/address-changes 
• IRS. About Form 8822, Change of Address. https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-8822 
• IRS. About Form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party, Business. https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-8822-b 
• Vote.gov. https://vote.gov