Changing Your Address

Changing Your Address

Submitting a change of address with the post office is very easy and will give you the peace of mind that all your mail will be delivered to the new address.

It can be completed in a matter of minutes by visiting USPS Change of Address. Once you have agreed to the privacy statement, you will proceed to enter your details. For a $1.00 fee charged to your debit or credit card, your information will be safeguarded with ID verification.

If you are not able to access a computer or the Internet, you can visit your nearest post office and fill out form 3575. For in person visits, the $1.00 fee will be waived. You can also call and do it over the phone. It is recommended that you fill out you forwarding request at least 2 weeks prior to your move. It can take up to 10 days for your request to be processed and you begin to receive mail to the new address. If you want to be prepared and do it well in advance, you are also able to set a specific date that the forwarding will begin.

If you will not have a new address, but know which city you will be moving to, your mail can be forwarded to the local post office and held for 30 days. It will need to be picked up in person with valid ID. If your new city has more than one post office, contact 800.275.8777 to find out which will be the post office that your mail will be sent to.

There is an initial 6-month limit on forwarding mail. You can however extend it for an additional 6 months if needed, a total time of 1 year. The minimum amount of time your mail can be forwarded, is 15 days.

In addition to filling a change of address with the post office, you will also want to contact any services, utility companies, financial institutions, government agencies, subscriptions, and of course, family and friends.

Utility companies – If you already have an address at your new destination and will be using the same utility company, let them know a date to cancel service at your current home, and when to begin service at the new home.

Telephone – Make sure you update your providers with your new mailing address.

Financial institutions – Contact any financial institution and update your address. These will include banks and credit card companies.

Government agencies – It is important to inform the IRS, Social Security, Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), Veterans Affairs, Voter Registration, and Department of Motor Vehicles.

Insurance companies – Inform insurance companies of your new address. These might include, home insurance, renter’s insurance, health insurance and auto insurance.

Magazines and subscriptions – Make sure to update your new address with any magazines or subscriptions, especially any that you are paying for. This can be done online or by calling each publication.

Websites - If you regularly purchase from online websites that may have your information saved, be certain to update your billing and delivery address.

Friends and family – Let family members and friends know you have moved or will be moving, and provide them with your new address. You can send one email to everyone or contact people individually, it may be an opportunity to catch up with an old friend or relative.

You will be able to change your address to many of the places online, making it a simple and time saving process. A phone call may however be required for places such as government agencies. Soon enough, your mailbox will begin to fill up again!