Changing your address seems simple—until a missed step delays your mail, a bill, or an important piece of ID paperwork. “Following some simple steps can help to avoid issues down the road,” says Xavier Hernandez, a spokesperson for the United States Postal Service covering New York City and the state of New Jersey. “Customers are encouraged to take advantage of the useful change of address system at their Post Office or at USPS.com.”
Here’s a start-to-finish guide on how to change addresses, without skipping anything that matters.
How to Change Your Address
“You can think of the address-change process as having two main parts,” Hernandez says.
“One is to complete an address change form with the Postal Service to get mail forwarded from mailers who don’t know your new address. The other is to update the address change with regular shippers and mailers who should have the new address, like your bank, insurance company, or government entities.”
Notify Mailers Before Your File with USPS
You can make the transition much smoother if you notify mailers of your address change before you even complete the Postal Service’s form.
Make a list of everyone who sends you mail or packages and, at least two weeks before you move, notify them of the new address and the effective date. Skipping this step may delay items by creating a lag in the address management system, causing items to be sent to your old address.
Complete the Change of Address Form (COA)
The Postal Service’s change mailing address form is officially called a Change of Address order, or COA (Form 3575).
“It’s critical that you complete the COA with a full address,” Hernandez says. “Without it, your mail will be undeliverable as addressed and eventually returned to sender.” USPS will hold your accumulated mail for only 10 days, making it available for you to pick up at the local Post Office before returning items to their senders.
When to Submit Your COA
You don’t have to be too precise about timing. The Postal Service will accept the form up to 90 days before your move, and it will only start forwarding mail until the date you specify. You can also submit the form up to 30 days after you’ve moved, although this isn’t recommended.
Change Address Online or In Person
The COA can be completed either online or in person, but if you’ve waited until the last minute, you’ll want to go the online route for faster service.
To change address online, visit https://moversguide.usps.com/. USPS requires two-factor authentication, so you’ll need to have a mobile number and email, plus a debit or credit card for the $1.25 fee.
Warning: Only use the official USPS site. Third-party websites can charge up to $40.
To complete the COA in person, visit the Post Office and ask for a change of address form. There’s no charge for submitting the COA in person, but you’ll need a valid primary ID.
It’s recommended to bring a secondary form of ID in case they ask for it, or the address on your primary ID doesn’t match your old address listed on the COA form.
- Primary ID (driver’s license, passport, Green Card, or university ID)
- Secondary ID (voter card, vehicle registration, insurance policy, or lease/mortgage).
If you’re moving to a different country, you’ll need to fill out a paper form and submit it in person.
You can also complete the COA form at home and mail it in, but you’ll later receive a letter from the Postal Service instructing you to finalize your authentication either online or in person.
“The process itself is easy to follow,” says Hernandez. You’ll provide the complete addresses from which and to which you’re moving, and your effective move date. Double-check that the information is complete and correct.
Temporary vs. Permanent Moves
When completing the form, you must indicate whether the address change is temporary or permanent.
The temporary option is great for snowbirds or people on sabbatical. It allows you to have mail forwarded to a different address for a minimum of 15 days and a maximum of 185 days.
Moving as a Family
You can complete a single form for your entire family if you share the same last name and are moving to the same address. Otherwise, each member needs a separate “individual move” request.
What Happens After You Submit
After you submit the form, USPS will make two mailings: a Move Validation Letter to your old address and a Change of Address Welcome Kit to your new address. The Welcome Kit contains a 16-digit confirmation code. Hang onto that in case you need to make changes or cancel the COA.
There may be a lag of seven to 10 business days after your effective move date before mail starts arriving at your new address. USPS forwards mail for up to a year.
Where You Need to Update Your Address
Of course, completing a change of address means more than just ensuring that the Postal Service knows where to send your mail. You’ll also need to go through an address update process for various entities, whether they send you mail or not:
- Driver’s license or state ID: Change your address on your driver’s license by updating your information with the DMV—requirements vary by state, but you’ll typically need proof of your new address and your current ID.
- Banks and credit cards: Update billing addresses for bank accounts, debit cards, credit cards, and any business that keeps a card on file.
- Employer: Notify HR so tax forms and other mail reach you.
- Insurance providers: Make sure your health, auto, and home insurers have your current address.
- Subscriptions and online accounts: Update shipping and billing info for recurring services.
What Information You’ll Need
“Changing your address is not a very document-intensive process,” Hernandez says. To recap, you’ll need:
- Your old address
- Your new address
- Your move’s effective date
- A form of ID (see the primary/secondary ID list above)
- A mobile number, email, and debit/credit card (if filing online, for two-factor authentication and the $1.25 fee)
Common Mistakes to Avoid
USPS has designed its address-change process to be simple, but small oversights can still cause delays:
- Incomplete addresses: “Avoid issues by making sure your forwarding order has complete official addresses, including apartment or unit numbers, for both the old and new address,” Hernandez says.
- Missed accounts: Updating some, but not all, of your accounts can cause delays. Start a list well before your move so nothing slips through.
- Missing ID: Showing up to the Post Office without the right forms of ID (see above) is a common holdup.
- Waiting too long: You have only 30 days after your move to notify USPS, and other entities should ideally be notified in advance.
