How To Change Your Address with USPS When Moving

If you’re planning a move within the United States and need to make sure your mail is directed to your new address, use this guide to help you file an official change of address with the USPS.

There are plenty of factors to worry about when moving, such as choosing the right packing materials and renting the right size storage unit to help save space during your move. One small but very important thing to consider is making sure the United States Postal Service (USPS) has your new address on file; forgetting to take care of this can mean your important mail is still going to your old address.

Luckily, the change of address process is pretty simple as long as you take care of it ahead of time. In this article, we’ll walk you through the steps to officially change your mailing address, as well as explain some useful terms and tips to make sure your mail arrives on schedule.

When should I change my address with the USPS?

It’s best practice to submit your official change of address to the USPS at least two weeks before your move. This allows some time for your forms to be properly processed and verified so you can start receiving important mail as soon as you’re moved in. However, if you’d like to get the process taken care of early, the USPS allows you to submit a change of address request up to 90 days before your move.

On the other hand, if you’re unable to get your request submitted before you move or you’re not too worried about missing mail, the USPS also accepts change of address submissions up to 30 days after your move. Waiting until you’re moved in isn’t ideal, but sometimes circumstances require a late submission.

How do I officially change my address with the USPS?

When you’re ready to submit your change of address form, you can do so one of two ways: online with the USPS website, or in-person at your local post office. Let’s look at both.

Changing an address online

To save yourself a trip to the post office and take care of the change of address process digitally, you can submit your form through the USPS website. Create an account with the USPS, then fill out the Change of Address form. You’ll receive a verification link on your phone, then be asked for a credit or debit card that matches your old or new address to pay the $1.10 identity verification fee.

If everything checks out, all you have to do is wait to start receiving mail at your new address. However, if there’s an issue with verifying your identity, you’ll be asked to travel to your local post office anyway to verify in person.

Changing an address in person

If you’ve got the time to spare or you’d rather avoid paying the verification fee, you can take a quick trip to your local post office and fill out a PS Form 3575 (change of address form) there. Once you’re done, you can hand the form to the post office clerk or simply drop it in the mailbox if there’s too long of a wait.

While you won’t have to pay a fee, the post office will still need to verify your identity to make sure the change of address is legitimate and valid. You’ll need to bring your current, valid United States driver’s license or another form of identification. For a complete list of accepted IDs, take a look at the USPS Change of Address FAQs.

Confirming your official USPS change of address

Online and in-person change of address requests will both require you to provide a valid email address, where you’ll receive an email notification with a 9-digit address change confirmation code. You’ll also receive a physical letter with the same code in case of any email delivery issues. Make sure you have this code on file to either verify that your address has been officially changed, or cancel the request if your circumstances change and you need to keep receiving mail at your old address.

Within a few weeks, you’ll also receive a USPS Mover’s Guide packet in your mailbox. This not only confirms that your new address is properly in the USPS system, but contains plenty of additional information on updating your address with other US government agencies and services if you need to do so. This packet also contains coupons and discounts from retailers and providers you may need to use after moving, such as utilities, moving trucks, furniture dealers, internet service providers, and home improvement stores.

How long will it take for my change of address to take effect with the USPS?

Once you’ve verified your identity and officially submitted your change of address request to the USPS, the mail forwarding process should begin after around three business days. However, allow up to two weeks for the change to take effect in case there’s a backup in processing and validating your request.

After you schedule the change, the USPS will mail a Move Validation Letter to the address you’re leaving, as well as a Customer Notification Letter or a Welcome Kit to your new address within 5 business days before the change of address start date. These documents all help notify you that your request has successfully been processed.

Are there other temporary solutions for forwarding or holding mail from an old address?

Yes! If you don’t want to permanently change your mail delivery address, the USPS offers a couple of temporary solutions: mail forwarding and mail holding. Read on to find out whether these services are the right ones for you.

Mail forwarding

If you’re moving into a temporary place or you plan on staying in temporary housing before moving into a new permanent home, you can forward your mail to your temporary address instead of permanently changing your address. Forwarding temporarily redirects mail from your old address to a different one for a specific period of time; typical mail forwarding requests are about a year long, but you can submit a request to extend the service for up to six additional months.

You’ll submit a forwarding request either online or in person at the post office when you need to start receiving mail at your temporary address, then submit a separate request when you leave to either stop the forwarding or change the address to your new one. If you need it, you can request extended mail forwarding when you first submit your form or add it on later when managing your request through the USPS website.

Mail holding

For shorter periods of time when you won’t be at home, such as a vacation or a short-term stay with a friend during your move, you can ask the post office to hold your mail rather than redirecting it. After the USPS approves a hold mail request, your local post office will hold on to any mail you receive during the period you specify rather than delivering it.

Mail holding services are available for a minimum of three days and up to 30 days, and you can schedule them up to 30 days in advance. When the period ends, you can either receive all your mail at once at your current address, or travel to the post office to pick it up yourself.

If you’re expecting to receive important documents in the mail during a specific period, a hold mail request is the perfect way to keep them from being lost or stolen from your mailbox. This also goes for package deliveries and checks. If you’re going to be away for more than 30 days, consider submitting a mail forwarding request in addition to your hold mail request so you’ll receive everything you need wherever you’re staying.

How do I change my address with other companies and organizations?

The postal service isn’t the only place you’ll need to update your address with when you move. You’ll need to change your address on file with your credit card companies, utility providers, banks or credit unions, and healthcare providers. It’s also important to update your driver’s license with your new home address, as well as your passport and car registration, to avoid any delays of important services that may require your ID.

Make sure you update your voter registration as well! Whether you move a short way or a long distance, your local district may change, and it’s important to have your new address on file so you can receive a ballot that reflects the state, county, city, and district you live in.

Why do I need to change my address when I move?

If you fail to update your mailing address with the USPS before you move into a new home, you may not receive the mail you need in time. Everything from important documents to checks to a jury duty summons can end up at the wrong address. You also run the risk of being a victim of identity theft or having a check or cash stolen.

How else can I make my move easier?

Changing your address is a simple but important step when you’re moving into a new home. As long as you submit your change of address form in time, you’ll start receiving your mail at your new place as soon as you’re moved in. Mail forwarding and mail holding services can also be useful if you need more of a short-term solution for mail.

There are many more things to consider when moving than just changing your address, though, and SelfStorage.com is here to help you with those as well. Browse our catalog of useful articles on packing and moving to stay up-to-date on best practices and save money, or take a look at our built-in search tool to help you find a storage unit for your stuff while you move at a competitive price.