The short answer
File a USPS change of address online at moversguide.usps.com for a $1.25 identity verification fee, or for free at a Post Office with PS Form 3575 from the Mover’s Guide packet. Allow 7–10 business days for it to take effect. A permanent change forwards First-Class Mail for 12 months, but USPS doesn’t tell the IRS, your bank, or anyone else, so notify them yourself.
How do I change my address with USPS online?
USPS runs its change-of-address form on moversguide.usps.com, which you can also reach from the “Change My Address” link on usps.com. The online form walks you through four steps.
If the online check succeeds, USPS emails a confirmation code; keep it, because you need it to change or cancel the request. USPS then mails a Move Validation letter to your old address and, about five business days before the start date, a Customer Notification Letter with the confirmation code to your new address, along with a welcome kit of partner coupons.
If USPS can’t verify you online, it emails instructions and a barcode. Bring that email and acceptable photo ID to a Post Office to finish the request.
- Choose Individual, Family, or Business and fill in your old address, new address, and start date.
- Opt in to receive a verification code or link on your mobile phone.
- Pay the $1.25 identity verification fee by card; the card’s billing address must match your old or new address.
- Save the confirmation code USPS emails you.
Can I change my address at the Post Office instead?
Yes. Take acceptable photo ID to a Post Office, ask for the free Mover’s Guide packet, fill out PS Form 3575 from the packet, and hand it to the retail associate. The associate checks your photo ID and processes the request. The Postal Inspection Service says a change of address is free when you file in person; the fee applies to online filing.
Some requests have to be filed in person: if you’re moving outside the United States (file before you leave), if you’re filing for someone else, or if you can’t verify your identity online. Filing for someone else makes you their “authorized agent”: bring a birth certificate for a child under 18, or a power of attorney for an adult who can’t act for themselves. To forward a deceased person’s mail, you need documents showing you’re the executor or administrator; USPS says a death certificate alone isn’t enough.
If you can’t verify your identity online or at a Post Office, USPS can’t process the change. Your only option then is to give your new address directly to everyone who sends you mail.
Should I file as an individual, family, or business?
The form offers three move types, and the choice decides whose mail follows you.
Mail addressed to anyone not covered by your request keeps going to the old address. If adults with different last names are moving together, each should file their own Individual request.
- Individual: forwards mail for one named person.
- Family: forwards mail for everyone in the household who shares the same last name.
- Business: forwards mail addressed to a business. If you file a business change in person, bring proof that you’re authorized to act for the business, such as a notarized letter, a power of attorney, or a letter on company letterhead signed by someone in a leadership role.
What’s the difference between a temporary and a permanent change of address?
A permanent change of address is for a move you don’t plan to undo. A temporary change of address is for a stay of 15 days to one year, such as a school term or a long visit with family.
Under DMM 507.2.1.3, a first temporary order can run from 15 to 185 days. To stay longer, file a second order that starts on day 186 and ends by day 364, so temporary forwarding tops out at 12 months. Every temporary order needs a start date and an end date, and mail goes back to your old address when the order ends.
For an absence of 3–30 days, USPS Hold Mail is usually simpler: the Post Office holds all your mail and delivers it when you get back, instead of forwarding it.
How long does USPS forward mail?
A permanent change of address generally forwards mail for 12 months. When forwarding ends, USPS returns mail to the sender for another 6 months with a label showing your new address. DMM 507.2.1.1 says Post Offices keep permanent change-of-address records for 18 months from the end of the month the change takes effect. How a piece is treated in those 12 months depends on its mail class.
Some mail isn’t forwarded no matter how long the order runs. For security, government agencies and financial institutions often block forwarding of sensitive items such as driver’s licenses, voter registration materials, credit cards, bank statements, and insurance or medical information. Those senders need your new address directly.
| Mail class | Forwarded? | Cost to you |
|---|---|---|
| First-Class Mail (letters, bills, cards) | Yes, for 12 months on a permanent order | Free |
| Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage | Yes | Free |
| Periodicals (magazines, newsletters) | Yes, for 60 days, if fully prepaid by the sender | Free |
| Media Mail | Yes | You pay postage from your old Post Office to your new address |
| USPS Marketing Mail (ads, catalogs) | Only if the sender paid forwarding postage | None; otherwise it isn’t forwarded |
When does a change of address take effect, and how do I change or cancel it?
USPS says to plan ahead: once your request is approved, allow at least 7–10 business days for it to take effect. After that, mail is forwarded piece by piece as it arrives, so forwarded letters reach you a little later than mail addressed straight to your new home.
To change dates, fix an address, or cancel, use the confirmation code from your email or Customer Notification Letter on USPS’s Manage My Move page. Add Extended Mail Forwarding the same way, either when you first file or later by editing the request. USPS emails a reminder when one month of forwarding is left.
Mail sent back because forwarding ran out or was never set up is covered in our guide to returned-to-sender mail.
Why did a change of address website charge me $40?
You may have used a look-alike site instead of USPS. The Postal Inspection Service warns that some websites charge up to $40 for a change of address, and in some cases the change is never made. USA.gov gives the same warning: you don’t need to pay a separate company, and scammers may charge $40 or more for what USPS does for a small fee.
To avoid them, type usps.com into your browser yourself or start from the link on usa.gov rather than clicking a search ad, and check that the form is on moversguide.usps.com. The only online charge should be the identity verification fee. If you were charged by a fake site, the Postal Inspection Service asks you to report it.
Who else do I need to notify when I move?
A USPS change of address updates your mailing address only with the Post Office. USPS says it’s up to you to tell government agencies, companies, and everyone else who sends you mail. Use this change-of-address checklist; the government links come from USA.gov’s change-of-address page.
| Who | How to update |
|---|---|
| IRS | File Form 8822 (individuals) or Form 8822-B (businesses), use your new address on your next tax return, send a signed written statement, or tell the IRS in person or by phone |
| Social Security | Update your contact information through Social Security’s page linked from USA.gov |
| Veterans benefits | Change your address on file with VA |
| Immigration (USCIS) | Use USCIS’s online address change |
| Driver’s license and vehicle registration | Your state motor vehicle agency (USA.gov lists each state) |
| Voter registration | Your state election office or vote.gov |
| Banks, credit cards, and lenders | Update your profile with each company; statements and cards often aren’t forwarded |
| Insurers, doctors, and pharmacies | Contact each one; insurance and medical mail often isn’t forwarded |
| Employer and payroll | Tell HR or payroll so pay and tax documents reach you |
| Utilities, subscriptions, and everyone else who mails you | Update online accounts or send a short letter with your old and new addresses |
Can IRIS send my change-of-address letters?
IRIS Postal Forms is an independent print-and-mail service, not USPS. It can’t file a change of address, forward your mail, or receive mail for you. It can mail the ordinary letters that tell a company, landlord, or subscription service about your new address. You upload a US Letter-size PDF, enter the sender and recipient addresses, review the document, addresses, options, and total, and IRIS prints it and sends it by USPS First-Class Mail. You don’t need stamps or an envelope. A one-page black-and-white letter costs $3.20.
Keep those letters simple: name, old address, new address, account number, and the date the change starts. Don’t upload Social Security numbers or other government identifiers. That means the IRS’s Form 8822 or a written statement with your SSN goes in your own envelope. If you need to know which address to put on file, start with our guide to what a mailing address is.
Sources & further reading
Product details checked against the IRIS API contract when this article was published. Platform references can change; consult the linked documentation when implementing.
- USPS: Standard Forward Mail & Change of Address
- USPS DMM 507: Mailer services
- USPS Notice 123: Price list (effective October 4, 2026)
- USPS: Premium Forwarding Services
- USPIS: Change-of-address scams
- USA.gov: How to change your address
- IRS: How do I notify the IRS my address has changed?
Published by IRIS Postal Forms, operated by Great Lakes Computing Office LLC. Send a correction.