Change of Address Checklist 2026: The Complete, Easy Guide

Updated on September 5, 2026

A change of address checklist is the single list that keeps your mail, money, and services from getting lost when you move. The short version: file your USPS mail forwarding first, then notify your bank, employer, insurers, the DMV, voter registration, subscriptions, and your utility providers. Work through the change of address checklist below in the two weeks around moving day and nothing important slips through the cracks.

What is a change of address?

A change of address (COA) is the formal update that tells a company or agency where you now live so your mail, bills, and account notices reach the right door. With the U.S. Postal Service, a permanent update forwards your mail to a new home for good, while a temporary one forwards it for a set window — handy for a seasonal move or an extended trip. The USPS forward is a safety net, not a substitute for updating each account directly. Mail forwarding buys you time; the change of address checklist is what actually finishes the job.

Start with USPS: how to change your address

The USPS filing is step one of any change of address checklist because it forwards mail from anyone you forget. You can complete it in about five minutes.

1. Go to the official USPS Movers Guide at moversguide.usps.com (or ask at any Post Office for free PS Form 3575).
2. Choose permanent or temporary, and an individual, family, or business move.
3. Enter your old address, new address, and the date you want forwarding to start.
4. Verify your identity with a credit or debit card — this is the $1.10 identity-verification fee that also blocks fraudulent address changes.
5. Save your confirmation code in case you need to edit or cancel the forward later.

What it costs: filing online costs $1.10; filing in person with PS Form 3575 is free. How long it takes: USPS asks for at least three business days’ notice, and forwarding is fully active in about 7–10 business days — so start roughly two weeks before you move. How long it lasts: first-class mail forwards for 12 months, giving you a year to work through the full change of address checklist; magazines and other periodicals forward for 60 days.

Watch out for copycat sites. Only moversguide.usps.com and USPS.com are official. Third-party “change of address” sites often mimic the Postal Service and charge $40 or more for the exact same forward USPS provides for $1.10 — if a website asks for a large fee, close the tab and go straight to the source. There is never a reason to pay more than $1.10, so keep it near the top of your change of address checklist.

Who you need to tell when you move

Mail forwarding is temporary, so the heart of any change of address checklist is notifying each organization directly. Here is the master list of who to tell, when to tell them, and how — grouped so you can knock out a whole category at a time.

Your moving timeline: when to update each thing

A move goes smoother when the change of address checklist is spread across a couple of weeks instead of crammed into moving day. Here is the change of address checklist timeline our crews recommend after helping thousands of families relocate.

• 2 weeks before: File your USPS mail forwarding. Notify banks, credit cards, and loan servicers. Schedule utility transfers so power and internet are on at the new place on day one.
• 1 week before: Update auto, home/renters, and health insurance. Tell your employer’s HR/payroll team and your kids’ school.
• Moving week: Update subscriptions, memberships, streaming, and Amazon. Transfer prescriptions to a pharmacy near your new home.
• Week after move-in: Update your driver’s license and voter registration within your state’s deadline, refresh the IRS and Social Security, and confirm mail is actually arriving.

Special situations: out-of-state, military, and business moves

Most moves follow the change of address checklist above, but a few situations add steps worth knowing before you file.

• Moving out of state: You must get a new driver’s license and re-register your vehicle in your new state, usually within 30–90 days, and register to vote again — a simple address change does not transfer these across state lines.
• Military / PCS moves: Use a temporary forward if you are between duty stations, and update DEERS and your finance office separately; USPS forwarding does not update military records.
• Business or home office: File a business change of address with USPS, update your registered agent and state filings, and notify the IRS with Form 8822-B so tax notices follow you.
• P.O. boxes and packages: USPS mail forwarding does not automatically redirect UPS, FedEx, or Amazon deliveries — update those carriers and retailers in their own account settings.

Don’t forget the utilities at your new place

The line that trips people up most is utilities — because you are not just updating an address, you are starting or transferring service so the lights and Wi-Fi work the day you arrive. If you are in a deregulated state, you can also shop electricity and internet plans at your new address instead of defaulting to whatever the last resident had. These guides walk you through it step by step:

• How to transfer utilities when moving
• New home utilities checklist: what to set up & when
• Moving timeline: utility setup week by week

Moving soon? A few tips from the crew

After tens of thousands of moves, here is what saves our clients the most headaches: work the change of address checklist in one sitting with every account login open, take a phone photo of your old utility meter readings on move-out day, and keep a “first-night box” of essentials so you are not digging through boxes at midnight. Rather move without the heavy lifting? Our team handles the packing, loading, and hauling so you can focus on the details. Read the College HUNKS full-service moving guide, or compare your options with Utility Search.

Change of address checklist FAQ

Keep going

• How to transfer utilities when moving
• New home utilities checklist
• Moving timeline: utility setup week by week
• Utilities to cancel when moving out
• First apartment utilities checklist
• College move-in checklist

Written by the team at College HUNKS Hauling Junk & Moving. Last updated July 2026.