Moving Tips > Moving Library > How to Change Your Address Online with USPS

Moving can be an incredibly hectic experience. Between hiring a moving company and managing the logistics of your relocation, there seems to be little time for anything else. There are about 1,001 other tasks that have to be completed. One of them is changing your address with the Post Office so that you can have all of your mail forwarded to your new home. Fortunately for those who can’t spare the time to make a physical trip, a USPS change of address can be completed entirely online. Here’s how.

1. Get started by visiting www.USPS.com/moversguide.
2. Review the online Privacy Policy and click the icon indicating that you’ve read and understand the policy.
   
3. Indicate whether your move is permanent or temporary. In this case, a temporary move is defined as being less than a year. Although the Post Office will only forward your mail for six months, you can ask for an extension that’ll keep your mail coming to you for up to a year.
4. Using the website calendar, specify the date that you want your mail to start forwarding to your new address. You can only submit your request online within three months of the actual date.
5. Indicate the “type” of move you’re making. For example, if you’re the only person in your family who’s moving and want to limit forwarding to only mail addressed to you, specify “Individual.” If your entire family is moving, specify “Family.” If the address you’re changing is a business address, specify “Business.”
6. Complete the required fields that ask for your name, current address, the address where you want your mail to be forwarded, and your email address.
7. Enter a valid credit card number. This is required as a security measure to verify your identity through the billing address tied to your credit card. Doing so prevents an unauthorized person from changing your address without your knowledge. Your credit card will be charged $1. Once the credit authorization has gone through, the process for changing your address online has been completed. If you’d rather not use a credit card online or don’t want to pay the $1 fee, you can complete a manual Change of Address form by visiting your nearest Post Office branch.

As a precautionary measure, never establish your change of address to take place before you’ll have a chance to receive your mail. One of the easiest ways of having your identity stolen is to leave important documents like credit card statements and other bills in an unattended mailbox where strangers can get ahold of them. Be aware, however, that if you’re submitting your change of address request on short notice, it can take up to 10 days for rerouting to kick in. Unless you’re going to have access to both mailboxes, your best bet is to submit a change of address at least two weeks in advance of your move.