Forwarded for free
- First-Class Mail and periodicals (newsletters, magazines)
- Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, and USPS Ground Advantage packages
- Mail addressed individually to you (i.e., not bulk advertising)
How do I set up USPS mail forwarding to my new address and what does it cover?
A practical walkthrough of USPS Standard Forward Mail: how to file it, what gets forwarded for free, what doesn't, how long it lasts, and the accounts you still have to update yourself.
Submit a Change of Address at moversguide.usps.com (or on PS Form 3575 at the Post Office), pay the $1.25 identity-verification fee if filing online, and USPS will reroute most First-Class, periodical, and Priority mail piece by piece to your new address. Standard forwarding covers 12 months; you can pay to extend it up to 18 more months. It does not forward USPS Marketing Mail, requires you to pay postage for Media Mail, and does not update your address with banks, insurers, government agencies, or anyone else—you must do those directly.
USPS Standard Forward Mail is the simplest way to redirect physical mail from your old address to your new one, but it has clear limits. Filing it is fast and cheap—about $1.25 online—and it catches the everyday letters, bills, and packages most people think of as "mail." It does not, however, change your address anywhere else. Your bank, the IRS, your state's DMV, and every subscription you have are still on their own.
What mail forwarding actually covers
Once your Change of Address is active, USPS reroutes mail piece by piece as it arrives at your old address. Forwarding is free for the categories most movers care about; a couple of mail classes are treated differently.
Not free, or not forwarded
- Media Mail: forwarded, but you must pay the shipping cost from your local Post Office to the new address
- USPS Marketing Mail (the bulk/advertising class): not forwarded at all—it is discarded
- Mail the sender has marked "Return Service Requested" or "Address Service Requested" instead
How to file it online
Filing Standard Forward Mail at moversguide.usps.com
- Start at the official USPS Change of Address page
Go to moversguide.usps.com. Be cautious of look-alike sites; the legitimate online fee is about $1.25 for identity verification, not the $40+ some third-party sites charge.
- Pick Individual, Family, or Business
Family covers everyone at the old address who shares the same last name. Business moves require documentation (notarized letter, power of attorney, or leadership-signed company letterhead) if filed in person.
- Verify your identity on your phone
Opt in to receive a one-time verification code or link on your mobile phone, and pay the $1.25 fee. The billing address on your card must match either your old or your new address.
- Watch for USPS's two letters
If verification succeeds, USPS emails a confirmation code to keep for later edits or cancellation, mails a Move Validation letter to your old address, and about five business days before your start date sends a Customer Notification Letter (with the confirmation code) plus a welcome kit to your new address.
How to file it at the Post Office
You can also walk into any Post Office and do it on paper. Ask for the free Mover's Guide packet, fill out PS Form 3575 inside, and hand it to the retail associate along with acceptable photo ID. The clerk will verify your identity in person and process the request at no charge beyond normal identity checks.
Timing: when forwarding actually starts
USPS says forwarding can begin within three business days of a submitted request, but it's safer to plan for up to two weeks of overlap during which mail is still arriving at the old address. During that window, the safest approach is to have someone check the old mailbox and forward anything important by hand, or to use Hold Mail service if you'll be away three to thirty days.
How long forwarding lasts—and how to extend it
Standard Forward Mail covers 12 months. When you set up the change of address—or later, by editing your request—you can pay to extend it for an additional 6, 12, or 18 months (18 months is the maximum). USPS will email you when you have one month left. After your forwarding period ends, USPS will return mail to the sender for six months with a label showing your new address.
What forwarding does NOT do
This is the most common point of confusion. Your USPS Change of Address order only changes your mailing address with the Post Office. It does not update any other account. Federal and state agencies, banks, insurers, employers, healthcare providers, subscription services, and online stores all keep their own address records and need to be contacted directly.
High-risk accounts to update yourself (don't rely on forwarding)
- IRS / federal taxes
Update the address on file with the IRS so refunds, notices, and tax correspondence reach you.
- Social Security Administration
If you receive benefits, your SSA address must be updated directly with the agency.
- VA (Veterans benefits)
Use VA.gov to change the address on file; forwarding alone won't redirect benefits mail reliably.
- State DMV and voter registration
Driver's license and vehicle registration moves are state-specific; many states require an address change within a set window after you move. Voter registration is handled by your state election office.
- USCIS
If you have an immigration case pending, update your address with USCIS directly—federal rules require it within a short window of moving.
- Banks, credit cards, insurers, employers, utilities, subscriptions
Each one holds its own record. Log in or call to update; don't wait for forwarding to "find" you.
When federal interstate rules may not apply
The Change of Address process described above is a federal USPS service, and it works the same whether your new address is across town or across the country. But several of the things you'll need to update on your own are governed by state law, not federal law, and the rules shift when your move is purely in-state versus crossing state lines.
Interstate vs. in-state: where the rules differ
| Item | Interstate move | In-state move |
|---|---|---|
| USPS mail forwarding | Federal service; same rules apply | Federal service; same rules apply |
| Driver's license & vehicle registration | Most states require a new license and registration; deadlines vary (often 10–30 days) | Still state-specific, but you may keep your same license class and only update the address, often by mail or online |
| Voter registration | Update with the new state's election office; you may be registering for the first time there | Update with the same state, usually faster and entirely online |
| State income tax | You'll likely file as a resident of your new state for part of the year (and possibly a part-year return in the old state) | No state-to-state change; just update your address with the same state agency |
| Insurance (auto, home, health) | Premiums, coverage, and minimums can change with the new state | Coverage typically continues; just update the address with your insurer |
Optional alternatives if you need more than rerouting
Other USPS options worth knowing about
- Hold Mail: Pauses all delivery at your address for 3–30 days (good for short trips or gaps between move-out and move-in).
- Premium Forwarding Service: For a fee, mail is bundled and shipped to you weekly (residential) or on a daily/weekly/monthly schedule (business), via Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express.
- Informed Delivery: A free daily digest of incoming mail, useful for spotting if something important is being forwarded late or not at all.
SUMMARY
The bottom line
File Standard Forward Mail as early as you can—at least two weeks before your move if possible—and use USPS.com directly to avoid look-alike scams. Use it to catch the everyday mail you didn't get a chance to redirect; treat it as a safety net, not a substitute for updating your address with banks, insurers, government agencies, and subscriptions yourself. If your move is purely in-state, the USPS process is unchanged, but driver's license, vehicle registration, voter registration, and state tax steps usually get easier—still worth doing promptly, since most states have their own deadlines.
Common questions
Before you move on
How long does USPS mail forwarding last?+
Standard Forward Mail lasts 12 months. You can pay to extend it for 6, 12, or 18 more months at the time you file or by editing your request later (18 months total is the maximum). After forwarding ends, USPS returns mail to the sender for 6 months with a label showing your new address.
Does mail forwarding cover packages and magazines?+
Yes. First-Class Mail, periodicals (magazines and newsletters), Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, and USPS Ground Advantage are all forwarded for free. Media Mail is forwarded, but you have to pay the shipping cost from your local Post Office to your new address. USPS Marketing Mail (bulk advertising) is not forwarded.
Will USPS update my address with my bank, the DMV, and the IRS?+
No. A USPS Change of Address only updates your mailing address with the Post Office. You must contact banks, insurers, the IRS, SSA, VA, your state's DMV, voter registration, and any subscriptions directly to change the address on file with each one.
Is USPS mail forwarding different if I move in-state versus out-of-state?+
USPS forwarding itself is the same in both cases—it's a federal service. What changes are the items you have to update yourself: your driver's license, vehicle registration, voter registration, and state income tax are all governed by state law and typically easier (and sometimes faster) when you're staying in the same state.