Mail forwarding and federal agency updates are two separate jobs. Here is the order to do them in, what USPS actually forwards, and which agencies you still have to notify yourself.
Treat this as two tracks. First, submit a change of address through USPS (online at moversguide.usps.com or at a Post Office with photo ID) so first-class and priority mail reroute for 12 months. Then, update your address directly with each federal agency that holds your records—IRS, Social Security, Veterans Affairs, and USCIS—because USPS does not share your new address with them. Driver's license, vehicle registration, and voter registration are handled by your state, and the rules for those vary depending on whether you moved across state lines or just across town.
The most common mistake when moving is assuming one form fixes everything. It does not. The Postal Service reroutes mail piece by piece for up to a year, but it does not push your new address to the IRS, Social Security, VA, or your state DMV. Each of those agencies keeps its own address file, and each one has its own update process. Plan on doing this in two passes: mail forwarding first, agency updates in parallel right after.
USPS offers Standard Forward Mail, which is the right tool for almost every domestic move. Forwarding can begin within three business days of submission, but allow up to two weeks for the first pieces to arrive, and expect forwarding to be piece-by-piece rather than bulk-shipped.
Use moversguide.usps.com. Do not pay a third-party website that mimics it—USPS charges a small identity-verification fee and nothing more for forwarding.
Family is only for people sharing the same last name moving to the same address at the same time. Otherwise file separate Individual requests.
Opt in to receive a one-time code or link on your mobile phone, then pay the $1.25 identity verification fee. The credit card billing address must match either the old or new address.
If verification succeeds, USPS emails a confirmation code. You will also receive a Move Validation letter at the old address and, about five business days before the start date, a Customer Notification Letter with the code at the new address. The code is required to edit or cancel the request later.
| Mail type | What happens |
|---|---|
| First-Class mail and periodicals | Forwarded for free |
| Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage | Forwarded for free |
| Media Mail | Forwarded, but you pay shipping from the local Post Office |
| USPS Marketing Mail (bulk/ads) | Not forwarded |
| Packages shipped by private carriers (UPS, FedEx, Amazon) | Not forwarded—contact the sender directly |
Standard forwarding runs 12 months. USPS sends a reminder email when one month is left, and you can extend in 6-, 12-, or 18-month blocks up to a maximum of 18 additional months. After forwarding ends, USPS returns your mail to the sender for six months with a label showing your new address, which gives stragglers a chance to update their own records. For a shorter trip of 3 to 30 days, USPS Hold Mail is a cheaper option that pauses delivery entirely.
Mail forwarding does not update your records at the agencies that pay you, tax you, or issue you credentials. Each of the agencies below keeps its own address file and expects you to log in and change it.
Update the address on your most recently filed return through IRS.gov, your tax account, or by filing Form 8822. A forwarded refund check from the old return will still arrive, but future notices and refunds go to the new address only after you update.
If you receive benefits or have a my Social Security account, change the address online at ssa.gov/personal-record/update-contact-information. Benefit payments and the annual SSA-1099 tax form follow this address.
Update through your VA.gov profile or by calling. The VA uses this address for benefit payments, appointment correspondence, and prescription shipments.
If you have a pending or approved application, file a Change of Address through your USCIS online account within 10 days of moving. Skipping this can cause notices, biometrics appointments, and cards to be sent to the wrong place.
Driver's license, vehicle registration and titling, and voter registration are run by your state, not the federal government. Each state's motor vehicle agency has its own deadline—commonly 10 to 30 days after the move—and its own process. The same is true of voter registration, where some states require you to re-register or update your registration when you move within the state, and others do not.
SUMMARY
Start USPS forwarding two weeks before move-in so the first wave of mail catches up to you, and use the same week to log into IRS, SSA, VA, and USCIS (or call if you do not have an online account). Save the USPS confirmation code so you can edit or cancel the request if the move date slips. Treat the state DMV and voter registration as separate, time-limited tasks with their own deadlines, and update high-risk accounts—bank, tax, benefits—on the same day you submit the USPS form rather than waiting for forwarded mail to remind you.
Common questions
Standard Forward Mail runs 12 months from the start date you choose. You can pay to extend it in 6-, 12-, or 18-month blocks up to a maximum of 18 additional months. After forwarding ends, USPS returns your mail to the sender for six months with a label showing your new address.
No. The official USPS change-of-address form at moversguide.usps.com charges $1.25 for identity verification and nothing more. Third-party sites that charge $40 or more are reselling the same form and are not affiliated with USPS.
No. USPS only updates the mailing address used by the Postal Service. You must update the IRS, Social Security, VA, and USCIS separately, each through its own online account or form.