Update USPS, the IRS, SSA, VA, and other agencies in the right order so mail, tax notices, and benefits follow you after a move.
Start with the U.S. Postal Service through USPS.com/move (the official $1.10 online change-of-address form), then update the IRS, Social Security, Veterans Affairs, USCIS (if applicable), your state's driver's license/vehicle registration, and your voter registration. Forwarded mail alone is not a substitute for updating each agency directly.
An address change is really several separate updates: one with the Postal Service for mail forwarding, and separate ones with each federal or state agency that holds a record on you. USPS mail forwarding is not enough, because most agencies route mail through their own files, not through the post office. Plan to touch each agency yourself.
USPS mail forwarding is the backbone of the move, because it catches anything you forget to update. File it before you leave if you can.
Each federal agency maintains its own address file. Updating USPS does not update them. Plan to log into each account or file a separate form.
Notify the IRS of your new address so refunds, notices, and tax bills reach you. You can do this by filing Form 8822, by writing the new address on the next return you send, or through your IRS online account.
If you receive Social Security benefits or have a my Social Security account, update your mailing address through the SSA portal so benefit letters and tax forms (such as SSA-1099) arrive correctly.
If you get VA benefits, update your address on VA.gov so appointment letters, prescriptions, and benefit decisions are not lost.
If you have a pending application or are a noncitizen with an immigration case, file a change of address with USCIS. Most address changes for ongoing applications must be filed within 10 days of moving.
If you receive notices from other federal agencies (federal student loans, federal retirement, etc.), update each one directly.
Two of the most consequential updates are state, not federal, and they have hard deadlines tied to residency.
File online at USPS.com/move so forwarding starts the day you move.
Log into each account or file the relevant paper form so refunds and benefits follow you.
Each state sets its own deadline, often 10 to 30 days.
Verify that forwarded mail is no longer needed and that each new account is updated.
SUMMARY
File USPS mail forwarding first through USPS.com/move, then update the IRS, SSA, VA, USCIS, your state's DMV, and your voter registration directly. Forwarded mail is a safety net, not a substitute. If you stay in the same state, federal interstate rules generally do not apply, so check your state's own deadlines for driver's license, vehicle, voter, and state tax updates.
Common questions
Yes. USPS forwards mail but does not change the address each agency has on file. Most federal and state agencies mail using their own records, so a forwarded envelope can still go to the wrong place if you did not update them directly.
The USPS online change of address costs $1.10. USAGov warns that paid lookalike sites may charge $40 or more for the same form, so file only through USPS.com/move or at a post office.
Federal interstate rules generally apply only when you cross state lines. An in-state move is governed by your state's laws, so check that state's DMV, voter registration, and tax deadlines directly.