You may plan to go to another city for a vacation or permanently change your location. Of course, you’ll surely be thinking about changing your mailing address.
If you’ve been asking yourself how to change your mailing address, this guide is for you. Here, we’ll discuss all you need to know about changing your mailing address, like cost, available options, requirements, and more in the easiest way. Please feel free to grab a chilled juice as you go through the guide.
How USPS Change of Address works:
- Change of address online
- Change of address at the post office
- USPS Change Of Address Cost
- Confirmation code importance
- Cancel Change Of Address Request
- A smart alternative to the physical mailbox
But before we get into how to change your mailing address, let’s look at when you would need to take this step.
When would you like to apply for a change of address?
Whenever you move from one place to another, you must apply for a change of address. Whether you’re as an individual, your whole family or your business is changing location.
After choosing the type of move, the next thing is to specify your mail forwarding date; that’s when you want to start receiving mail at your new address. You should set the date a few days before relocating to your new address, as it usually takes the post office a week or more to forward your mail to the new address. This way, you can receive emails once you move to your new address.
Now let’s look at the three best ways to change your mailing address
1. USPS Change of Address
USPS change of address is done online, and it’s the easiest way to change your mailing address. Here are the steps to follow:
- Go to USPS.com/move to change your mailing address online
- From the track and management tab, choose a change of address
- You’ll be redirected to the Change of Address form, where you’ll be required to fill in your details, old and new address, as well as the type of move, whether permanent or temporary
- You’ll be required to pay a fee of $1.10. You’ll need a credit or debit card and a working email address. The $1.10 is a verification fee to prevent fraud and make sure you’re the one filing for a change of address.
- You’ll receive an email confirming your change of address with a confirmation code.
How Long Does the USPS Change of Address Last?
The duration of your USPS mail forwarding depends on the type of change of address you file for. There’s a temporary change of address, permanent, premium forwarding service commercial, and premium forwarding service residential.
For a temporary change of address, mail forwarding will last 15 days to 6 months. However, since you’ll choose the date, the mail forwarding will start, and when it ends, USPS temporary mail forwarding will last until your specified date.
Mail forwarding for a permanent change of address lasts for a year. However, some mail, like periodicals, will only be delivered in the first 60 days.
For PFS commercial, mail forwarding lasts only two weeks, while for PFS residential, mail forwarding lasts a minimum of 2 weeks and a maximum of 12 months.
Why is the USPS Change of Address Confirmation Code Very Important?
Keeping your USPS change of address confirmation code is essential whether you change your address online or in your local post office.
This code will be required to view, edit, or cancel your change of address request. In addition, you can change your email address, notification updates, moving status, mail forwarding date, and phone number with the code.
If you lost your confirmation code, you’d have to visit the Post office to make changes or cancel the service.
2. Post Office Change of Address
Another way to change your mailing address is by going to your local post office and filling out the required forms. Here are the steps:
- Request for a change of address form, also known as the PS form 3575
- You’ll be required to fill in your details, date of move, and type of move just like in the online form
- Change of address is done for free in the post office, but you’ll be required to present a valid photo ID like your passport or driving license for ID verification
- You’ll receive a confirmation letter together with your code within two weeks.
However, before you proceed to change your address, here are some details you ought to know:
What is the USPS change of address form 3575?
The USPS change of address form 3575, “PS Form 3575 or COA form,” is used to request the United States Postal Service (USPS) to change your mailing address to a new destination address when you move. Form 3575 enables you to inform USPS that you want to forward all your mail and packages to a new address.
You can request this service whether you are moving permanently or temporarily. Whether you will be spending a few days or months at your new address or residing for a long term, by filling out the Change of Address form, your packages and mail can be forwarded to the new address.
If you are moving temporarily, you can use this service for 15 days to 1 year by specifically stating so on the form. After the first 6 months, you must extend the forwarding service for another 6 months.
I want you to know that you need to specify in the form which needs a change of address, whether an individual, the entire family, or a business. You’ll also need to specify the date you want the forwarding starts, your full name, old and new residential addresses, or PO box addresses. After that, you sign the form and write down the actual date.
Once USPS receives the form, they will cease delivering mail and packages to the old address on the date stated. Then, you’ll have all your mail and packages forwarded to your new address within 7 to 10 days from the specified date.
USPS released a new version of the USPS form 3575 on 1st April 2017, making all previous copies obsolete.
Below is a copy of printable PS Form 3575
The USPS Form 3575 PDF (Printable
The USPS Change Of Address Form Online
Is it Better to Change the Address At the Post Office or Online?
A cost-efficient change of address at the post office is better since you don’t have to pay the verification fee. However, if you’re the type that loves doing things from the comfort of your room, an online change of address is a better option.
3. Change of Address By Phone
Another easy way to change your mailing address from home is by calling your phone. Here are the steps:
- Call 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777).
- Follow the instructions to change your mailing address
- Use your debit or credit card to pay a sum of $1 as a verification fee
How to Update Your Change of Address Online
If you want to modify personal details, date of move, type of move, or email address on your change of address form, you can do this online or go to the post office.
You’ll require the 16-digit code sent to your email address if you apply online or via mail if you apply in the post office. Here’s how to update your change of address online:
- Visit the USPS Change of Address page, where you can view, edit, or cancel your change of address order
- Insert your new zip code and your confirmation code, then click on Get Started
- Make changes wherever you want to and save them.
Note: You can only make 2 changes per day, and you’ll get an error message if you try making a third change.
What if you lost your confirmation code and want to modify your change of mailing address order? Here’s how to go about it:
How to Update Your Change of Address In-Person
- Visit the nearest Local Post office to update your change of address
- You’ll be required to present your Photo ID and proof of residency at the old address, like a utility bill
- Request your update from the postal worker
How much does it cost to change your mailing address?
Changing your address is a simple process that can get done in just a few minutes for free at your local Post Office. If you’re doing it online, you’ll need to pay a $1.05 verification fee using your credit or debit card to verify your identity and protect you and your privacy from fraud.
What do you need to do next?
After applying for a change in mailing address, you need to update your mailing list, which mostly includes:
- Credit Card Company
- Banks
- Friends & Family
- Government entities
- Any magazine subscriptions, etc.
- Business partners, investors, creditors, etc. (if it’s a business)
When you prepare your list ahead of time, you’ll ensure no mistakes happen like mail getting lost or being returned to the Post Office because of a “wrong address.” You’ll get your mail delivered directly to you.
If you move and forget to apply for a USPS change of address, your mail will either be sent back to the sender or forwarded to your new address (if valid), but it’s risky.
Read more here: How to Forward Mail to Someone
Final Thoughts
If you’re a busy business person constantly moving around, it will be tedious to request a change of mailing address now and then. So here’s where the virtual mailbox comes into play.
A virtual mailbox is an ideal way for new startups looking for a good mailing address and busy business persons to manage their postal mail and packages efficiently online.
You’ll be assigned a street address with an actual mailbox. Then, the envelope is scanned and sent to your online mailbox whenever you receive new mail.
This way, you don’t have to change your mailing address wherever you go – your mailing address will be forwarded to you anywhere.
Using a virtual mailbox gives you a flexible mail option and provides you with an address you can use as a mailing or business address. So, go virtual, go forward