But who wants to go through the hassle of filling out and filing more forms? Temporary change-of-addressĪ temporary change of address is more flexible than a permanent one. It’s not that a permanent change of address request can’t be undone once you’ve filed it. You should only file a permanent address form when circumstances genuinely dictate it. Having a fight with your girlfriend and moving into a friend’s place for a few nights - even if you don’t know how many nights - doesn’t qualify as an address-changing event. That’s the time to file a permanent change of address form. “I’m outta there! And I ain’t coming back!” As in, you found your dream job halfway across the country, you’ve sold your house, and you’ve dug up your favorite rose bushes to plant in your new backyard. Plan on filing your change of address form with the post office about two weeks before you move to enjoy uninterrupted service. Depending on your circumstances, you may decide to file a permanent change of address or a temporary one.įorwarding your mail should be somewhere in the middle of your moving checklist.

You may also want to consolidate the mail you receive at several locations.

Or you’re going to be away for an extended period - you’ve been offered a teaching fellowship at an out-of-town university, for example. Perhaps you’re moving to a new home or relocating to your second home for the season. There are a number of reasons why you might need your mail forwarded. One other note: if you receive mail under more than one name, it’s best to file a change of address form for each name you use. If you’re expecting time-sensitive bills in the mail, you may want to make other arrangements to pay them until the mail forwarding process is well underway. According to the USPS, this can take anywhere from a few days to up to two weeks. Once your mail forwarding service is set up, the postal service or mail forwarding company you use will begin redirecting your mail to the forwarding address you provided: letters, packages, magazines, the whole shebang.įinally, you can expect to receive your forwarded mail at your new address. Currently the cost to file a change of address form online is $1.10 - less than the price of gas to get you to the post office. What’s more, you can also file a change of address form online. The USPS also publishes a Mover’s Guide that provides a range of tips for people who are relocating. There’s no charge to do so, though you may be asked to provide some form of identification. It’s best to drop off your change of address form at the post office yourself. But you don’t want your form to get lost in the sauce or accidentally delivered to someone’s home. Some of them are salt-of-the-earth type folks. Nothing against mail carriers, of course. But that’s probably not the safest route to take. Many of us are accustomed to putting our outgoing mail in our mail slots, and mail carriers are usually happy to mail our letters for us. Mail carriers often carry USPS change of address forms with them. This can be a temporary or permanent address, depending on your needs. The form will ask you to provide the address where you want your mail forwarded. You can do this by filling out an official USPS change of address form with your postal service or signing up with a private mail forwarding company. Here’s how it typically works.įirst, you need to change your mailing address with the United States Postal Service and mail forwarding service. Mail forwarding is a service provided by postal authorities or private mail forwarding companies that allows you to receive mail at a different address than your current or primary address.

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