The Change of Address Checklist
Most moving stress is loud — boxes, trucks, stairs. Address changes are quiet, which is exactly why they get missed. Bills go to the old place. Voter ballots end up in someone else's mailbox. Tax refunds disappear for three months.
This is the complete list. Personal first, business second (if applicable to you). Where there's a direct form to file the change, the link is right there.
If you'd like this as a personalized section inside your move plan — with a checkbox next to each one — start a free Dovetail plan and the relevant items will be included automatically.
When should I start updating my address?
Begin about 4–6 weeks before your move. USPS forwarding is the first thing to file because it gives you a 12-month grace period if you miss anything else. Everything else can happen in the 2 weeks before the move and the 2 weeks after.
A few things to handle before you move (not after):
- USPS Change of Address — file 1–2 weeks before to start forwarding on move day
- Driver's license — most states require updating within 30 days of moving
- Voter registration — some states have deadlines tied to elections
Personal address changes
Government
| Update | When | Direct link |
|---|---|---|
| USPS Change of Address | 1–2 weeks before move | moversguide.usps.com |
| IRS (Form 8822) | Within 60 days of moving | Form 8822 |
| Social Security Administration | Within 30 days | ssa.gov |
| Medicare | If enrolled | medicare.gov |
| Driver's license | Within 30 days (varies by state) | usa.gov DMV finder |
| Vehicle registration | Within 30 days (varies by state) | Same state DMV |
| Voter registration | Before next election | vote.gov |
| Passport (if active travel coming) | When convenient | travel.state.gov |
| Selective Service (men 18–25) | Within 10 days | sss.gov |
Financial
The fastest way to lose track of money is to forget one of these. Most banks and credit card companies can update your address online in two minutes — but you have to remember they exist.
- Primary checking and savings banks
- Credit card companies (each one separately)
- Investment / brokerage accounts (Fidelity, Schwab, Vanguard, Robinhood, etc.)
- Retirement accounts (401k provider, IRA custodian)
- Student loan servicers
- Mortgage company (if applicable)
- Auto loan lender (if applicable)
- Insurance — home/renters, auto, life, umbrella, health (each company separately)
- PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, Zelle (if you have business profiles or addresses linked)
- Crypto exchanges if you maintain accounts with KYC verification
Healthcare
These are the ones most people forget. Doctors don't usually send mail, until they do — and a missed appointment reminder or a billing statement going to the wrong address becomes a real headache.
- Primary care physician
- Dentist
- Eye doctor / optometrist
- Specialists (cardiologist, dermatologist, etc.)
- Mental health providers (therapist, psychiatrist)
- Pharmacy (especially if you use mail-order prescriptions)
- Veterinarian
- Health insurance — separate from the insurance you might update for tax purposes
Employment & income
- Employer HR (update in their system)
- Direct deposit / payroll provider
- Benefits provider
- Retirement plan provider (if separate from your employer)
- Professional associations or licensing boards
- Side income sources (Substack, Patreon, freelance platforms)
Pets
If you have pets, a handful of pet-specific records need to follow you to the new address. Most aren't strictly required, but the ones tied to your pet's safety — microchip, insurance — are worth handling fast.
- Microchip registry — HomeAgain, AKC Reunite, 24PetWatch, or whoever maintains your pet's chip. Update online; if you don't know which company, your vet has it on file.
- Pet insurance — Trupanion, Healthy Paws, Lemonade, Embrace, Nationwide, etc. Each company has its own portal.
- Pet pharmacy and mail-order meds — Chewy auto-ship, 1-800-PetMeds, Allivet
- Pet food subscriptions — Chewy, BarkBox, vendor-specific delivery
- Dog walker, pet sitter, groomer — anyone who comes to your home or needs to know where you live
- Boarding facility — if you have a regular boarding place, update so reservations don't go to the wrong address
- City or county pet license — many municipalities require pet license updates within 30 days of moving (and require a new license in your new city)
- Breed registry (AKC, etc.) — if your pet is registered
- Trainer or obedience class records — for records continuity if you're transferring trainers
Kids
Moving with kids adds a layer of administrative work that childless moves don't have. Most of it is school-related; the rest is everything else that touches their week.
- Current school district — request student records transfer and notify of withdrawal date. Schools need at least a week of notice.
- New school district — enroll early. You'll need immunization records, birth certificate, proof of residency, and previous transcripts.
- Daycare or preschool — cancel current enrollment (most require 30 days notice) and start the new one if applicable
- After-school programs — clubs, tutoring, religious education
- Sports leagues, teams, clubs — both current (notify withdrawal) and future (research roster windows; some sports have fall sign-ups in spring)
- Children's library card — most libraries are local-only; update so cards work in the new area
- 529 plan or college savings account — the plan can move with you, but your address on file should be current
- Children's separate health insurance — if your kids are on a different policy than you (CHIP, Medicaid, etc.)
- Camps — summer camp, day camp deposits and contact info
- Tutors and instructors — current and future, including music, art, dance
- Pediatric specialists — pediatric dentist, orthodontist, eye doctor, therapist (separate from the general Healthcare section above)
Subscriptions and memberships
The boring ones are the ones you'll keep paying for and never see the magazine or get the box. Run through this list:
- Streaming services (Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Apple TV, Spotify, etc.) — most don't actually need your address, but check
- Amazon (this one matters — your default delivery address)
- Costco / Sam's Club / BJ's
- Gym membership
- Magazine and newspaper subscriptions
- Wine clubs, subscription boxes (BarkBox, Birchbox, HelloFresh, etc.)
- Food delivery services with stored addresses (DoorDash, Uber Eats, Instacart)
- Religious community (church, synagogue, mosque, etc.)
- Alumni associations
- Charitable giving lists (if you want acknowledgment letters to find you)
Utilities & home services
Most of these you'll handle when you set up the new place, but address-change matters for the old providers too — for final bills and refunds:
- Electric / gas
- Water
- Internet / cable
- Trash and recycling
- Landline phone (if you still have one)
- Lawn care, snow removal, pool service
- Cleaning service
- Pest control
- Security system company
Personal
The list you keep in your head. Not legally required, just useful:
- Family members and close friends (a group text or one post is fine)
- Holiday card list
- Recurring birthday card recipients
- Religious community
- Anyone who sends you physical mail at all (work backwards from your last six months of incoming mail)
Business address changes (if applicable)
If you're self-employed, own an LLC or corporation, or run a side business with a business address, you have a second set of changes to make. These are easier to forget because business mail volume is lower — but they have higher stakes (regulatory filings, tax notices, bank accounts).
Federal & state government
- IRS — business address (file Form 8822-B)
- Your state's Secretary of State — business registration, registered agent if applicable
- State business licenses
- State sales tax permit
- State unemployment insurance
- Local business licenses (city or county)
Banking & finance
- Business checking and savings accounts
- Business credit cards
- Payment processors (Stripe, Square, PayPal Business)
- Business loans (SBA loans, line of credit)
- Bookkeeper, accountant, attorney — they invoice you and send tax documents
Operations
- Payroll provider (Gusto, ADP, Paychex)
- Benefits / retirement plan provider
- Business insurance (general liability, professional liability, workers comp, cyber)
- Domain registrar (if your business address is on the WHOIS)
- Hosting providers
- Major software subscriptions (CRM, project management, design tools)
Marketing & customer-facing
- Website footer
- Google Business Profile
- Yelp, Bing Places, Apple Maps
- Social media profiles
- Email signature
- Business cards
- Letterhead, invoices, contracts
- Email marketing lists where address is required (CAN-SPAM compliance)
- Industry directory listings
People you owe communications
- Customers/clients who have a contract with you (depending on contract terms, you may need to formally notify them)
- Vendors and suppliers you pay
- Co-founders, board members, advisors
Frequently asked questions
How long does USPS mail forwarding last?
Twelve months for first-class mail. Magazines, catalogs, and bulk mail forward for shorter periods (30–60 days). After USPS forwarding ends, mail goes back to the old address — so the goal is to update everywhere directly within those 12 months.
What happens if I don't update my address with the IRS?
Your tax notices and refund go to your old address. If you're owed a refund, this can delay it by 6–12 weeks. If the IRS sends a notice (audit, missing payment) and it goes to the wrong address, the deadline still runs — so you can miss windows you didn't know existed.
Do I need to update my address with the IRS if I file taxes electronically?
Yes. The IRS uses your address on file for written correspondence regardless of how you file. If you've moved since your last filing, file Form 8822 — it takes about 5 minutes and is free.
Can I update my address with multiple companies at once?
Not really. Each company has its own system. The fastest approach is to do them in batches by category (all banks one evening, all healthcare another) rather than trying to remember as mail arrives. Or use a personalized Dovetail plan, which lists them in your weekly tasks.
What if I'm only moving temporarily — do I still need to update everything?
USPS offers temporary forwarding (15 days to 12 months) for situations like extended travel or temporary relocation. Other accounts you generally don't need to update for short-term moves. Use your judgment based on duration.
Is there a service that updates my address everywhere at once?
Services exist (Updater, MoveBuddha, others) that bundle updates and partner with various companies. They work for some major providers but don't cover the full list — particularly government and smaller accounts. For comprehensive coverage, you still need to work through the list yourself.
Want this as a personalized section in your move plan?
This list is universal. Your address change list is specific to what you have — your bank, your doctors, your subscriptions. Dovetail builds a personalized version into your move plan, broken into tasks with direct links to the forms.