Moving can be a stressful time. There are dozens of tasks to do and keep track of, and there never seems to be enough time to get it all done. In the midst of all this, you don’t want to stop telling the right people about your new address and phone number. This article describes the steps required to file a change of address with the US Post Office, what types of address changes are available, and how to choose which type to file.

The actual filing of an address change form at the post office is what many people think of when it comes to the “address change” topic. Filing that application achieves two main goals:

– Instructs the US Post Office to forward mail sent to your old address to your new address.

– Allows companies that subscribe to the National Change of Address Service (or NCOA) to be notified of their new address.

Types of address change: permanent vs. Temporary

There are two types of address change you can submit: a permanent change and a temporary change. Now, a good question might be: “Why should you make a temporary change instead of a permanent one? It all comes down to controlling your privacy.

Information in a permanent change is made available to all those companies that subscribe to the NCOA service, while information presented through a temporary change generally is not. So if you file a temporary change at the post office and notify each person or organization that mails you individually, you are in charge of who you know has moved. It also means that it is more difficult for “spammers” to find you.

Keep in mind that you face compensation. By submitting the permanent form, you have a “safety net” in case you’ve forgotten someone, but you run the risk of being found by more spam. If you file the temporary change, you can potentially cut down on spam, but you could end up missing out on notifying everyone before the temporary change of address ends, and you will also lose the large number of coupons and discounts sent only to those who have submitted a permanent change .

Address change methods

The post office offers a traditional paper form (free) for address changes and an online filing option ($ 1 fee to discourage fraud). You will need to specify when your move will take place, as well as whether the move is for a single person or for the whole family.

It’s a good idea to apply 4-6 weeks in advance, although many post offices may start forwarding mail after a few days. You will definitely want your mail taken care of so nothing arrives the same day you move in.

IMPORTANT NOTE: A post office address change does NOT take care of everything. There are some notable shortcomings in the process:

– Limited types of mail. The post office will forward first class mail and most periodicals. It does not forward “standard mail” (formerly known as bulk permission mail or simply “bulk mail”).

– Limited time. Even a permanent filing only lasts 6 months (although it can be renewed for another 6 months). So definitely check in with the post office, but also use a secondary service and / or notify important contacts individually.