Moving can feel like a huge task, especially when you think about all the changes needed. Organizing your stuff and working with movers are big steps, but updating your address is just as important. Notifying places like tax agencies and subscription services helps avoid missed bills and keeps your services running smoothly.
It’s also crucial to update your address for mail and important services quickly. The USPS suggests giving them two weeks to start sending your mail to the new address. If you don’t tell places like the IRS or Social Security on time, you could face problems like lost benefits or delayed tax refunds. And don’t forget to update your info with banks and insurance companies to avoid billing mistakes or problems with claims.
About 30% of people don’t tell their banks when they move, leading to trouble. Plus, up to 10% of mail still goes to the old place because people didn’t update their address. To prevent these issues, make sure you’re prepared and notify everyone on time. Checking your voter registration and telling your job, doctors, and utilities early helps make your move smooth. Following these tips ensures you adapt well to your new home.
Updating Your Address with the USPS
Starting the move process with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is key. To change your address after moving, visit USPS.com/move. This website lets you start forwarding your mail for up to a year, for a small fee. This ensures you keep getting your mail without a break.
The USPS lets you update your address for both permanent and short stays. They check your identity with a $1.10 charge to stop fraud. After they check your identity, you’ll get a Move Validation letter at your old place. It comes about five days before your new address starts to ensure everything’s correct.
Mail forwarding begins three days after you submit your request. However, it’s good to wait up to two weeks for everything to start fully. This lets First-Class™ mail, magazines, and Priority Mail Express®, among other services, get forwarded for free. But you must pay for Media Mail® shipping costs. And they don’t forward USPS Marketing Mail® at all.
For a temporary change, you can forward mail for up to six months. You can also choose longer for extra fees—$20 for six months, $30 for 12 months, and $40 for 18 months. After your chosen time ends, USPS still sends back your mail with your new address to the sender for six months.
- File a change of address request at USPS.com/move.
- Verify your identity online with a $1.10 fee.
- Receive a Move Validation letter five business days before the change date.
- Allow up to two weeks for complete mail forwarding setup.
Notifying Utility Companies
Telling things to change when you move utility companies about our address change is key when moving. It ensures we don’t face any interruptions. We should transfer services such as electricity, gas, water, sewer, and internet carefully. This makes sure they work the day we move in.
We should call each utility provider two to three weeks before we move. For things like cable or internet that need setting up, contacting them a month early is smart. It helps us end services at our old place and start them at the new one smoothly.

- Transferring utility services: Provide advanced notice to ensure a seamless transition.
- Setting up utilities in new home: Verify activation dates to guarantee essential services like electricity and internet are ready on moving day.
- Utility address change: Communicate your new address promptly to avoid missed bills or service disconnections.
Here’s things to change when you move a comparative analysis for better clarity:
Utility Service | Recommended Notice Period | Special Considerations |
---|---|---|
Electricity | 2-3 weeks | Verify shut-off and activation dates |
Gas | 2-3 weeks | Check for reconnection fees |
Water/Sewer | 2-3 weeks | Typically managed by the city or town |
Internet | 1 month | May require in-home appointments |
Cable | 1 month | Schedule early to avoid delays |
Finally, checking that everything is set up a few days before moving is key. This way, we ensure all is as it should be, avoiding problems. Communicating on time with utility companies reduces stress when we move.
Informing Government Agencies
Moving means you need to update your records with government agencies. This is very important for a smooth change. You should tell the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Telling the DMV about your new address keeps your driver’s license and vehicle registration valid. Especially when you move to a new state. You can update your information online or at a local DMV office.
The IRS also needs to know your new address to send your tax documents correctly. You can inform the IRS by phone, with a written statement, or through online forms. It helps the IRS keep accurate records and ensures you get any mail from them on time.
It’s things to change when you move also vital to update your address with the SSA. This is important for getting benefits and keeping records straight. You can easily update your address online through your My SSA Account.
Additionally, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has rules for when you move. For instance, all aliens must tell USCIS about an address change within 10 days. It’s best to use the USCIS Enterprise Change of Address (E-COA) tool online for its speed and automation. U.S. citizens or nationals who support someone must send in Form I-865 within 30 days of moving.
If you’re a veteran, tell the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) about your move. Update your VA.gov profile to keep your contact info correct. This ensures you keep getting benefits like health care, disability compensation, and more without issues. You things to change when you move can call the VA Health Benefits customer service at 888-442-4551, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET, for health questions.
Keeping your records current with these updates makes moving easier. It helps you keep getting the services you need without trouble. Plus, it gives you peace of mind during the move.
Things to Change When You Move
Updating your address is a key step on your moving checklist. If you skip it, you might face problems in many parts of your life. It’s important to let banks, insurance firms, and professional agencies know your new address. This stops missed messages and protects your data.

Don’t forget to update your address for subscriptions, online orders, and club memberships too. Doing this on time keeps your services and deliveries smooth. Start making these updates before you move to reduce stress and help you settle in your new place better.
The USPS can forward your mail for a year for just $1.10. This is useful if you forget to update someone. But remember, magazines are only forwarded for three months. So, it’s best to tell them you’ve moved soon.
Not telling utility companies you’re moving can mean no gas, electricity, or water. Sadly, most people forget to do this in time. To avoid trouble, inform these providers before you move.
About 90% of banks let you change your address online or through their app. Most people now update their bank or credit card info this way. Don’t forget about your insurance. Your car insurance rate might change based on your new area.
Many what do you need to change when you move states require you to update your vehicle registration and driver’s license address quickly, usually within 10 to 30 days after moving. If you don’t, you might have to pay fines.
A well-planned moving checklist things to change when you move is crucial. It makes sure you’ve taken care of everything for a smooth move to your new home.
Health and Medical Providers
Updating healthcare providers is key when moving. Every year, over 40 million Americans relocate. They must efficiently transfer medical records and update addresses for health purposes.
Tell your main doctor, specialists, and dentists your new address. This step keeps your care going smoothly and helps with billing and insurance. Healthgrades says patient happiness and care quality can really differ. These affect how well you manage your health.
It’s vital to move your medical records without issues. The HIPAA law, from 1996, lets you get your records. Often, things to update when you move states make doctors give you these records within 15 days if asked.
Tools like Healthgrades can help you find good new doctors. It shows info on patient satisfaction, what doctors specialize in, and insurance. Poor communication and long waits push over 80% of patients to switch doctors. Choosing a well-liked doctor can make your healthcare better.
To move your healthcare smoothly, do these things:
- Quickly tell all your healthcare providers your new medical address.
- Ask for your medical records to be sent before you move.
- Make sure your new doctor is taking new patients to avoid care gaps.
- Look into any changes in insurance costs like co-pays or deductibles.
Consider these important points too:
Aspect | Details |
---|---|
Healthcare Quality | Use Healthgrades to compare patient satisfaction and care quality. |
Insurance Networks | Check if new doctors are covered by your insurance. |
Appointments | Book your first visits and ask about the doctor’s approach. |
Special Considerations | Find places that meet ADA standards and safety rules. |
Dealing list of things to change when you move with these steps helps keep your medical care going without breaks. By being careful, we can move to new places without losing out on health care. This ensures we stay healthy during our new start.
Friends, Family, and Personal Contacts
Telling our friends and family about a move is key to keeping strong connections. When we update our address books and send out news of our move, everyone stays in the loop. This helps keep our bonds strong during big changes in our lives.
Using emails, texts, and social media makes it easier to tell everyone. A moving announcement can share our excitement and all the details, like our new address. Also, USPS will forward our mail for a year, so there’s time to update our info.
What addresses do i need to change when i move: It’s important that all close friends and family know where we’ve moved. We should not forget to tell other people we know, including work contacts. If we don’t, we might miss out on important news. A quick email or social media update can keep everyone updated about our move.