Moving checklist: who to notify when you change your address
Moving means telling each organization separately — there’s no single switch. Every agency and company keeps its own address record, so updating USPS does not update the IRS, and updating the IRS does not update your bank. Here’s the list, in the order that matters.
The address-change checklist
- USPS mail forwarding — set this up first. It redirects most first-class mail to your new address, typically for 12 months. It catches stragglers, but it does not update any agency’s records.
- The IRS — the step people forget. USPS forwarding does not notify the IRS, and refunds and notices go to your old address until you tell it directly. File Form 8822 by mail.
- Social Security Administration — if you receive benefits, update your address with the SSA so payments and notices reach you. (Social Security won’t pass your new address to the IRS.)
- State tax agency and DMV — your state keeps its own file. Update your driver’s license, vehicle registration, and voter registration, which are usually handled through your state’s DMV and election office.
- Employer / HR — so your W-2 and any year-end tax documents arrive at the right place.
- Banks, credit cards, lenders, and insurers — new cards, statements, and policy mail all key off the address each one has on file.
- Subscriptions and online retailers — update your default shipping and billing addresses so deliveries and renewals don’t go astray.
Why is the IRS step the one to get right?
USPS forwarding feels like it covers everything — but it isn’t a reliable way to update the IRS, and the IRS warns that post offices don’t always forward government checks (irs.gov: Address changes). So a paper refund can go missing, and a time-sensitive notice can land at your old address while you’re unaware. Here’s why forwarding isn’t enough.
The durable fix is Form 8822 — the IRS’s dedicated change-of-address form, mailed to the office for your old state. There’s no online filing for individuals, and the IRS sends nothing back to confirm it, so doing it promptly (and keeping proof of mailing) is what saves you headaches later.
Knock out the IRS step right now: answer a few plain-English questions, watch the official Form 8822 fill itself in, sign on your screen — then we print it and mail it to the correct IRS office, with tracking emailed to you. About a minute.
Fill in my Form 8822Free to fill and download — mail it yourself if you’d rather. $9.99 first-class / $14.99 certified if we mail it. One time, no account.
Common questions
Who do I need to notify when I change my address?
USPS (mail forwarding), the IRS (Form 8822), Social Security, your state tax agency and DMV, your employer, and your banks, lenders, and insurers. Each organization keeps its own address record, so you have to tell each one separately.
Does USPS mail forwarding update all of them at once?
No. USPS forwarding redirects your mail — typically for 12 months — but it isn’t a reliable way to update agencies’ records, the IRS included. Forwarding buys you time; it is not a substitute for telling each organization directly.
Why is the IRS the step people forget?
Because USPS forwarding feels like it covers everything, and the IRS sends nothing to confirm your address. But until you file Form 8822, refunds and notices keep going to your old address — and post offices don’t always forward government checks.
Do I have to pay to change my address with the IRS?
No. Form 8822 is free from the IRS, and you can fill and download it here for free. We only charge if you want us to print and mail it for you — $9.99 first-class, $14.99 USPS Certified Mail with tracking.
Sources: USPS Change of Address — The Basics; irs.gov address-changes FAQ.