Change of Address
How do I file a change of address with USPS?
Updated August 2026
This is an independent informational resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the United States Postal Service or any other official entity. Always verify details directly with USPS.com or your local post office.
Quick Answer
File a change of address online at usps.com or in person with PS Form 3575, free at any post office. Most First-Class mail forwards to your new address for about 12 months, which you can extend, but you should still update your address directly with banks, subscriptions, and other senders during that window.
How to file
Online
$1.25 identity-verification fee, complete at usps.com
In person
Free, using PS Form 3575 at any post office
You don't need to track down PS Form 3575 yourself: ask for a free Mover's Guide packet at the counter, which has it already inside; it just asks for your move type (individual, family, or business), whether it's temporary or permanent, and your old and new addresses. Both routes forward mail to your new address for a limited period rather than permanently; you should still update your address directly with banks, subscriptions, and other senders during that window.
What gets forwarded
What gets forwarded, by mail class:
- First-Class mail & periodicals: forwarded free
- Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express & Ground Advantage: forwarded free
- Media Mail: forwarded, shipping cost applies
- USPS Marketing Mail: not forwarded
USPS Marketing Mail isn't forwarded because it moves at a discounted bulk rate that doesn't cover the cost of rerouting it: carriers are instructed to simply discard undeliverable copies unless the mailer paid extra for a return or forwarding endorsement. For Media Mail, "shipping cost applies" means your new post office bills you the forwarding postage rather than sending it along free, so expect a small charge before a forwarded package is handed over. And because there's no notice sent to Marketing Mail senders the way there is for other classes, catalogs and bulk advertising simply stop arriving at your old address with no indication anything changed. If you want to keep getting something in that category, update your address with that sender directly rather than relying on the forwarding order.
How long forwarding lasts
Forwarding typically lasts around 12 months for most first-class mail. You can pay to extend it for another 6, 12, or 18 months once your standard period is running (USPS sends a reminder email when you have a month left), but extended forwarding can't be canceled or refunded once purchased. After your forwarding period ends completely, USPS returns any further mail to the sender with your new address on it for 6 months, giving slower senders a chance to catch up on their own.
Special situations
If you're only relocating for 15 days to a year, such as for school, file a temporary change of address instead of a permanent one. The process is the same either way. If you're only away briefly, like a vacation or short trip rather than an actual move, this site's guide to Hold Mail pauses delivery instead, without redirecting anything. Special situations like filing for someone else, for a deceased person, for a military move, or for a business each have their own document requirements and generally must be handled in person at a post office rather than online.
Find your new post office
If you're moving within an area covered by this site, use the state and city listings here to find your new local post office and its hours before you need it.