Getting ready to move? You will want to make sure you are notifying everyone that your address is changing. Don't forget to
print this checklist for the easy access!
Essentials
- Post office: You want to let the United States Postal Service know that your address is changing a week before you move into your new place. This buffer week will allow them to prepare to forward any mail sent to your old address to your new one. You can easily request a change of address on the USPS website.
TIP: It will cost you $1 for the USPS to verify your identity when requesting a change of address. Be sure to have a debit or credit card ready.
- Employer: It is best to notify your employer that your address is changing two weeks before your move. This should give your employer amble time to change your address in their records. Notifying your employer of your move is very important, because a failure to do so might result in a delayed paycheck or tax trouble.
- Bank: Notifying your bank of your move is very important, because they will need to verify your new billing address. Notify your bank a week in advance, so that your billing address will be verified within your first week of moving in. You can either visit the bank in person, call their customer service or use your bank’s online features.
TIP: Have you old billing statements ready because you bank will require them to change your billing address.
- Credit cards: If you credit card isn't attached to your bank, contact your credit card company to let them know your address is changing. This should be done a week before you move.
- Student loans: If you have student loans, be sure to let whomever you took the loan from know that your address is changing. This should also be done one week in advance.
- Tax agencies: You should let both the federal tax agency and your state's tax agency that your address is changing two weeks before your move. For the federal tax agency, fill out 8822 form for IRS notification. You should go to your state's government website to notify them of the change.
- Online shopping: Your old address is most likely saved on online shopping websites as your shipping and billing address. You should change your shipping address and billing address to your new address a day before your move. You don't want a package you ordered going to your old house!
Utilities
TIP: You should schedule your utilities to be shut off at the end of the day at your current residence and activated the morning of the move in day at your new place. This overlap will ensure that you are not moving in the dark.
- Online streaming services: Online streaming services are very popular among homeowners. You should contact your steaming services a week before your move that your address is changing.
- Gas: Be sure to let your gas company know that you are moving, so that you are not paying for the new owners of your old place. You should let your gas company know that your address is changing a week before you make your move.
- Water: The water company should be notified a week before you make your move. Again, you don't want to be paying for water at your old place after you moved out.
- Internet/cable: You should give your internet and cable company a call at least a week before you move to notify them.
- Phone: You should let your landline company know that you are moving a week before your move. You should also contact your cell phone provider -- either online or by phone.
- Maintenance services: If you use a lawn or cleaning service, you should let them know a week before you move. This should give them able time to plan one last service or bid you farewell.
People
- Family: It is very important to notify your family that you are moving. Since moving usually isn't a spur of the moment thing, you should let them know one month in advance. This will ensure that any thing they would like to send to you will be delivered to your new address.
- Friends: Your friends should also be notified of your move. You should let your friends know about you move at the latest two weeks before your move.
- Neighbors: You want to notify to your neighbors about 2 weeks before your move. You do not want you neighbors to find out your moving by them watching you pack boxes in a moving truck.
- Medical services: It is important to let your doctor, dentist and veterinarian (if applicable) know that you are moving. This can be done a week before your move.
- School: If you or a family member is in school, be sure to let the school know at least 1 month in advance. Collect any important documents you'll need to transfer at this time.
Insurance provider
- Health: You should notify your health insurance provider that you are moving 2 weeks before you move.
- Dental: Your dental insurance provider should be notified of your move 2 weeks before it happens.
- Life: You should notify your life insurance provider that you are moving 2 weeks before you move.
- Car: Your car insurance provider should be notified of your move 2 weeks before it happens.
- Home/renter’s: You should let your home or renter’s insurance provider know about your address change about a month before you move.
Government
- DMV: You should let the DMV know that you moved within a month of moving into your new place. You will need proof that you live at your new address, so you can update your driver's license.
- Voting registration: While at the DMV, you should change the address associated with your voting registration. This needs to be done 25 days before an election in order to vote.
- Social Security: You should let Social Security know that you are moving a week before. You can complete the change of address form online.