In the hustle of moving to a new residence, it's important to remember to notify personal and business contacts, as well as any government agencies with which you interact, about your new address. Consult this guide for a change of address letter template and to figure out when you need to take additional steps
Method 1. Writing Your Change Of Address Letter
Make a list of all your contacts. As soon as you know you will be moving, start writing down all relevant contacts. Keep the envelopes you receive in a pile. That way, you are less likely to miss those correspondences you only get very infrequently.
Start with a template. Use a template for your change of address letters. Keep the formatting clean and the content simple.
Method 2. Personal And Business Contacts
Make sure your friends and family know you're moving. There are a few different ways to notify your social contacts about your move. If the majority of your contacts have an email address, you can send a mass email with your new information - it's less personal, but fast and effective. If you're having a housewarming party, prominently note your new address in the invitation, as well as a quick reminder for your friends and family to update your contact information. Finally, you can pen a quick note or print postcards about your change of address and send it off to individual contacts - no need for a formal letter if these people are friends or relatives.
Notify your professional contacts. If most of your business contacts have email addresses, type up a brief, professional email requesting that they change your contact information with your new address. You can also use the template above to notify individual contacts about the change. If you run your own business with several clients, it might be a good idea to print up postcards with your new information and send them to individual customers. Don't simply send a handwritten note to a business contact, unless you know them in a more personal way as well.
Tell your bank or credit union about your new address. If you have online banking set up, you might be able to change your address online. If not, you'll likely have to go into a branch with some form of ID. Make sure you note that you want your address changed for your account statements, as well as for any credit or debit cards.
Check your bills. Most credit cards and utility bills have a space to fill in the new address on the back of the invoice for your monthly bill. Often there is a check-box on the front side noting that you wish to have your address changed. Don't forget to check it.
If you'll be moving before you pay your next bill, contact your credit card or utility company over the phone. Their customer service number should be on the last invoice you received, or you can do an online search for it. Be prepared to verify your identity with your customer number or other personal information.
Update your subscriptions. Many newspapers and magazines will now let you update your address online. You'll need your subscription ID number from the label on one of your mailings. If you can't find a way to do this online, simply rely on the postal service to forward your subscriptions to you after you fill out a change of address form (see below).
Call your doctors' offices. Notify your primary care physician, dentist and any specialists you visit about your new address. Usually this can be accomplished over the phone if you'd prefer not to send a letter. Remember to include your patient ID number, if applicable.
USPS hold mail
Spam mail
USPS address change
USPS tracking number
USPS office hours
Method 1. Writing Your Change Of Address Letter
Make a list of all your contacts. As soon as you know you will be moving, start writing down all relevant contacts. Keep the envelopes you receive in a pile. That way, you are less likely to miss those correspondences you only get very infrequently.
Start with a template. Use a template for your change of address letters. Keep the formatting clean and the content simple.
Method 2. Personal And Business Contacts
Make sure your friends and family know you're moving. There are a few different ways to notify your social contacts about your move. If the majority of your contacts have an email address, you can send a mass email with your new information - it's less personal, but fast and effective. If you're having a housewarming party, prominently note your new address in the invitation, as well as a quick reminder for your friends and family to update your contact information. Finally, you can pen a quick note or print postcards about your change of address and send it off to individual contacts - no need for a formal letter if these people are friends or relatives.
Notify your professional contacts. If most of your business contacts have email addresses, type up a brief, professional email requesting that they change your contact information with your new address. You can also use the template above to notify individual contacts about the change. If you run your own business with several clients, it might be a good idea to print up postcards with your new information and send them to individual customers. Don't simply send a handwritten note to a business contact, unless you know them in a more personal way as well.
Tell your bank or credit union about your new address. If you have online banking set up, you might be able to change your address online. If not, you'll likely have to go into a branch with some form of ID. Make sure you note that you want your address changed for your account statements, as well as for any credit or debit cards.
Check your bills. Most credit cards and utility bills have a space to fill in the new address on the back of the invoice for your monthly bill. Often there is a check-box on the front side noting that you wish to have your address changed. Don't forget to check it.
If you'll be moving before you pay your next bill, contact your credit card or utility company over the phone. Their customer service number should be on the last invoice you received, or you can do an online search for it. Be prepared to verify your identity with your customer number or other personal information.
Update your subscriptions. Many newspapers and magazines will now let you update your address online. You'll need your subscription ID number from the label on one of your mailings. If you can't find a way to do this online, simply rely on the postal service to forward your subscriptions to you after you fill out a change of address form (see below).
Call your doctors' offices. Notify your primary care physician, dentist and any specialists you visit about your new address. Usually this can be accomplished over the phone if you'd prefer not to send a letter. Remember to include your patient ID number, if applicable.
USPS hold mail
Spam mail
USPS address change
USPS tracking number
USPS office hours