How to Forward Mail When Moving Out of State

Written By

Machaela Casey

Use the USPS to Get Your Mail Delivered to the Right Mailbox

Everything is packed. Your furniture is disassembled. You’ve even scheduled a grocery delivery to your new address. The moving truck is set to come in the morning. You’re all ready to move in to your new home.

Or are you?

If you’re moving and you haven’t changed your address with the United States Postal Service (USPS), you could be setting yourself up for trouble. Without a forwarding address, the USPS will have no way to deliver your most essential communications.

Before you move, you must register your new address with the USPS. That way, any mail sent to your old address will immediately be forwarded to your new location. If you don’t provide your new address, mail will automatically be returned to the sender.

However, providing your new address will automatically forward mail to your new location. With an updated address, you’ll be able to stay current with all the deliveries and services that are linked to your home address.

In fact, you may not realize that your home address is linked to your most vital services and communications.

Essential Mail Needs the Right Address

First, your postal address is used to deliver important mail.  Without changing your address, you might miss bills, tax documents, checks, and more. In addition, you can lose vital financial, employment, and insurance information if you fail to provide a forwarding address.

Next, your address is directly tied to your utility service. Everything from heating and gas to water and electricity requires a current address. You don’t want to experience an interruption in service simply because your utility bill is going to the wrong address.

You have still other vital communications that arrive via mail. Magazines, newspapers, and even holiday cards are still sent via postal mail. Without an updated address, you may be missing out on information that you really care about.

How to Get Mail Forwarded

To be sure that you don’t miss a single thing, fill out a change-of-address form with the USPS.

Forwarding mail for a business, an individual, or a family requires completing and submitting this form.

Know that if you fill out a form for your family, only the people with the same last name living at that address will have their mail forwarded. If there are people with different last names living at the same address, you will need to fill out separate forms for each last name.

The change-of-address form is easy to fill out, and you can do it either in-person or online. How long does it take to forward mail? According to the USPS, you should start receiving mail at your new location 7-10 postal business days after you register your new address.

Visit the Post Office

One way to a complete a change-of-address form is to visit your local post office. Your post office will hand you the form. You simply fill it out and hand it in at the post office.

It’s free to fill this form.

Go Online

If you don’t want to take the time to visit your local post office, you can complete this form by visiting the USPS website. It works the same way. You fill out the same information, and you will get your mail forwarded to your new address.

If you fill out the form online, you will have to pay a $1.10 processing fee.

Temporary vs. Permanent Change-of-Address

The first thing to know about mail forwarding is that you will need to select either a temporary or permanent change of address. You will be asked if you will be returning to your old address in six months or less. If so, you will need a temporary change-of-address. If not, you will require a permanent change-of-address.

Most people seek a permanent change-of-address. Usually, these people are moving to a new home where they will be living for the indefinite future.

However, some people require their mail be temporarily forwarded to a new address. For example, people who spend the winter in a warm climate may require a temporary address. They know they will be living somewhere else for a short period of time but ultimately will be returning to their permanent address.

Also, plans sometimes change. Online registration allows you to extend mail forwarding up to an additional 18 months beyond the original target date.

Who Else Needs Your New Address

The USPS isn’t the only place that needs to know that you’re moving. Other service providers will need to know as well. First and foremost are your utility providers. Always notify gas, electric, and water companies before you move to avoid uninterrupted service.

In addition, update cable and internet streaming services as well. Finally, don’t forget about any apps that might rely on your home address. For example, location apps like Google Maps might have your home address set to default. Or, if you use in-home smart technology for lights or thermostat control, those might be linked to your home address as well.

Getting to Your New Address

It’s fairly simple to submit a change-of-address form. It may not be so simple actually moving from point A to point B. It doesn’t matter if you’re moving out of state or if you’re staying local. there are certain things to know about how to keep your move low stress. The right long distance moving company can provide all of the support you need for a successful move.

Nelson Westerberg: Your Moving Partner

At Nelson Westerberg, we are experienced interstate movers. This means that we are legally licensed to transport goods across state lines. We can move people near and far-anywhere in the United States and beyond.

And, we’re experienced movers. We’ve been in business for over 110 years, and our movers have been with us-on average-for 15 years. As a premium household mover, we’ve moved families and businesses across the street and around the globe.

A Full-Service Mover

With a full range of support services, we’re ready to move you to your new address, wherever that may be. And, all of our services our customizable, so you can choose whatever best fits your budget, needs, and timeline. Our most popular services include:

Movers and packers: Our professional movers and packers will simplify your entire move. First, they’ll arrive at your address ready to disassemble and pack furniture, IT systems, and equipment for transport. They’ll load your entire shipment carefully on the truck and use the right packing materials to protect your items in transit. Upon arrival, they’ll reassemble your furniture and equipment, organizing all items according to your instructions.

Vehicle Shipping: If you’re moving a great distance, you may want to ship your car rather than drive it. Long drives can put unnecessary stress and mileage on your car. We offer both close and open container vehicle shipping service to our clients. When you arrive at your new address, you can have your car waiting for you.

Storage and Warehousing: For any move, you may need temporary or long-term storage. We have a deep network of storage and warehousing solutions throughout North America. If you need just a few boxes kept safe, we can provide a secure storage locker. Or, if you need vehicles or heavy equipment protected, we can do that, too.

Call us Today

Looking for a local mover? That’s us. Or, if you need to find an out of state moving company, we can help. We offer moving services from state to state. And, all of our services are completely customizable to meet your needs. Contact one of our agents today, and together, we’ll create your perfect moving plan.