When you move to a new home you want to ensure that your bills, letters, bank statements, and other important mail continue to reach you without any inconvenience—that’s why it’s important to update your mailing address.
The United States Postal Service (USPS) offers four options for changing your mailing address: online, at the post office, by mail, or by phone. Let’s take a detailed look at each option, so you can see which one suits you the best.
Change of Address Physically
This option requires that you visit your local post office, where you’ll fill out PS Form 3575. Once you’re done filling out the form, hand it over to the postmaster. That’s it.
You can then go back home. It’s worth noting that a change of address at the post office is free. If you want to save time, consider downloading and filling out the change of address form at home before you visit the post office.
Change of Address by Phone
If you have no time to visit the post office, you can change your address by calling 1-800-ASK-USPS. You’ll be given some instructions to follow. You should have your credit card on hand as you’ll be charged $1 for identity verification.
Change of Address Online
This is perhaps the most time efficient and convenient change of address method. You can do it from the comfort of your couch, at whatever time you please. To change your address online, simply log on to the USPS website.
Then, navigate to the USPS Change of Address form, and fill out the required fields with accurate information. You’ll be asked to provide an e-mail address, where USPS will send you a confirmation e-mail.
Change of address online will cost you $1 for identity verification just like filing by phone. This will be billed to your debit or credit card. You’ll know that your address change has been successful when you receive a confirmation email.
Change of Address by Mail
If for any reason you can’t use the above three methods, consider downloading and printing out PS Form 3575 at home. You can then fill out the form by hand. Once you’re satisfied you’ve filled it correctly, buy first-class postage and mail it to POSTMASTER, United States Postal Service.
After posting the filled form, you should expect to receive a move validation letter at your old address. Then, you should receive a confirmation letter at your new mailing address within ten days after the change of address has been approved.
In Conclusion
Now that you understand the four USPS change of address options, it’s up to you to go for the option that will work best for you. For most, the online method is the most convenient, resulting in it being a popular choice. The most important thing, however, is to ensure that you’ve updated your address before you get comfortable in your new home no matter how you do so.
