The Ultimate Guide to a USPS Address Change

Undergoing a USPS change of address is not brain surgery, especially now that you can do it online, via www.USPS.com. There are actually several ways to update this information, which is very relevant for USPS mail forwarding purposes. In today’s post, we walk you through all the options and steps you need to take, in order to edit your postal forwarding address. We also address issues regarding eligibility, the times when you need to change your address and what you need to do in order to confirm the updated information.

How to file for an USPS address change

There are actually two alternatives to changing your mail forwarding address.

1. File online

You will need an eligible credit or debit card (American Express, Visa, Discover, or MasterCard). Then, the system will withdraw a $1.05 verification fee from your account, which will be returned promptly once it has been verified. You’ll also need to provide a valid email address, as well as several other details such as USPS zipcodes, via the online form at https://moversguide.usps.com/.

An alternative method is to apply for a change of address (COA) via one of the authorized websites out there. These include White Fence, mychangeofaddress.com, and several others. By filing for a COA through them, you are authorizing them to act as agents on your behalf. Some of these websites will require additional fees (around $4.99 or $6.99) for their services.

2. File at the post office

If you don’t have internet access or simply prefer to do things the traditional way, you can also file for a change of address at the nearest post office. You can either pick up the form (no. 3575) from the office yourself, or call 1-800-ASK-USPS to request a form to be delivered to your door. There are no fees involved and this method is also available for military and international addresses.

You can apply for either a temporary or a permanent COA. Mail should arrive at your new specified address within 7 to 10 postal business days. During this span of time, you will not have access to your mail.

Applying for a USPS address change: Eligibility

You can apply for a change of address if you are the addressee themselves, or you can authorize a third party to take care of this for you. Other authorized individuals include executors, guardians, authorized officers, or people to whom mail will be forwarded at the specified address. Remember that intentionally submitting inaccurate information via a COA form is punishable by fines and even jail time. This is specified in Sections 2, 1001, 1702, and 1708 of Title 18 of the United States Code.

How to change your USPS address as a Postal Service employee

USPS employees have access to the company’s intranet service, LiteBlue. This network centralizes all the relevant information regarding each USPS worker, from pay records to emergency contacts. Obviously, it also includes phone numbers and mailing addresses, which should be maintained updated at all times. If your address changes, you can alter it online at any time of day or night. All you need to do is log onto the platform by using your Employee ID and USPS PIN number. Go to Employee Resources and click the ‘Change of Address/Phone/Emergency Contact’ link there. You will find the current data displayed in the Contact form on this page. To change it, click ‘Edit’, then follow the pop-up prompts the page sends you. Save the changes and confirm them – and that’s all you need to do. Remember to close the window or tab you’ve used to log on, because you need to log out after each time you use LiteBlue. On your next login, you’ll find the updated details all there.