USPS permanent move: choose household scope before forwarding

Prepare an ordinary U.S. domestic residential permanent move, with the moving adult making their own request. Temporary absences, business or mail-receiving-agency addresses, military and international moves need separate guidance. This prepares the household and verification decisions; it submits no change.

Privately confirm complete old/new addresses, intended start date, who moves, who stays and each mover’s destination. Resolve an uncertain household list before selecting a request type; do not redirect a staying resident’s mail by guessing that “family” means everyone at the address.

Choose the request’s scope using USPS Change of Address Basics, “Who’s Moving?”:

Household situation	USPS request type
One person moves	Individual
One family: some members stay, surnames differ, or destinations differ	Separate Individual requests for each person moving
Entire family moves; every member has the same last name and destination	One Family request
Multiple entire families share the old address	Separate Family request per family, each satisfying the preceding row

A shared surname alone is insufficient. If the requester’s ID surname differs, or they act for someone else, the FAQ requires in-person submission, their primary photo ID and applicable authorization/name-change documents. Do not assume household membership satisfies that verification branch.

USPS Standard Forward Mail, “Where to Go” and online/in-person steps, gives these routes:

• Online own request: follow its Official USPS Change of Address link, choose Permanent and the applicable move type, then complete the form. Verification uses a mobile code/link and a $1.25 fee; the credit-card billing address must match the old or new address. Successful verification produces an emailed confirmation code.
• Online verification fails: USPS emails instructions and a barcode. Bring that email and acceptable photo ID to a local Post Office.
• In person: bring acceptable photo ID and required documents; obtain the free Mover’s Guide, complete PS Form 3575, and give it to the associate for verification and processing.

If in-person identity verification also fails, USPS says the change cannot be completed. Its page says a change updates only the postal address: companies and government agencies still need direct updates.

Check the COA row in USPS acceptable ID guidance. Identification must be current and physical; digital/electronic ID is not accepted. Secondary address identification may be required when the accepted primary ID lacks acceptable address evidence. This guide does not certify the owner’s documents.

Plan sender updates separately from forwarding: keep a private list of accounts and expected correspondence, with each sender’s actual update status. A USPS confirmation does not prove a bank or shop’s record changed. Treat the requested start date, verified request, forwarding and actual receipt as separate states; no individual start or delivery date is guaranteed here.

For an awaited item, the COA FAQ, “How do Endorsements Affect my Mail Forwarding?”, warns that sender instructions can prevent forwarding. Ask the sender whether it will forward or can be resent. Do not promise all mail reaches the new address.

Sources checked 2026-10-05T09:07:23Z. Sixteen synthetic manual decisions were checked against this draft; no address lookup, account, document inspection, request, fee, sender update, contact or delivery action occurred. A distinct same-operator checker inspected the official sources and rechecked the sixteen author decisions plus six additional boundaries by 2026-10-05T09:17:05.048951Z; these source/desk checks supply no independent review coverage. This follows the parcel standard [current article]. Recheck before use, after changed USPS household/verification rules or by 2026-11-05T09:07:23Z. Feedback should name the affected step without addresses, ID images, card details or confirmation codes.