Whether you are planning to buy your first home or planning to flock to a secondary residence for the winter, here’s how you can forward your mail, or make a temporary or permanent change of address.
The Purpose of This Guide
Missing bills such as your maintenance or common charge or losing a package is never fun. Therefore, moving or preparing to leave your primary residence for a season requires pre-planning to ensure a smooth transition. Whether your move is permanent or temporary, use this guide to help ensure you are receiving your mail in a timely fashion (or at all!). Below are several scenarios that may require a change in address or mail forwarding.
Mail Forwarding For Seasonal Relocations
If you are a snowbird or someone who changes where they reside for extended periods of the year, you will need to temporarily forward your mail. Notifying the United States Postal Service of a temporary or extended change of address is beneficial because it will:
- Curtail theft at your primary address (if you have mail overflowing from your mailbox, or boxes stacked up in the mail room or by your front door, it can indicate that you have not been home for an extended period of time).
- Help you keep up with bills (paperless billing is also a great option for people with a secondary address or those who do not wish to reduce paper clutter).
- Keep you informed of day-to-day communications from your property management company that comes through the mail (if you live in a co-op, condo, or HOA that is not self-managed).
USPS Mail Forwarding
The United States Postal Service offers different mail forwarding services depending on your needs. Please review them carefully as selecting the wrong option may create issues with mail when you return to your main address:
Temporary Mail Stop for Traveling
If you are traveling for an extended period, you may want to temporarily stop your mail. This is beneficial for keeping your mailbox, mailroom, or front porch clear of packages and overflowing mail while you are away. As mentioned previously, this also helps to curtail theft.
USPS Hold Mail
You will need to register or log in to the USPS site to enable held mail.
Permanent Change of Address
If you recently purchased a new home and/or you are planning a permanent move, you will need to let government institutions and services know that you will be changing your address. Some examples include but are not limited to:
- The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles – You must let the DMV know about your change of address within 10 days of moving. Additionally, they offer a service to change your voting address.
- The United States Postal Service
- Car Dealership/ Car Company/ Car Payment Portal
- Auto and Home Insurance Company (you will handle your home insurance prior to closing if you are purchasing a home)
- Banking & Credit Card Accounts
- Investment Accounts
- Health Insurance Companies and Health Care Providers
- Utility Companies (Gas, Electric, Internet, Cable, Etc.)
- Online Subscriptions and Other Services (i.e.- Amazon, Hulu, Spotify, Netflix, Gym Memberships, Subscription Boxes, Etc.)
Notify Your Management Company of a Permanent or Temporary Move
If you are permanently or temporarily moving in or out of a co-op, condo, or HOA community, be sure to notify your property management company of your move. This will help facilitate the moving process, from getting to know moving procedures, payment options, management staff, communication methods, and more.
Final Thoughts
Whether you are moving or planning to temporarily change your main dwelling, it is important to be aware of the steps needed to have a smooth move or relocation. Updating your address and forwarding your mail are some of the necessary steps in the moving process. Additionally, temporarily forwarding or stopping mail can help simplify your day-to-day when managing bills, mail, packages, and more.
