Change of Address: What USPS Forwards, Duration, and Exclusions

When you file a USPS change of address, most of your mail follows you automatically and at no cost: First-Class Mail, Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, USPS Ground Advantage packages, and periodicals all get forwarded to your new address.¹ What doesn’t follow you: advertising mail, packages shipped by FedEx or UPS, and anything a sender has specifically marked to be returned instead of forwarded. The details below explain which pieces get rerouted, for how long, and where the gaps are.

Mail Classes USPS Forwards for Free

Under a standard change of address, USPS reroutes the following at no charge:

First-Class Mail: letters, postcards, bills, and personal correspondence.
Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express.
USPS Ground Advantage packages.
Periodicals: magazines and newsletters, though only for a short window.

These classes cover the bulk of what a typical household actually receives, which is why most people find the standard forwarding request adequate on its own.¹

What Isn’t Forwarded, or Costs Extra

Not everything you receive is treated the same way. A few categories fall outside the free forwarding rule.

Media Mail. USPS will forward it, but you pay the shipping cost from your local post office to your new address.¹ If you receive books or educational materials at Media Mail rates, expect an invoice rather than a free ride.

USPS Marketing Mail. The category that covers most advertising flyers and bulk mailers is not forwarded. It’s discarded, which for most people is a quiet benefit of moving.

Anything with a sender endorsement that overrides forwarding. A sender can print instructions on the envelope that change how USPS handles the piece. Mail marked “Return Service Requested” is not forwarded at all; USPS returns it to the sender along with your new address.² Mail marked “Address Service Requested” is forwarded during the normal window, but the sender is also notified of your new address. Banks and government agencies commonly use these endorsements, which is why an expected statement may go missing at the new address even though your forwarding is active.

How Long Forwarding Lasts

Under a permanent change of address, First-Class Mail and packages forward for 12 months. Periodicals forward for only 60 days. Once those windows close, USPS returns undeliverable pieces to the sender for another six months with a label showing your new address, then stops delivering them entirely.¹

If you need more than 12 months, USPS sells extended forwarding in additional 6-, 12-, or 18-month blocks: $24.50, $36.50, or $48.50 respectively. Total extensions are capped at 18 months, giving a maximum of 30 months from your original move date.³

Permanent or Temporary Changes the Ending

The type of change of address you file affects what happens when the forwarding period ends. A permanent request updates the USPS national address database and forwards mail for 12 months. A temporary request runs from 15 to 185 days, extendable by up to 179 more days, provided the total stays within 12 months.⁴ When a temporary period ends, mail automatically resumes delivery at the original address rather than going back to senders. If you’re staying with family for a season or going away to school, that behavior is usually what you want.

FedEx and UPS Packages Are Not Covered

USPS forwarding applies only to items shipped through USPS. Packages sent by FedEx, UPS, or any other private carrier are handled entirely by those carriers, and a USPS change of address does not reach them. If a retailer ships through a private carrier, your package will follow the label to the old address unless you intervene directly.

FedEx offers Delivery Manager, a free service that can redirect a package to a retail pickup location such as Walgreens, FedEx Office, or Dollar General. Rerouting to a different home address is a paid service: $5.55 per package within 120 miles of the original destination, and $14.50 to $33.50 beyond that depending on how quickly you need it delivered.⁵

UPS handles rerouting through UPS My Choice. Redirecting a package to a different address requires a Premium membership at $9.99, and additional transportation charges may apply if the new address is outside the original delivery area.⁶ For most people, the simpler fix is updating the shipping address with each retailer before the next order goes out.

What USPS Forwarding Won’t Solve

Forwarding buys you time, not a permanent solution. Twelve months goes fast, and some senders will never update their records without a direct nudge from you. A few updates are worth handling separately:

IRS: USPS shares change of address data with the IRS through its national database, but the IRS warns that not all post offices forward government checks. File Form 8822 to update your address directly, especially if a refund is pending or you have open tax matters. A missed notice of deficiency or demand for payment can be expensive.⁷⁸
Voter registration: update it within your state if you move locally; register fresh in the new state if you move across state lines. Deadlines vary by state.⁹
Driver’s license: most states require an update within a set window after moving; fees for an address change typically run about $11 to $37.
Banks and credit cards: financial institutions often use “Return Service Requested,” so forwarding won’t help. Update these accounts directly.
Insurance providers: auto, health, and homeowner premiums are tied to your address, and a stale record can affect coverage.
Online retailers and subscription services: any saved shipping address needs a manual update, since private-carrier shipments won’t be caught by USPS forwarding.

If you use USPS Informed Delivery for daily mail previews, update it alongside your change of address. The USPS filing page includes an option to update Informed Delivery at the same time.¹⁰

Moving Outside the United States

If you’re moving abroad, USPS requires you to file the change of address in person at a post office before you leave the country. Online filing isn’t available for international moves.¹ Standard forwarding still applies to the same mail classes, but delivery to an international address carries its own costs and limits.

1
USPS. Standard Forward Mail & Change of Address
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USPS Quick Service Guide Archive. Ancillary Service Endorsements (QSG 507)
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USPS. Extended Mail Forwarding
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FAQ | USPS. Change of Address – The Basics
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FedEx. FedEx Delivery Manager
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UPS – United States. View and Track All Shipments With UPS My Choice
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Internal Revenue Service. Address Changes
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Internal Revenue Service. Form 8822 Change of Address
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USAGov. How to Update or Change Your Voter Registration
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USPS. Informed Delivery – Mail and Package Notifications