The IRS change of address phone number for individual taxpayers is 1-800-829-1040. Businesses use a different line, 800-829-4933. Both are staffed Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in your local time zone.1Internal Revenue Service. Let Us Help You2Internal Revenue Service. Telephone Assistance Contacts for Business Customers A representative can update your address on the spot once they’ve verified who you are.
What to Have Ready Before You Call
The representative will not change anything until they’re satisfied you are who you say you are. Pull these together before dialing:3Internal Revenue Service. Address Changes
- Your full legal name, and your spouse’s if you filed jointly
- Your Social Security number, ITIN, or EIN
- The old address currently on file with the IRS
- Your new address, including any apartment or suite number
Expect follow-up questions. The agent may ask for your filing status, date of birth, or a figure from your most recent return to confirm your identity.4Internal Revenue Service. Let Us Help You – Section: IRS Phone Numbers If a recent return is nearby, keep it within reach.
When You’ll Wait the Least on Hold
Hold times shift with the calendar. During filing season, from January through April, Mondays and Tuesdays run long, and the days around the April deadline are the worst. Once filing season ends, Wednesday through Friday tend to have the shortest waits.1Internal Revenue Service. Let Us Help You The IRS staffs up heavily during filing season, so February can actually move faster than June.
Joint Filers and Separated Spouses
If you filed a joint return and both spouses are moving to the same new address, either spouse can make the call. If you and your spouse are moving to separate addresses after filing jointly, each of you has to notify the IRS individually.5Internal Revenue Service. Form 8822, Change of Address
The Business Line
Corporations, partnerships, LLCs, and other entities with an EIN should call 800-829-4933, not the individual line. Same hours: Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time. This line also handles EIN questions and other business account matters.2Internal Revenue Service. Telephone Assistance Contacts for Business Customers The person calling needs to be someone authorized to act for the entity, such as a corporate officer or partner.6Internal Revenue Service. Form 8822-B (Rev. December 2019) Change of Address or Responsible Party – Business
Should You Also File a Paper Form?
A phone call is the fastest way in. The trade-off is that you get no paper receipt. If having documentation matters to you, or if you’re expecting a time-sensitive notice, follow the call with a mailed Form 8822 (individuals) or Form 8822-B (businesses) as a backup record.7Internal Revenue Service. About Form 8822, Change of Address8Internal Revenue Service. About Form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party – Business The mailed form takes four to six weeks to process, so treat it as insurance rather than the primary update.5Internal Revenue Service. Form 8822, Change of Address
A signed written statement works too, if the form isn’t handy. It needs your full name, old address, new address, and SSN, ITIN, or EIN, mailed to the IRS address where you filed your last return.3Internal Revenue Service. Address Changes
Why It’s Worth the Call
The stakes on this are higher than most people realize. When the IRS mails a notice of deficiency to your “last known address,” that notice is legally valid whether you receive it or not.9Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 6212 – Notice of Deficiency Your last known address is the one on your most recently filed return unless you’ve given the IRS clear notice of a new one.10eCFR. 26 CFR 301.6212-2 – Definition of Last Known Address
Once that notice goes out, you have 90 days to petition the U.S. Tax Court, or 150 days if you’re outside the country.11Internal Revenue Service. Understanding Your CP3219N Notice If the letter went to an old apartment and you never saw it, that clock still runs. You can try to argue reasonable cause for penalty relief later, but you’d have to show you exercised ordinary business care and still couldn’t comply.12Internal Revenue Service. 20.1.2 Failure To File/Failure To Pay Penalties A phone call is easier.
Things That Don’t Work as a Substitute
Your IRS Online Account
People often try this first. The online account lets you update your email and notice preferences, but it does not let you change your physical mailing address. That still requires the phone call, Form 8822, or a written statement.13Internal Revenue Service. Online Account for Individuals – Frequently Asked Questions
A USPS Change of Address
Filing a change of address with the post office is not enough on its own. The IRS does receive updates from the USPS National Change of Address database, but the agency itself warns that not all post offices forward government checks, and forwarding expires after a set period.3Internal Revenue Service. Address Changes Notify the IRS directly.
A Friend or Family Member Calling for You
The IRS will not accept an address change from an unauthorized third party. A tax professional can handle it, but only if they have a power of attorney or Form 2848 on file.3Internal Revenue Service. Address Changes A well-meaning relative cannot call in on your behalf. It’s a fraud protection, and it applies to everyone.