Changing your address takes time, but it’s much easier to deal with it before any problems arise from missing mail. We know it’s difficult to keep track of all the places you need to update your address amid the chaos of moving into a new home, so here’s a checklist to make it a little easier.
Not all the organizations and agencies on this list will apply to you. Some of the urls are relevant regardless of where you move to/from, some only concern Washington State, and others only concern King County. For the purpose of this checklist, we’re assuming you live in the city of Seattle.
☐ Post Office
Notifying the post office online will forward any mail sent to your old place to your new one for 12 months. You can set it for a specific start date, so you should do this at least a week before moving day—any later and there may be a gap between when you move and when your mail forwarding can begin.
Government
☐ Voter Registration – Update your address no later than 29 days before election day.
☐ IRS
☐ State tax agency – Not needed in Washington State
☐ County tax assessment office – For King County property taxes
☐ DMV
☐ Parenting Plan – For shared custody arrangements in Washington State
☐ Department of Veteran’s Affairs
☐ U.S. Customs and Immigration Service
☐ Medicare
Financial
☐ Employer – Even if your manager and coworkers know about your move, you still need to file the proper paperwork with HR
☐ Bank and/or credit unions
☐ Credit card companies
☐ Loan providers
☐ PayPal
☐ Pension plans, IRA, and 401k administrators
☐ All other investment accounts
☐ Account/Tax specialist
☐ Credit reporting agencies
Insurance
☐ Homeowner/Renter’s insurance
☐ Health insurance
☐ Dental insurance
☐ Life insurance
☐ Auto insurance
Utilities
☐ Electric – Seattle City Light
☐ Water, sewer, and garbage – Seattle Public Utility
☐ Oil
☐ TV, home phone, and Internet
☐ Cell phone
Home Services
☐ Lawn care
☐ Cleaning service
☐ Home security
☐ Pest control
Memberships and Subscriptions
☐ Magazines, newspapers, and newsletters
☐ Delivery services – Hello Fresh, Imperfect Produce, Prime Now, Domino’s, etc.
☐ Online shopping – Amazon, eBay, etc.
☐ Store membership – Costco, Sam’s Club, etc.
☐ Other membership organizations – AAA, AARP, ACLU, etc.
☐ Google Maps and other navigation apps
Personal Services
☐ Dentist
☐ Doctors
☐ Veterinarian
☐ Lawyer
☐ Babysitter or nanny
☐ Dogwalker
Social
☐ Friends and family – Even if they know you’re moving, they’ll want your new address
☐ Schools and daycares
☐ PTA
☐ Kids’ clubs and sports teams
☐ Church
☐ Social clubs and civic clubs
☐ Alumni groups
☐ Charities and nonprofits you support
☐ Real Estate Gals
Make sure we have all your new contact information!
