An Easy-to-Follow Change of Address Checklist

By Bryan Rodriguez, Berks Homes

It’s time! Settlement has been scheduled, and boxes are packed and just waiting to be whisked away into your beautiful new home.

What’s next? A very important step, actually... changing your address. But who, what, where, how? No worries, I got you! I’ve done this several times and here is my easy-to-follow change of address checklist.

USPS

This is probably the most important and will help capture most of your mail; think bills, personal letters, invoices, and merchandise, and forward to your new address for one year. Magazines and the like will only be forwarded for 60 days. But that’s ok plenty of time to change the address with each individual sender.

Irs

You can do this when you file your yearly taxes or submit Form 8822. If you wait until you file your taxes, the IRS will automatically update your home address to what you use on your tax form as they process the tax return.

Driver’s License & Vehicle Registration

If you are moving from within Pennsylvania, it’s easy. Change of address is required within 15 days of the change and can be done online rather quickly. Or if you’d rather, you can go into one of the PA Department of Transportation locations to make the change in person. Both driver’s licenses and vehicle registrations can be done this way.

If you are moving to Pennsylvania from out-of-state, it’s a bit trickier. The change must be made for the license within 60 days, so you do have a bit more time, but you will need to visit a PA Driver’s License Center location to take a vision exam and pay the

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fees. The Vehicle Registration address change must be made within 20 days of the move. You will need to provide proof of PA car insurance, verify your VIN and have an emissions test conducted, for cars 11 years or younger. After you have completed the necessary steps, you will have to visit the DMV with the required documents and applications and to pay the fee.

Banks/Credit Card Company/ Loan Provider

The last thing you want is to find out you are several months behind on a payment because you were not receiving your statements. Contact your bank, credit card company, and any loan providers such as mortgage or car.

Voter Registration

Depending on where you move, you many find yourself in a different voting precinct than you are accustomed to. Updating your address now will help avoid voting issues when the time comes.

Monthly Subscriptions

These include magazines, subscription boxes, etc.

Utility Company(s)

This will happen when you call to move service to your new address. But it’s a good reminder to make sure you contact all utility companies to get your service transferred/set up at your new home.

In addition to these primary changes, there are, of course, other people and places that need to be notified of your new address. Doctors, dentists, gyms, employers, auto and life insurance carriers.

Although the list appears to be endless, if you take it stepby-step, and take care of the primary places, the others will fall into place. Although it may be a hassle, it is well worth the effort to make sure your mail, bills and other important documents find their way home!