How Much Does USPS Charge to Change Your Address in 2023? (Ultimate Guide)

Are you planning a move and wondering how much it will cost to change your address with the United States Postal Service (USPS)? The good news is that the fee is quite minimal – just $1.10 as of 2023. However, there‘s a lot more to know about the USPS change of address process to ensure a smooth transition and protect yourself from scams or identity theft.

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In this ultimate guide, we‘ll cover everything you need to know about USPS change of address as a savvy consumer. From an in-depth look at the fee to helpful tips and interesting facts, you‘ll be an expert on the topic by the end. Let‘s jump in!

Breaking Down the USPS Change of Address Fee

The current fee to change your address with USPS is $1.10 per request. This price has held steady since January 2012, when it was raised slightly from $1. Here‘s a brief history of the fee over time:

Effective Date	Fee Amount
Jan. 2012	$1.10
Jan. 2001	$1.00
Feb. 1991	$0.75
Oct. 1971	$0.50

As you can see, the fee has gone up very minimally over the past few decades, especially when compared to inflation and rising costs of other consumer goods/services. It‘s actually quite a bargain for the valuable service USPS provides in forwarding your mail.

Why Does a Fee Exist At All?

You might be wondering why the USPS charges any fee at all for change of address. Isn‘t forwarding mail just part of their job? Well, there are a few key reasons the modest fee exists:

Fraud prevention: By requiring a valid credit/debit card for payment that matches the submitter‘s identity, the fee helps verify that the person changing the address is authorized to do so. It prevents a random person from maliciously redirecting your mail.
Processing costs: While $1.10 doesn‘t cover the full costs for USPS to process an address change and forward mail, it does help offset some of the expense. With millions of address changes per year, the fee adds up to support this service.
Motivation to notify senders: The fee, however small, provides consumers a little "nudge" to directly notify senders of their address change. USPS forwarding is only temporary, so this helps ensure a smoother transition.

Compared to the cost and hassle of missing important mail or dealing with identity theft, the $1.10 fee is a small price to pay for most consumers for the peace of mind.

USPS Change of Address Fee vs. Competitors

How does the USPS $1.10 charge compare to competitors? Here‘s a quick breakdown:

Service	Fee	Mail Forwarding Provided
USPS Change of Address	$1.10	Yes – 12 months
UPS MyChoice Address Change Service	$14.95	No
FedEx Address Change Service	$12.00	No
Online/Third-Party Change of Address Sites	$20-$80	No

As you can see, USPS provides the best value. They are the only service that actually forwards your mail, and the fee is a fraction of competitors. The online/third-party sites are complete rip-offs, charging sky-high fees while providing no real service (more on them later).

Who is Changing Addresses and Why?

Now that we‘ve covered the nitty gritty of the change of address fee, let‘s zoom out and look at the bigger picture of who is actually moving and changing their address in the first place.

According to data from moving company United Van Lines, about 15.3 million American households move each year. Here are the top reasons people cited for moving in 2022:

Reason for Moving	Percentage
New job or job transfer	32.5%
To be closer to family	23.1%
Retirement	18.6%
Lifestyle change	12.4%
To downsize or reduce living expenses	7.0%

As for demographics, younger adults (ages 18-34) are significantly more likely to move compared to older generations. Renters also move at much higher rates than homeowners. According to Census data, almost half of renters moved within the past 2 years, compared to just 10% of homeowners.

The peak moving season is between May to August, which accounts for over 50% of annual moves. Summer is popular due to school schedules, favorable weather, and it being prime home buying/selling season.

USPS Change of Address: Consumer Pain Points

While the USPS change of address process is relatively straightforward, there are still some common pain points that consumers face:

Confusing third-party sites: When searching online for how to change your address, many people mistakenly use unofficial third-party sites that charge exorbitant fees. These sites have misleading names/URLs to make you think they‘re part of USPS. Consumers may end up paying $40 or more for a service that should cost $1.10.
Not updating everywhere: Even with mail forwarding, some things can easily slip through the cracks when changing addresses. Many consumers forget to directly notify banks, utilities, subscriptions, etc. of their new address, leading to missed bills or hassles.
Identity verification issues: To combat fraud, the USPS change of address form requires an identity verification question based on your credit history (e.g. "Which of these addresses have you never lived at?"). Some consumers find these tricky to answer or get locked out after failed attempts.
Apartment/dorm moves: For those in apartments or college dorms, it can be hard to know exactly when to start/stop mail forwarding in relation to move out dates. This can lead to missed mail during the transition.

Despite these potential friction points, the vast majority of consumers are able to change their address with USPS without major issues. The key is using the official USPS.com site, carefully filling out the form, and being proactive about updating your address across all accounts.

Protecting Yourself from Change of Address Scams and Fraud

One of the biggest pitfalls consumers face when changing their address is falling victim to scams or fraud. Scammers know that people in the midst of a move are busy and distracted, making it prime time to strike. Here are some sobering statistics:

Over 35 million address changes are processed by USPS each year
The FTC received over 16,000 complaints of change of address/mail forwarding fraud in 2021
Identity theft/fraud related to moves has steadily risen over the past decade as online change of addresses have become the norm

The most common change of address scams are fraudulent third-party websites posing as the official USPS site. These sites lure stressed out movers with the promise of an "easier" change of address process. In reality, they charge sky-high fees (often $40+) while providing little service beyond pocketing your cash and sensitive info.

Other scams involve identity thieves fraudulently forwarding your mail without your knowledge and intercepting sensitive documents. They may open credit cards or loans in your name or even try to sell your home out from under you (yes, really!).

To protect yourself, follow these tips:

ONLY use the official USPS.com website to change your address online. If you prefer to fill out a paper form, get one at your local Post Office – don‘t trust forms you receive in the mail.
Be wary of any emails, phone calls or texts claiming there is a problem with your change of address or requesting payment. USPS will never contact you this way.
Enable Informed Delivery through USPS, which lets you digitally preview your mail. This makes it easy to spot if any expected mail is missing.
Sign up for identity theft monitoring and consider a credit freeze if you suspect any fraud related to your address change.

Tips for a Smooth USPS Change of Address

To wrap up, here are some final pro tips to make your USPS change of address go as smoothly as possible:

Submit your change of address at least 2 weeks before you move. You can select your exact start date up to 3 months in advance or up to 30 days after your move.
Remember that everyone with a different last name needs to submit a separate change of address form and $1.10 payment.
Fill out the change of address form carefully and completely. Errors can lead to mail being returned to sender.
If you‘re planning to do a lot of online shopping around your move, consider getting a PO Box at your new location so packages aren‘t sent to the wrong address.
Use USPS‘s free Premium Forwarding Service if you‘ll be away for an extended period (up to 1 year). They‘ll hold your mail and deliver it weekly to your temporary address for a fee.

With a little planning and awareness, your trusty Post Office will make sure your mail finds you safe and sound in your new home.

By the Numbers: USPS Change of Address Statistics

We‘ve thrown a lot of information and tips your way in this ultimate guide. Let‘s close with some interesting statistics that put the scale of American moves and address changes into perspective:

Almost 15% of the U.S. population moves in a given year
There are over 35 million USPS change of address requests processed annually
The average American moves 11.7 times in their lifetime
The median age for first time home buyers in the U.S. is 33
Those who live in cities are 80% more likely to move compared to rural residents
Over 1 in 5 Americans feel they were the victim of mail or package theft in 2022
The busiest day of the week for residential moves is Friday, followed closely by Monday

No matter your age, location or reason for moving, you can bet that USPS will be there for you to make your address change a breeze. With over 150 years of operation and a presence in every U.S. community, USPS is the most trusted and experienced partner for all your moving mail needs.