Short answer: Mail forwarding sends mail addressed to one location on to another. With USPS, you file a change of address (COA) and the Post Office redirects your First-Class Mail to the new address, piece by piece. A temporary COA lasts from 15 days to 364 days. A permanent COA forwards First-Class Mail for 12 months. Filing is free, and an online request costs $1.25 for identity verification.
If you travel, live abroad or run a business from anywhere, a virtual mailbox is the other way to forward mail. It receives your mail at a street address, scans it and ships it to you anywhere in the world when you ask. This guide covers both.
Mail Forwarding Options at a Glance
| Option | How long it lasts | What it forwards | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| USPS temporary change of address | 15 days to 364 days | First-Class Mail and Periodicals, piece by piece | Free ($1.25 online identity check) |
| USPS permanent change of address | 12 months for First-Class Mail, 60 days for Periodicals | First-Class Mail and Periodicals, piece by piece | Free ($1.25 online identity check) |
| USPS Premium Forwarding Service Residential | Up to 1 year | All mail for a residence, shipped once a week by Priority Mail | Enrollment fee plus a weekly fee |
| USPS Hold Mail | 3 to 30 days | Holds mail at the Post Office instead of forwarding it | Free |
| Virtual mailbox | As long as you keep the plan | Letters and packages from any carrier, scanned online and shipped on request | Monthly plan plus shipping |
How USPS Mail Forwarding Works
- You file a change of address. Submit it online through the USPS Official Mover’s Guide or on PS Form 3575 at a Post Office. You can file up to 90 days before your move and up to 30 days after it.
- USPS verifies your identity. Online requests charge $1.25 to a card with a billing address that matches your old or new address.
- Your Post Office flags your old address. Mail sorted to your old address is matched against the forwarding order.
- Mail is relabeled and rerouted. Each qualifying piece gets a yellow forwarding label and goes to the new address. Forwarding adds a few days to delivery.
- Forwarding stops on the end date. A temporary order ends on the date you chose and delivery returns to the old address. A permanent order stops forwarding First-Class Mail after 12 months.
Temporary Mail Forwarding
A temporary change of address suits snowbirds, students, contractors on assignment and anyone away from home for a set period. USPS rules for temporary forwarding:
- Minimum: 15 days.
- First request: up to 185 days.
- Extension: file a new request for up to 179 more days, for a total of 364 days.
- End date: mail delivery returns to your original address on the end date you set.
For an absence shorter than 30 days, use USPS Hold Mail instead. The Post Office keeps your mail and delivers it when you return.
Permanent Mail Forwarding
A permanent change of address is for a move you do not plan to reverse. USPS forwards First-Class Mail for 12 months and Periodicals for 60 days. During the forwarding period, business mailers can request your new address through mailer endorsements on their mail, which helps senders update their records. After forwarding ends, update anyone still using your old address.
For the rules businesses must follow when they forward or receive mail for others, see mail forwarding laws for businesses.
What Mail Is Not Forwarded?
- USPS Marketing Mail and Package Services mail: a standard COA generally does not forward them.
- Packages from UPS, FedEx and other private carriers: they do not follow a USPS change of address. Update your address with each sender.
- Mail marked “Do Not Forward”: some banks and government agencies use endorsements that return mail to the sender instead of forwarding it.
- Mail sent from a CMRA: USPS forwards mail to a Commercial Mail Receiving Agency, such as a virtual mailbox, but not from one.
Read more in does mail forwarding work for packages.
Forwarding Business Mail
When a business moves, select the Business move type on the USPS change of address and file it in the business’s name. A COA is only the first step. To keep official mail from going to an old address:
- File IRS Form 8822-B to change your business mailing address with the IRS.
- Update your principal office and mailing address with your state on your next annual report or a change of address filing.
- Update your bank, payment processors, licenses, vendors and clients.
A business that changes location more than once a year saves time with a fixed virtual address, so the records never need to change. See whether you can use a virtual address for your LLC.
How Virtual Mailbox Forwarding Works
A virtual mailbox gives you a street address at a USPS registered CMRA. Mail and packages from any carrier arrive there, and you manage them online.
- Sign up and choose an address. Pick a location in the state or city you want.
- Sign USPS Form 1583. It authorizes the CMRA to receive mail for you. You need two forms of ID, one with a photo. See our guide to USPS Form 1583.
- Point your mail to the new address. File a USPS change of address from your old address to the mailbox, and give the new address to the IRS, your bank and your contacts.
- Review scans online. The CMRA scans each envelope and uploads the image to your dashboard.
- Choose what happens to each item. Open and scan it, forward it, hold it or shred it.
- Request a forward. The CMRA packs your selected items and ships them to any address in the world.
BusinessAnywhere’s virtual mailbox includes unlimited mail scanning from $20 a month billed annually. Forwarding costs $2 for packing plus the carrier’s shipping rate.
USPS Forwarding vs. a Virtual Mailbox
| USPS change of address | Virtual mailbox | |
|---|---|---|
| Time limit | 364 days for temporary, 12 months for permanent | None while the plan is active |
| Packages from UPS and FedEx | Not forwarded | Received and forwarded |
| See your mail before it ships | No | Yes, scanned online |
| Forwarding abroad | Limited | Worldwide on request |
| Delivery speed | A few extra days per piece | Scans within days, shipping on your schedule |
| Cost | Free, $1.25 online identity check | Monthly plan plus shipping |
| Best for | A one-time move or a season away within the US | Travelers, expats, remote founders and businesses |
For a full comparison, read virtual mailbox vs. mail forwarding service.
Forwarding Mail Internationally
A USPS change of address is built for moves within the US, including military APO and FPO addresses, and Premium Forwarding Service ships to US addresses. To receive US mail in another country, use a virtual mailbox that ships internationally. You choose which items to send and consolidate them into one shipment to save on postage. See international mail forwarding for expats.
FAQs
Can you get your mail temporarily forwarded?
Yes. File a temporary change of address with USPS online or at a Post Office. Temporary forwarding lasts from 15 days to 364 days, and delivery returns to your original address on the end date.
How long will USPS forward mail to a temporary address?
USPS forwards mail to a temporary address for up to 185 days on the first request. You can extend it by up to 179 more days with a new request, for a maximum of 364 days.
How do I temporarily change my mailing address?
Go to the USPS Official Mover’s Guide online, choose Temporary, enter your start and end dates and pay the $1.25 identity verification fee. You can also file PS Form 3575 at a Post Office for free.
Is a temporary change of address the same as forwarding mail?
A temporary change of address is one type of mail forwarding. It forwards your mail for a set period and then stops. A permanent change of address forwards First-Class Mail for 12 months.
How long does mail forwarding last?
A permanent USPS change of address forwards First-Class Mail for 12 months and Periodicals for 60 days. A temporary change of address lasts up to 364 days. A virtual mailbox forwards mail for as long as your plan is active.
Does mail forwarding work for packages?
A USPS change of address generally does not forward Package Services mail, and UPS and FedEx do not follow it at all. A virtual mailbox receives packages from every carrier and forwards them on request.
