GLOSSARY
Change of address
By Justin Winter · Updated August 28, 2026
The short answer
The USPS request that forwards mail from an old address to a new one for a limited period after a move.
A change-of-address order tells USPS to redirect mail addressed to your old address. Forwarding is temporary and the window differs by mail class, so it is a transition measure rather than a permanent redirect.
Because the order is a USPS record, it also feeds NCOALink, which is how mailing lists get updated without the recipient telling every sender individually.
See also
- NCOALink — The USPS-licensed dataset of change-of-address records used to update mailing lists before a mailing goes out.
- Ancillary service endorsement — A printed instruction on a mailpiece telling USPS what to do if it cannot be delivered as addressed — return it, forward it, or report the new address.
- Informed Delivery — A free USPS service that emails residents grayscale images of the letter mail due to arrive at their address that day.
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