A Moving House Change Of Address Checklist is essential for anyone who rents or owns a home because important documents such as mail must follow you.
Post updated 2023
I Need To Change My Address. What Do I Do, and Who Do I Contact?
Although there are many people you will need to contact for a change of address, being organized is the key to getting it done right.
When we moved from renting to our new house, we created a change of address checklist.
I thought it would be a great printable tool to offer to the readers of Canadian Budget Binder looking for a free document they could personalize and print.
Whether you are moving to Ontario, outside of the province, or to the USA/internationally, there are various services to contact.
You can keep the document in your monthly budget binder or somewhere safe to check off every service you need to change your address.
Trust me, this change of address checklist will be well worth the paper it’s printed on, as there are so many other things happening when you move.
Related: Immediate Costs of Moving Out From Your Parent’s House
Canada Post Change Of Address
When you want to transfer mail to a new address, there are many people you will need to contact, so forwarding your mail is the best start.
About 4 to 6 weeks before you move to your new house or apartment, you will first want to forward your mail through Canada Post to your new address.
Over the next year or four months, whichever package you choose, complete a change of address checklist and start making the appropriate changes.
The cost is $115.75 a year in Ontario to use Canada Post mail forwarding service, which is well worth the money as it will buy you time to contact everyone on your change of address checklist.
2023 Mail Forwarding Prices Canada Post
With-in Province, Outside of Province, and US/International
2023 Pricing
| 12 months (best value) | $92.50 | $115.75 | $267.25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 months | $60.50 | $75.25 | $178.25 |
When should you use the Canada Post mail forwarding service?
- You are not returning to your original address.
- Managing an Estate or receiving mail for a deceased person
- Homeowner, renter, or business owner changing post office boxes
You can also use mail forwarding with Canada Post if;
- You are going south for the winter
- Relocating for renovations, a job, or an extended vacation
- Managing mail on behalf of someone else
- Any other reason when associated with the address
If you temporarily relocate, the costs to change your address are cheaper.
2023 Canada Post Temporary Relocation Pricing
With-in Province, Outside Province, US/International
| Mail Forwarding for temporary relocation Returning to your original address | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 months (minimum allowed) | $57.00 | $72.00 | $105.00 |
| Additional months (after the first 3 months) | $19.00/month | $24.00/month | $35.00/month |
| Option | |||
| Additional names | $4.00/name | $4.00/name | $6.00/name |
You can buy your change of address or mail forwarding online or go to your local Canada Post Office for customer service.
Always bring identification and supporting documents when you visit a Canada Post office to change your address.
Once completed, you can edit and extend your mail forwarding or change of address online.
We have extended mail forwarding for my in-laws for over a year now so we can monitor the mail for them.
You’ll get a renewal email if you apply for either service above so you can pay for it again or end it.
Related: Property Search Options When Moving To A New City
Service Canada Address Change
With Service Canada, you must change your address with each government organization that provides services.
Any address updates you complete are not shared among departments, so it’s important to review the full list of services to see which apply to you.
- Employment Insurance Benefits
- Canada Pension Plan
- Apprenticeship Grant
- Passport Services
- Social Insurance Number
- Old Age Security Programs
- GST/HST Credit
- Employment Insurance Benefits
- Citizenship Canada
- Full List of Service Canada Programs you may be enrolled in and need to ensure a change of address is completed.
How to change your address with Service Canada.
Ontario Photo Card
To update your Ontario Photo Card, including a change of address, you can visit a ServiceOntario centre or mail the information.
You can send a written request for your Ontario Photo Card with the following:
- full name
- photo card number
- current address
- new address
- signature
Mail your request to:
ServiceOntario
P.O. Box 9200
Kingston, ON
K7L 5K4
No proof of address is required.
Change the Information on an Ontario photo card.
To change your address on an Ontario photo card, visit a ServiceOntario centre with your Ontario Photo Card. No proof of address is required.
To change your name on an Ontario photo card, visit a ServiceOntario centre with your Ontario Photo Card. For proof of name, changes, refer to List 3: support documents.
Canada Revenue Tax Agency
You will want to contact the Canada Revenue Tax Agency to file a change of address letter, so your important tax documents get to the right address.
- Income Tax
- GST/HST
- Savings and Pensions
- Child Benefits
Landlord
If you are currently renting, you will want to give your landlord a written notice that you plan to move.
Based on the terms of your rental agreement, check for how long of a notice you need to provide to your landlord.
Some may want a 30-day notice for another three months, which gives the landlord time to refresh their apartment and look for new tenants.
Ontario Works/ODSP
If you are receiving benefits from Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program you must inform them of your decision to move by providing them with a change of address.
If you live outside of Ontario, contact the local agencies that provide you with similar or the same type of services to change your address.
Ontario Works helps people who are in financial need. It offers two types of assistance:
- Financial assistance, including:
- income support to help with the costs of basic needs like food, clothing, and shelter
- health benefits for clients and their families
- Employment assistance to help clients find, prepare for and keep a job.
This assistance may include the following:
- Workshops on resume writing and interviewing
- Job counseling
- Job-specific training
- Access to basic education, so clients can finish high school or improve their language skills.
If you have a disability and need help with your living expenses, you may be eligible for the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP).
ODSP offers:
- Financial assistance to help you and your family with essential living expenses
- Benefits, for you and your family, including prescription drugs and vision care
- Help to find and keep a job and advance your career
Credit Card Address Change
Contact every credit card company you hold cards for by using the number on the back of your card.
When they answer, let them know that you have a change of address that you would like to provide them and what the process is.
Utility Address Change
One important thing I want to mention about utility changes is with your telecommunications company.
Send it back immediately if you have equipment with a provider you will not use.
When you contact your provider, let them know your situation and ask them what you should do with their equipment.
You may or may not have to pay for sending the equipment back, but at least it’s done and over with.
Also, check your final bill to ensure they do not charge you for unreturned equipment if you’ve returned it.
This is why it’s important to track your package. We recently went through this with Cogeco, who billed my mother-in-law an extra $100 on her monthly bill.
When we called them and told them all 3 equipment rentals were sent in one box, they went looking for the serial numbers and, sure enough, found them.
They credited her account, but you must read all final bills after moving to ensure they are correct.
Contact all utility companies related to your residence, whether you rent or own a house.
You should know by who you pay with your monthly budget.
Add them to your change of address checklist and find out what the process is for a change of address or cancellation of their services entails.
Examples:
- Gas Company
- Electricity Company
- Telecommunications/ Cable, Internet, Home Phone
- Cell-Phone provider
- Water Heater Rentals
- City Property Taxes
Online Shipping Companies Address Change
If you are like us and use Amazon, Rakuten, Checkout51, or any other online services, businesses, or phone apps that offer you cheques or provide delivery to your home, you must change your address with them.
Login online and go to your profile and update your address there.
If you don’t do this, you might find that your parcels are at your old residence.
You might also lose a cheque refund or have to ask to get a new cheque written as the other has been lost in transit or is being returned to sender.
Banks Address Change
You will want to call any financial institutions you belong to and ask them how you can provide them with a change of address.
Again, this may be as easy as accessing your online portal or phone app to make the change, or customer service at the bank will do it over the phone or in person.
Loans/OSAP/Grants Address Change
If you have a loan outside of a bank or an Ontario Student Assistance Program/Grants you should change your address when you move.
Simply log in to your online OSAP account to update your address.
School or Daycare Address Change
Whether you have children attending elementary school, high school, private schools, College, or University (still live at home) or your child is in daycare, it’s important to update your address with these services.
Simply make a phone call to the school or your daycare provider and ask them how you go about providing a change of address.
Sometimes it’s as easy as letting them know over the phone, and that’s it.
Doctor’s Office/Dentist Address Change
Any doctors associated with you or your family should be contacted via telephone and ask them how to complete a change of address.
Some examples:
- Family Doctor
- Eye Doctor
- Pediatrician
- Dentist
- Podiatrist
- Chiropractor
- Dermatologist
- Veterinarian (Pets)
Other services: Massage Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Nutritionist, Dietician, Spa Facilities, Acupuncturist, etc.
Memberships/ Volunteer Work
You will want to add any memberships to your change of address checklist so that they know where to send your new bill, even if you pay them directly online.
In this section, you can also include libraries, health clubs, groups, volunteer work, and community centres you belong to for extra-curricular activities.
For example, we belong to our local library and would go to customer service to advise them of an address change so they can update it.
You might also hold an Outdoors Card, where you need a change of address.
- in person at a ServiceOntario centre
- or call our Outdoors Card Contact Centre toll-free at 1-800-387-7011
Insurance
Whether it be house insurance, car insurance, renters insurance, life insurance, or any other insurance you pay for by including them to your checklist.
Employer
You will also need to contact the Human Resources department at your place of work to update your change of address.
This can be as simple as talking to a manager, HR or whoever is in charge of the employees or payroll.
Financial Advisor and Investment Accounts
A simple phone call to your investment advisor, whether a bank or personal financial advisor, to let them know you have moved is essential.
If you choose not to forward your Canada Post mail, you may find your sensitive financial documents get mailed to your old address.
Make this a priority as well.
Driver’s Licence and Health Card
You are required to change your health care within 30 days of your move, so I’d make this one a priority on your change of address list.
You have, by law, only six days to put in for a change of address for your driver’s licence in Ontario.
For all services you’ll need your complete new residential and/or mailing address, including your address (with your unit number, floor, number, etc.), postal code, city and province.
It is important that you update your address in order to keep your health coverage active, to ensure that you receive renewal notices and other necessary information.
Make sure to bring your current driver’s licence and green ownership permit when visiting your service provider.
Related: Change of Address on Driver’s Licence Alberta
Health Card Ontario Change Of Address
There are four ways to update the address for your health card:
- change your address online
- complete a Change of Address form (1057-82) and return it by mail
- send a letter to your local ServiceOntario centre that gives the following:
- your name
- health number
- telephone number
- current address
- new address, including postal code
- visit a ServiceOntario centre
Address Change Information British Columbia
Mail Delivered To Wrong Address
If you get mail delivered to your house that doesn’t belong to you, you can do a few things.
Take the letter and contact the sender to inform them that they have the wrong address so they can update it.
You can also write, “Unkown, Moved, Wrong Address,” and put it back in your Canada Post Box.
We have, in the past, received neighbours mail and brought it over to them.
Over the past 11 years that we’ve moved into our home, we still get the previous owner’s mail at times.
Once, we even received a settlement cheque in the mail for her, so we drove it to her new apartment.
I would caution against doing this if you don’t know the person.
Change of Address Form Template
I created a free printable change of address checklist for all of you to customize as you’d like and print it.
This free address change checklist will help you organize and make all the appropriate changes with little stress.
Enjoy your new home!
Related: How To Pack and Prepare For A Move: The Ultimate Guide
Discussion: What other places would someone have a change of address to update?
Leave me your comments below, and I will be sure to reply.