Bleg: USPS Change Of Address

Will Truman

Will Truman is the Editor-in-Chief of Ordinary Times. He is also on Twitter.

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10 Responses

  1. Mike Schilling says:

    One thing I’ve noticed is that it’s not a fully automated system. It’s very much up to the carriers who deliver the new and old routes to make it work. So, if there’s a problem (e.g. not getting any mail at all) call the post office(s), and either talk to or leave specific messages for them.Report

  2. Rod Engelsman says:

    My experience has been that it introduces about a week’s delay while it’s active. Maybe a day if the two addresses are in the same zip code, like if you moved across town.

    All your mail will go to the old address first, where it gets flagged and tagged, then back into the system like new mail to wend it’s way to your new address. So several days anyway.Report

  3. BlaiseP says:

    NCOA works, but the changes aren’t propagated into your senders’ mailing systems right away. If you know you get regular bills from various and sundry, be sure to mark up your paid bills with your change of address information. When they process your payment, they’ll do the change right away. Magazines will usually have a change of address section on their website for subscribers.Report

  4. Chris says:

    When I moved a couple years ago, it was instant. That is, I sent the form in a week before I moved, and when I got to my new place, I already had mail waiting for me there with those yellow stickers indicating the change of address.Report

  5. Kazzy says:

    We always got everything we needed. Mail for former residents is usually the result of the forwarding request expiring; I believe they only do it for a year.

    But sometimes there are delays. And sometimes it is held at the post office until you confirm that you’ve moved in and actually live there.Report

    • Reformed Republican in reply to Kazzy says:

      Mail from former residents also means they did not file a change of address, especially if they have a lot of bill collectors they want to avoid. I get mail for four or five different names where I live. I bundled up the first week or so worth of mail with a note that says “no longer lives here,” and sent it back. Since then, it just goes into the trash.

      I also get phone calls from their bill collectors. Friggin’ deadbeats.Report

  6. Randy Harris says:

    Last time I moved, I changed my address online. Mail kept going to the old address and not being forwarded. It took a visit to the post office to straighten it out.Report

  7. dhex says:

    i would go in person. and yeah you waited too long.

    coa mostly works, but depends on the folks involved like anything else in life.Report

  8. Miss Mary says:

    I do these at work a lot. I’ve had better luck doing it on paper than online. Your situation sounds similar to one of my CoA online experiences that ended with a conversation with the post master.Report