Start with USPS mail forwarding, then update your address with the Massachusetts RMV and your voter registration. After that, work through banks, insurance, employers and subscriptions. Use the official agency sites, since several look-alike sites charge extra.
Key points
- File a USPS change of address on the official USPS site only.
- Update your driver's license and vehicle registration with the RMV.
- Re-register to vote when you move to a new address, including within the same state.
- Tell banks, insurers, your employer and your doctors, and update recurring subscriptions.
- Keep a running list during the first month, because accounts turn up as mail arrives.
Week one: mail and identity
Mail forwarding is the first job because it catches everything you forget. The United States Postal Service takes change-of-address requests online at USPS.com and in person at a post office. USPS says to use its official site, and the online request carries a small identity-verification charge on a card. Search results are full of look-alike sites that charge much more for the same form, so type usps.com yourself.
Forwarding is temporary. Treat it as a safety net while you move your accounts to the new address, not as a substitute for updating them.
Your license and vehicle registration
The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) needs your current address on your driver's license and your vehicle registration. The RMV handles address changes through its online services and at service centers. Check the RMV site for the current process, deadline and fees, because those details change and the agency is the only source that keeps them current.
If you are moving to Massachusetts from another state, the process is different and involves getting a Massachusetts license and registering your vehicle here. The RMV's new resident pages walk through it.
Voter registration
Moving to a new address means updating your voter registration, even if you stay in the same town or the same state. The Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth runs online voter registration, and the state's deadline to register or update is ten days before an election. Do it early rather than the week of a vote, and check your registration status on the state's site afterward.
Money, insurance and work
- Banks, credit cards and any loans, so statements and new cards reach you.
- Home, renters and auto insurance. Your rates and coverage can change with the address, and a policy tied to the old address may not cover you.
- Your employer's payroll or HR system, so tax forms go to the right place.
- The IRS and your state tax agency, if you expect a refund or notice.
- Health insurance, your doctors, pharmacies and dentist.
Home services and subscriptions
- Electric, gas and water accounts, both to close the old ones and start the new ones.
- Internet and cable, including returning any equipment from the old home.
- Streaming, meal kits and other recurring deliveries.
- Online shopping accounts with saved addresses.
- Your children's school or, if you are relocating, records transferred to the new district.
- Pet licenses and vet records, and the microchip registry if your pet has one.
The first month
Keep a piece of paper or a note on your phone and write down every piece of mail addressed to the old place. Each one is an account you have not updated. After about a month, the list gets short, and that is the time to check that forwarding is no longer catching anything important.
If your move also meant clearing out the old house, our guide to what Massachusetts bans from the trash covers disposal rules.
Moving to or around the Cape?
If you are still packing, see how packing and unpacking works, or read the overview on our moving page. When you are ready, get an instant quote or call (508) 400-5788, Monday to Saturday, 7am to 5pm.
Common questions
What is the first thing to update after moving?
File a change of address with USPS on the official USPS.com site. It forwards your mail while you update everything else. After that, update your license and registration with the RMV and your voter registration.
Do I need to update my voter registration if I move within Massachusetts?
Yes. A new address means updating your registration, even in the same state. The Secretary of the Commonwealth offers online registration, and the deadline is ten days before an election.
How do I change my address with the Massachusetts RMV?
Use the RMV's online services or visit a service center. Check the RMV site for the current process, deadline and any fees, because it is the only source that keeps them current.
How long should I keep USPS mail forwarding?
Keep it until the mail from your old address stops. Use the first month to update accounts as each piece of old mail arrives, and confirm on the USPS site how long your forwarding lasts.
Planning a move or a cleanout?
Sources
- United States Postal Service, Change of Address, retrieved 2026-09-25, https://www.usps.com/manage/forward.htm
- Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (mass.gov), Change your address with the RMV, retrieved 2026-09-25, https://www.mass.gov/how-to/change-your-address-with-the-rmv
- Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Voter registration, retrieved 2026-09-25, https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/voting-in-massachusetts/voter-registration.htm
General information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change, so confirm details with the agency linked above.