USPS forwards most of your mail to a new address for 12 months after you file a permanent change of address, and that is the short answer to how long mail is forwarded to a new address. The 12-month window applies to First-Class Mail, Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, and USPS Ground Advantage at no charge.1USPS. Standard Forward Mail Periodicals get only 60 days, marketing mail isn’t forwarded at all, and paid extensions can stretch the total forwarding period to 30 months.
Forwarding Times by Mail Class
The 12-month figure hides some important variation. What actually gets forwarded, and for how long, depends on the class of mail:
- First-Class Mail, including personal letters, bills, and bank statements: 12 months.
- Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express: 12 months at no extra cost.
- USPS Ground Advantage: forwarded at no additional charge during the forwarding period.2USPS. USPS Ground Advantage
- Media Mail: forwarded, but you pay the postage from your old post office to your new address.1USPS. Standard Forward Mail
- Periodicals such as magazines and newspapers: 60 days.3USPS. Mail Forwarding Options
- USPS Marketing Mail (catalogs, flyers, bulk advertising): not forwarded.1USPS. Standard Forward Mail
Some senders add endorsements that tell USPS not to forward a piece at all. Driver’s licenses, certain bank statements, and some government documents may be returned to the sender rather than follow you.4USPS. Mailing Your Tax Return If something important never shows up, contact the sender directly to confirm it wasn’t bounced back.
Temporary Moves Work Differently
If your move isn’t permanent, you can file a temporary change of address instead. The initial order covers up to six months and can be extended, with the whole temporary period capped at 12 months.5United States Postal Service. Policies, Procedures, and Forms Updates Temporary forwarding covers First-Class Mail and Periodicals; Marketing Mail and most Package Services are skipped, just as they are with permanent orders.3USPS. Mail Forwarding Options
When the temporary period ends, USPS automatically resumes delivery to your original address. You don’t have to do anything.
Extending Past the First 12 Months
Twelve months feels generous until senders you forgot about start piling up in month eleven. USPS sells Extended Mail Forwarding for permanent change of address orders in three increments:6USPS. Extended Mail Forwarding – FAQ
- 6 months: $24.50
- 12 months: $36.50
- 18 months: $48.50
The extension is capped at 18 months, which combined with the original 12 months brings you to a maximum of 30 months of forwarding.7USPS. Extended Mail Forwarding – FAQ If you start with a six-month extension and later decide you need more, you can buy additional six-month blocks at $24.50 each until you reach the 18-month ceiling.8USPS. Extended Mail Forwarding
Extended forwarding covers First-Class Mail, Priority Mail, and USPS Ground Advantage commercial items. Periodicals are not included, since their 60-day window closes long before the base 12 months are up.
What Happens After Forwarding Ends
Forwarding doesn’t stop cold at the 12-month mark. USPS keeps your change of address on file for 18 months in total. During months 13 through 18, First-Class Mail sent to your old address is returned to the sender with your new address printed on it.9USPS. 507 Mailer Services That nudges senders to update their records and gives you a safety net for anyone you forgot to notify.
After month 18, the record drops off. Mail addressed to your old address is returned to the sender with a generic undeliverable label, or discarded if it’s a lower class like Marketing Mail.10United States Postal Service. DMM Revision: Extended Mail Forwarding Service Anything without a return address, or anything below First-Class, is thrown away. Roughly 18 months from your move date, your old address becomes a dead end.
Premium Forwarding as an Alternative
Standard forwarding sends each piece individually as it arrives and skips Marketing Mail. If you want everything bundled and shipped once a week, including advertising mail, USPS offers Premium Forwarding Service Residential. It collects all mail arriving at your old address and ships it to you in a single Priority Mail package weekly.3USPS. Mail Forwarding Options
It’s expensive. The 2026 enrollment fee is $26.40 online or $28.70 at the counter, plus a recurring $29.70 per weekly shipment.11USPS. 2026 Postage Price Change Over a full year the cost runs past $1,500, so Premium Forwarding tends to make sense for short-term situations like a renovation or estate settlement rather than as a long-term substitute for the standard 12-month forward.
Moving Outside the United States
If you’re moving abroad, you must file the change of address in person at a post office before you leave. The online option isn’t available for international moves because USPS can’t complete identity verification once you’re outside the country.1USPS. Standard Forward Mail The mail-class rules are the same, but delivery times will be longer, and some items may not be eligible depending on the destination country’s customs restrictions.
Update Senders Directly Before Time Runs Out
Mail forwarding is a bridge, not a destination. USPS doesn’t update your address with the DMV, your voter registration, the IRS, your bank, or anyone else. That’s on you.1USPS. Standard Forward Mail
One thing to know: when you file a permanent change of address, USPS makes your new address available to business mailers through a database called NCOALink.12USPS Office of Inspector General. National Change of Address Program Subscribing companies update their mailing lists automatically, which is why catalogs start arriving at your new address from companies you never notified. Convenient for bills and subscriptions, but your new address circulates more widely than you might expect.
Start with the senders that matter most: banks, credit card companies, insurance providers, the IRS, your state tax agency, and your employer’s payroll department. Then work through subscriptions, online retailers, and anyone else who sends you mail. The 12-month window feels roomy until it doesn’t.