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Mail Form 8822 to the IRS, or simply file your next tax return with the new address printed on it: both update the IRS's records. Do not rely on a USPS change-of-address alone, because the IRS does not use postal forwarding for most of its notices; a forwarded IRS letter may never reach you. Update the IRS directly and separately from the post office.
This is general information, not tax advice.
| Method | How it works |
|---|---|
| Form 8822 | The dedicated change-of-address form; mail it to the address in its instructions |
| Your next tax return | Filing with the new address updates the IRS automatically; the slowest option if filing is months away |
| A written, signed statement | A signed letter with your name, old and new addresses, SSN, and signature is accepted |
| Calling the IRS | Phone representatives can update the address after identity verification |
| USPS change-of-address | Does not update the IRS; treat it as a separate task |
The IRS mails much of its correspondence as non-forwardable. The envelopes carry an endorsement that tells USPS not to forward them, so a change-of-address order never touches them; they get returned to the IRS instead. This is deliberate: tax notices contain sensitive data, and the IRS wants them going only to the address it has on file. The practical consequence is that a move without an IRS update can mean missed notices, missed deadlines, and penalties on problems you never heard about.
Your name, Social Security number, old address, new address, and signature. If you filed jointly, include your spouse's information and both signatures. The form takes a few minutes and fits on one page; mail it to the service center listed in the form's instructions for your state. Keep a copy. The update is not instant, so allow several weeks for it to propagate through the IRS systems before relying on the new address.
The IRS does not offer a simple online address-change button the way the DMV does. Some account holders can see or update parts of their profile through an IRS online account, but the reliable, documented routes remain Form 8822, a signed written statement, the phone line, or your next filed return. If you need the change documented fast, call and follow up with the form: the phone call handles it now, the form leaves a paper trail.
Each taxpayer needs their own update. A joint Form 8822 covers both spouses from a joint return. A business that moved files Form 8822-B instead: the individual and business forms are different, and sending the wrong one slows things down. If you represent an estate or act under a power of attorney, attach the authorizing documentation so the change is accepted.
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