Moving to a new home is a big deal–whether you’re moving to a new neighbourhood, city, or even province. Amid the excitement (and chaos) of packing boxes and planning the move, it can be easy to overlook some of the less thrilling but super important tasks, like updating your address.
Notifying the right people about your move ensures you don’t miss bills or important mail that could end up at your old place. Your bank, doctor, home and car insurance providers, and other important organizations need to know you’ve moved.
In this blog, we’ll provide a comprehensive change of address checklist for moving so you’ll know who exactly to notify and be prepared well before the big day.
Should you change your address before or after moving?
How far in advance you can change your address depends on the provider. It’s best to start updating your address as soon as possible, but some providers may allow you to change your address as far as two to three weeks before an upcoming move.
For essential services like government documents, financial institutions, and mail forwarding, you can change your address a few weeks before your move to help avoid missed bills, gaps in service, and mail being sent to your old address.
Some address updates, like notifying your employer or healthcare provider, can wait until after your move, but the earlier you start, the smoother the transition will be.
What is the easiest way to change your address for everything?
The easiest way to change your address is to use a master checklist like the one below that covers all the key areas–government services, insurance providers, financial institutions, utility companies, and more.
Depending on where you live, there might be shortcuts to change your address for multiple places. For example, in Quebec, you can update your address across seven government departments and organizations at once using the Service québécois de changement d’adresse (SQCA).
Even if you use these shortcuts, a checklist will ensure you stay organized and don’t miss anything important.
What happens if you don’t notify of a change of address?
If you don’t update your address, you’ll risk missing bills, notices, and other mail. This can lead to late or missed payments, service disruptions, or even your mail falling into the wrong hands–think possible identity theft.
For example, if you don’t notify your insurance provider that you’ve moved, you could end up paying more than necessary since your premium is tied (at least in part) to your location. Even worse, failing to update your address could be considered misrepresentation, which may violate the terms of your policy, potentially leading to cancellation or a denied claim when you need coverage the most.
Don’t risk it. Changing your address is a simple step that can save you a lot of hassle in the future.
Change of address checklist for moving
Being well-prepared is key to a smooth, stress-free move. Here’s a comprehensive list of all the companies, organizations, and service providers that need to know about your new address.
Financial institutions
As soon as you move, notify your bank, credit card company, and other financial institutions of your new address to avoid identity theft, which can happen if your personal information ends up in the wrong hands through the mail. Most institutions allow you to change your address instantly online.
- Bank(s)
- Credit card(s)
- Investment account(s)
- Loan lender(s)
- Mortgage provider
Utility companies
To avoid loss of service or a billing problem, contact your utility companies to change your address. For some companies, like Hydro Quebec, you’ll need to give at least 30 days’ notice of your planned moving date to avoid paying for any electricity you haven’t used.
- Hydro (ex. Hydro One, Hydro Quebec)
- Gas
- Water
Insurance provider(s)
Many insurance providers will let you transfer your existing home, tenant, or condo policy to your new address, which will help you avoid any lapses in coverage. However, you must notify them, usually within a specific timeframe; otherwise, you risk your policy being cancelled or your claims being denied.
Also, keep in mind that your location often affects the price you pay for insurance (even car insurance!) to some degree. While you could pay less with the move, your premium could also increase, which is why moving is arguably one of the best times to recheck if another provider, like YouSet, can offer a better price.
- Home insurance, tenant insurance, or condo insurance
- Car insurance
- Life insurance
- Pet insurance
Communication companies
Provide your phone, internet, and other communication services with your new address to avoid potential service lapses. You’ll need to cancel your internet and cable at your old address and set up a new service at your new address.
- Cellphone
- Internet
- Cable/satellite TV
Federal government services
The last thing you want to happen during a move is to miss important updates and payments from the federal government, or risk sensitive personal information falling into the wrong hands. That’s why it’s important to inform all the relevant federal government services about your change of address as soon as you move.
- Taxes (Canada Revenue Agency)
- Employment Insurance
- Canada Pension Plan or Old Age Security
- Canada Post
- NEXUS
- Voter registration (Elections Canada)
Provincial government services
To avoid headaches when renewing your health card, driver’s license, and other services, let them know about your move as soon as possible. Some provinces, like Quebec, provide a change of address service where you can notify various organizations about your new address in one step.
- Health card
- Driver’s license
- Vehicle registration and license plates
- Student loans and grants
- Electronic tolls
Municipal government services
Update your address with municipal services like property taxes, water, and parking permits to ensure you’re billed correctly and continue receiving services. Keeping your address up-to-date also helps you avoid missed payments, fines, or service disruptions.
- Property taxes
- Water
- Waste collection and recycling services
- Pet licenses
- Parking permits
- Public transit cards or passes
Healthcare providers
To keep your records up to date, let your healthcare providers know about your move, either right away or at your next appointment. If you’re moving too far away, you may need to find a new doctor, dentist, veterinarian, or other local care provider.
- Family doctor/general practitioner
- Specialist doctor(s) (ex. optometrist, dermatologist, etc.)
- Paramedical service providers (ex. chiropractor, massage therapist, physiotherapist, etc.)
- Dentist
- Veterinarian
- Pharmacist