How to Forward Your Mail Seasonally With USPS

Snowbird seniors who split the year between a northern state like Michigan, Ohio, or Pennsylvania and a southern state like Florida, Arizona, or Texas almost always run into the same problem on day one of the trip south. The mailbox back home keeps filling up. Bills, Medicare letters, tax statements, magazines, and birthday cards pile in a stack while you are 1,400 miles away. USPS solves this with a Temporary Change of Address, sometimes called a temporary forward. You tell the Postal Service the date you leave, the date you plan to come back, and the southern address you want everything sent to in the meantime. From that point on, the mail follows you. When you return north, it follows you back.

A temporary forward lasts from 15 days to one year. Most snowbirds set it for four to six months, which covers a typical winter stay. The service is free if you sign up in person at the post office and costs $1.10 as an identity verification fee if you sign up online. Both options work the same way once the request is processed. The Postal Service starts redirecting first-class mail, priority mail, and most magazines on the start date you pick. Some classes of mail, like marketing flyers and bulk mail, are not forwarded, so do not be surprised if you stop receiving the weekly grocery circular for a few months.

The online option at moversguide.usps.com is the fastest path for most snowbirds. You answer a few questions, pay the $1.10 fee with a credit card that matches your billing address, and receive an email confirmation within a few minutes. The in-person path at your local post office is free but requires a photo ID and a short paper form called PS Form 3575. Either way, you will receive a Move Validation Letter at your new address within five business days, which is the Postal Service's way of confirming the forward took effect.

This guide walks you through both methods, explains what to do if mail does not arrive on time, and covers how to handle the return trip home in the spring. Plan to spend about 20 minutes on the setup. Once the request is in, the forwarding runs automatically until your end date.