Have you recently moved your business to a new location or changed your headquarters? You’ll need to file a change of business address with the appropriate state and federal offices, as well as making sure your bank, vendors, customers, and local post office know where to find you now.
Use this guide as a checklist to make sure you don’t overlook any necessary details.
The Post Office
Of course, the first step in any address change procedure is to file a change of address with your local post office. This will ensure that your mail gets forwarded to your new address. Be sure to watch your incoming mail for the yellow forwarding stickers for the next six months, and notify anyone using your old address of the new one.
There are two ways to change your address with the postal service.
Online
Filing an address change at the USPS website is the fastest and easiest way, although it does incur a small charge of $1.05 to a credit card for identity verification.
In-Person
Visit your nearest post office and request a Mover’s Guide packet. Fill out PS Form 3575 and hand it to a postal worker or drop in the mail slot. You’ll receive a confirmation letter in about five business days.
Note that it can take up to ten days for your mail to start being forwarded, so file your change of address two weeks before your actual move.
Federal Government
While there may be other federal agencies specific to your business that you should change your address with, the main agency you’ll want to contact is the IRS.
The Internal Revenue Service
There are several ways to give the IRS your new address:
- Change it on your return : If you enter your new address on your return when you file, the IRS will note the change. This seems straightforward, especially if you move just before filing, but it can be risky. If the IRS fails to note the update and mails vital forms or requests to your former address, you will be held responsible for them even if you don’t receive them.
- Submit a request to change address by mail : IRS form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party — Business, is the basic form to change a business address. Be sure to follow the directions closely and mail the form to the correct Department of the Treasury address for your state.
- Submit online via BoldPDF : BoldPDF is an online service which allows you to fill out the 8822b form by simply answering a few questions about your old and new address. Once done - you can either print this form or mail it to the IRS via Mailform.
If your change of address will also impact an employment tax return, the IRS will issue confirmation notices to both the old and new address (Notices 148A and 148B).
No matter how you submit your information, the IRS can take four to six weeks to process your change of address in normal times. Since COVID has caused the closure of 5 IRS offices, we recommend you send your forms early and with some proof of delivery.
State Government
State tax agencies and your city or local tax authority will be interested in your change of address. Make sure to contact them as soon as you can to keep receiving any information they’d be likely to send. In some states like NY and CA, these processes can largely be executed online, unlike with the IRS.
Your Secretary of State
Check with your Secretary of State website to find out if you're responsible for updating Articles of Organization or if amending them is good enough. You may be able to file a simple form on the state’s website to amend them if that's acceptable. There may be a small fee associated with this change.
If you are licensed to do business in other states besides your home state, you’ll need to fill out a change of address form with them as well.
State Tax Agencies
You’ll need to update your address with your state’s Department of Revenue for state tax filing purposes.
Most states will let you report your address change on your state tax forms when you file, but it’s a good idea to send another notification especially if you’ve already filed for the year.
Visit your state’s Department of Revenue website to see what you need to do. Some states, like Massachusetts, will let you notify them by e-mail or in writing. Others, like New York, use an online portal that allows businesses to log-in and manage their own information.
Many states, like California, require any business that’s licensed to operate in the state to keep an updated address on file, even if it’s a foreign-owned company.
State Licensing Bodies
If your business is subject to licensing or oversight by any particular licensing boards, you’ll need to notify them of your address change.
Your Registered Agent
Usually, your attorney or some other individual serves as your registered agent. You’ll want to make sure this person is informed of your new address and contact information.
If you’re moving your business to a new state, you will need a registered agent with an address in that state.
If You Are Changing States
If you’re moving between states, you’ll need to register your business in your new state. Ask your attorney whether you should register your business as a foreign entity in your new state or set up an entirely new LLC, partnership, or corporation.
Changing your state of organization is a huge undertaking and may have tax consequences as well, so do your research before you make this decision.
You’ll need to close your Department of Revenue account in your former state and register in your new state to collect sales taxes. It’s a good idea to check with your former Secretary of State’s office or attorney to find out what else you need to do.
If your industry requires licensing or permits, you’ll need to cancel the old ones and find out how to obtain them in your new state.
City and County
Wherever your move takes you, you’ll need to comply with your local ordinances regarding sales tax, business license, professional licenses, and zoning. Your city or county offices should be able to guide you through their system.
If you are operating under an assumed business name, be sure to register a fictitious name or DBA with your new city or county.
Financial Services
Make sure you update your address with any financial service providers your business works with, including:
- Banks
- Credit cards
- Lines of credit
- Payment processors
Vendors, Creditors, and Collaborators
Your vendors and creditors may be using your address and zip code to process payments, so you’ll need to notify them as soon as you’ve updated your address with your bank.
Your Customers
Of course, your customers need to know where to find you! If you operate a storefront, restaurant, or retail location, you’ll probably have a whole marketing push around your new location.
But sometimes your move won’t impact them at all. If only your headquarters moves, or if most of your business happens digitally, then notifying your customers of your change of business address might be much more low-key. However, it’s still nice to let them know, even if you just add a note to your next newsletter.
Update Your Materials
There are some critical places where your new address needs to be updated immediately:
- Your e-mail templates: Anti-spam laws require you to give a correct mailing address in your e-mails.
- Your billing statements: You’ll get your payments faster if they’re mailed to the correct address.
- Business cards: There’s no point handing out contact information that isn’t valid.
- Printed envelopes: If you use them, order new ones right away with the correct return address so you can keep your mailing records clean.
Other materials to update:
- Your website: Your contact page and footer will probably need updating. Ask your webmaster to run a search through your pages and update any mention of your address.
- Your social media accounts: Usually, your address and contact information are listed in the “About Us” section.
- LinkedIn: Update your company info and ask your staff to make sure their personal pages are updated if necessary.
- Your staff’s e-mail signatures: Let everyone know how you want the new address to appear.
- Brochures and other printed materials: Unless your brochures have a reply form or generate a lot of mail inquiry, this can probably wait until the next print run.
- Letterhead: Whether you use a printed product or a Word template, make sure it’s not outdated.
- Templates: Speaking of templates, check the templates in your word processing, bookkeeping, contact management, and any other software to make sure they reflect the new address.
IRS Change of Business Address Made Easy
BoldPDF can aid in the process of completing and mailing the 882b form, and further Mailform can help you print and mail just about any document: upload a pdf, select a recipient and address, and you can move on with your day.