A UPS change of address isn’t a single form: UPS has no change-of-address order that forwards every package the way USPS mail forwarding does. Instead, you update the address in your UPS My Choice membership and your ups.com account, ask senders to use your new address, and redirect any package already in transit with Change My Delivery. Businesses can also check addresses for free with UPS’s Address Validation API before they ship.
This guide covers each step in order, what UPS can and can’t move for you, and how to keep address mistakes from turning into returned packages.
How Do You Change Your Address With UPS?
UPS delivers to whatever address is printed on the label, so a UPS change of address works in three layers: your UPS profile, the people who ship to you, and the packages already moving. Work through them in this order a week or two before you move.
- Add the new address to UPS My Choice. Log in at ups.com, open your My Choice preferences and add the new address. UPS says you can add addresses to a membership at any time, and the delivery calendar then shows packages headed to every address on file.
- Update your ups.com profile and address book. If you ship with a UPS account, change the ship-from, return and billing addresses saved in your profile so new labels print correctly.
- Tell senders. Update your shipping address with online stores, subscriptions, employers and anyone who sends you packages. UPS can’t change the address a shipper prints on future labels.
- Redirect what’s already shipped. For packages in transit, track each one and choose Change My Delivery (see below).
- File a USPS change of address too. USPS forwarding covers mail and packages handled by the Post Office. It doesn’t apply to packages UPS delivers.
Why your new address may need an activation code
When UPS needs to verify a new My Choice membership, it mails a welcome letter with an activation code to the registered address, about 7 to 14 days after you enroll. The code expires 45 days after the date on the letter. UPS notes that “Delivery to Another Address” isn’t available until the membership is fully authenticated, so enroll or update early enough that the letter reaches you before you need to redirect anything.
Can You Change the Address on a UPS Package Already Shipped?
Often, yes, but not always. Track the package at ups.com and select Change My Delivery. Guests can request a one-time passcode by email with no login, and My Choice members can log in and pick the package. Depending on the shipment, you may be able to redirect it to another address, hold it for pickup at a UPS location, or reschedule it.
UPS says some packages aren’t eligible because of shipper restrictions, the package’s status or security requirements. If the option doesn’t appear, contact the sender, who can request a UPS Delivery Intercept before delivery to redirect or return it. Fees can apply to delivery changes, and UPS says it charges only if the change is completed. Free My Choice members pay per change for some options, while the paid Premium membership includes them.
If a package has already gone to your old home, our guide to a UPS package delivered to the wrong address walks through the next steps with UPS and the sender.
Address change vs. address correction
UPS treats these as different requests. An address correction is a small fix to the same destination, such as a missing apartment number or a wrong ZIP Code. After an unsuccessful delivery attempt, the “Correct My Address” option in tracking lets you add those details. An address change sends the package to a different address altogether.
| What you need | UPS tool | Who can use it |
|---|---|---|
| Fix a ZIP Code or add a unit number | Correct My Address (tracking page) | Recipient, after a failed attempt |
| Send an in-transit package to a new address | Change My Delivery | Recipient (guest or My Choice), if the shipper allows it |
| Redirect or return a package you sent | UPS Delivery Intercept | Shipper, before delivery |
| See packages for every address you use | UPS My Choice preferences | Members |
| Hold packages while you’re between homes | My Choice hold or UPS Access Point | Members, for eligible packages |
What Should You Do With Packages During the Move?
Gaps between moving out and moving in are when packages go missing. UPS My Choice gives you a few ways to cover that window for eligible packages:
- Vacation hold: UPS can typically hold eligible packages for up to seven days and deliver them within three days of your return.
- UPS Access Point pickup: The UPS Store and other Access Point locations hold a My Choice member’s package for up to seven calendar days. Bring a government-issued photo ID to collect it.
- Customer center hold: UPS customer centers hold packages for up to five business days.
- Reschedule: Move the delivery to a day you’ll be at the new address. In areas with weekend service, our guide to whether UPS delivers on Saturdays explains when a rescheduled delivery can land on a Saturday.
Keep watching tracking for every package while you move. If a status like “exception” appears, our UPS delivery exception guide explains what each one means and how to clear it. The UPS tracking and delivery guide covers the full set of delivery-management options.
Is UPS Address Validation Free?
Yes, for most small shippers. UPS’s Developer Portal offers a free Community tier that includes the Address Validator API, with a limit of 12,000 address validation requests a month. Shippers with heavier needs can request an Enterprise plan, which UPS lists as free for UPS shippers, with custom usage limits.
A few rules apply. UPS says only users who plan to ship packages with UPS can use the API, and it revokes access for data mining. The database is updated monthly with new address information from USPS, and the city, state and ZIP check works only for U.S. addresses. Apps that use it must display a UPS notice that UPS assumes no liability for the results and that the tool doesn’t verify who lives at an address.
Validation isn’t a guarantee. The UPS Tariff states that an address validated by UPS may still be incorrect or incomplete for delivery and may be corrected by UPS. If you aren’t a developer, check a new address against the USPS ZIP Code lookup, then follow our steps to verify an address before you ship.
Why validating addresses matters after a move
When a label has an incorrect or incomplete address, such as an old address, a missing suite number or a wrong ZIP Code, UPS tries to find the right one. If it corrects or completes the address, it charges the shipper an address correction fee. Updating your saved addresses and validating customer addresses before printing labels is the simplest way to avoid that charge and the delay that comes with it.
If you’re shipping from your new address, update the ship-from address before you buy labels. You can then compare UPS and USPS prices for your package in the ParcelPath rate calculator, which is free and offers up to 85% off UPS and up to 89% off USPS. If a label already went out with your old return address, our guide on how to refund UPS labels on ParcelPath explains how to void it and reprint. For account basics, see what you need to know when using UPS on ParcelPath.
How Is a UPS Address Change Different From USPS Mail Forwarding?
A USPS change of address tells the Post Office to forward mail and Post Office packages from your old address to your new one for a set period. UPS has no equivalent forwarding service. Packages UPS delivers go to the address on the label unless you or the shipper redirect them one at a time. That’s why updating every sender matters more for UPS packages than for mail. Our breakdown of the difference between UPS and USPS explains how the two carriers handle delivery more broadly.
To speak with UPS about an account or a specific package, call 1-800-PICK-UPS (1-800-742-5877). Have your tracking numbers and My Choice login ready. Many other account questions are answered in our UPS frequently asked questions guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does UPS forward packages to my new address automatically?
No. UPS doesn’t offer an automatic forwarding service like USPS mail forwarding. Packages go to the address on the label. You can redirect eligible packages one at a time with Change My Delivery on the tracking page, and you should update your address with every sender so future labels show the new address.
How do I update my address in UPS My Choice?
Log in at ups.com and open your UPS My Choice preferences, where UPS lets you add addresses to your membership at any time. If UPS needs to verify the new address, it mails an activation code letter about 7 to 14 days after you enroll. The code is valid for 45 days after the date on the letter.
Can I change the delivery address on a UPS package already in transit?
Often. Track the package on ups.com and select Change My Delivery. Guests verify with a one-time email passcode, and My Choice members can log in. Some packages can’t be changed because of shipper restrictions, package status or security rules. In that case the sender can request a UPS Delivery Intercept before delivery.
Is UPS address validation free?
Yes. UPS’s Developer Portal offers a free Community tier that includes up to 12,000 Address Validator requests a month, and its Enterprise tier is listed as free for UPS shippers. The API is for businesses shipping with UPS. City, state and ZIP validation works only for U.S. addresses, using address data UPS updates monthly from USPS.
Who pays the UPS address correction fee?
The shipper. Under the UPS Tariff, when a label has an incorrect or incomplete address and UPS corrects or completes it, the address correction charge is billed to the shipper. Senders can avoid it by validating addresses before printing labels, and recipients can help by giving senders a complete address with any unit number.
Sources
- UPS: Change or Reschedule a Delivery (Change My Delivery, Correct My Address, Delivery Intercept)
- UPS: UPS My Choice (addresses, activation code, holds)
- UPS Developer Portal: API subscription tiers and Address Validator limits
- UPS Developer Portal: Address Validation business rules
- UPS Tariff/Terms and Conditions of Service, United States (address correction)
- USPS: Change of Address and mail forwarding
Explore more in our Shipping Services and Solutions hub.
Part of our UPS Frequently Asked Questions guide. Related: How to Refund UPS Labels on Parcelpath, What You Need to Know When Using UPS on Parcelpath, Difference Between UPS and USPS.
