You need a reliable postal address – you should make sure that you check your mail regularly, and that your address is kept current with relevant organisations and service providers.

Change of address?

If you move house, an easy way to keep getting your mail is to lodge a redirection notice with Australia Post. (There is a fee to redirect your mail that varies depending on how long you would like the service to continue). This service can either forward the mail sent to your old address to your new one, or will hold the mail at the Post Office for you to collect. If you lodge a redirection notice with Australia Post, you can also go online and notify certain registered organisations of your change of address (see the full list here).

You are required by law to change your address on your drivers licence or personal identification within 14 days. You can go to your local Service Tasmania branch, or use their online form. (This is a great way to change your address with many State Government departments all at once – LINC library card, car registration, drivers licence, even your fishing licence!).

It’s also important to change your address with the Australian Electoral Commission for the Electoral Roll – if you don’t, you risk having your name removed completely and you will be unable to vote. It’s easy to do online, and will change your address on the national roll as well as your state or territory roll. The Passport Office also uses names and addresses from the Electoral Roll for sending out information and passport renewal forms, so it’s pretty important to make sure you do it.

You should also notify any other important institutions like ATO, Centrelink, Medicare, and your bank – it’s best to go in to your local branch (make sure you take some photo ID) and they can change your details then and there.

For things like your insurance company and your superannuation fund, check out their website for how they prefer to record your change in address.

Tip: A clever thing to do is make a list of all mail redirected to you after you move, and tick off your change of address with each one as you do it.

When you move house, start a job, open a bank account, sign a contract or start receiving Centrelink, you are generally given copies of the documents, and it is really important that you keep these financial or legal documents in a safe place.

You should keep all important documents for seven years – things like  bank statements, insurance documents, tax returns, payslips and receipts for major purchases.