Update your Medical Services Plan address within 10 days of moving, since BC law requires it. Next, update your BC Services Card and driver's licence through the provincial and ICBC portal, and visit an office if needed. Then update the Canada Revenue Agency online, which is the fastest federal route, and set up Canada Post mail forwarding.
TL;DR:
- An MSP paper form takes 21 business days to process; submit it early, and save confirmation numbers for every provincial change.
- Update Autoplan through a broker because ICBC may deny claims if your policy address differs from your residence; newcomers must meet separate vehicle and licence deadlines.
- CRA online address changes take effect immediately, while mailed requests take 4 to 6 weeks; prioritize online updates if benefits or tax slips are due.
- Buy Canada Post forwarding before moving day; four months may cover quick updates, while 12 months can catch annual notices and slow paper mail.
- Rural property owners must update both BC Assessment and the Land Title and Survey Authority; municipal tax records require a separate update.
Table of Contents
- Who to notify: a prioritized checklist by category
- Update your BC Services Card, MSP and driver's licence
- Vehicle insurance and registration: update Autoplan and ICBC
- Federal updates: CRA, Service Canada and Elections Canada
- Canada Post mail forwarding: options and 2026 prices
- Property tax, BC Assessment and Land Title
- Your priority timeline: first 10, 30 and 90 days
- Practical tips and a printable change-of-address checklist
- How to notify utility companies of an address change in BC
- How to update your address for school registration and children's records
- How to update your address with emergency services and local police
- Updating financial institutions and credit card billing addresses
- Updating subscriptions and delivery services for BC residents
- Tips for coordinating your address change timing to avoid gaps
- Author perspective: planning updates around a local Abbotsford move
- How our moving services simplify your address-change timeline
- FAQ
- Sources
Who to notify: a prioritized checklist by category
Canadian systems are not connected, so one update never spreads to the rest. The federal government warns that you must manually update every organization holding your address, including your municipal office for property tax. That is why a master list beats memory on a busy moving week.
Here is the list we hand to customers, grouped so you can tick items off in order:
- Provincial IDs and health: Medical Services Plan (MSP), BC Services Card, driver's licence.
- Vehicle and insurance: Autoplan policy through a broker, plus home, tenant and any other insurers.
- Federal agencies: Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), Service Canada, Elections Canada.
- Municipal and property: your municipal tax office, BC Assessment, and the Land Title and Survey Authority for rural properties.
- Financial accounts: banks, credit cards, loans, investment accounts, payroll.
- Utilities and services: electricity, water, gas, internet, phone.
- Subscriptions and deliveries: magazines, meal kits, online shopping accounts, memberships.
Start with the four that carry legal or financial consequences: MSP, ICBC and Autoplan, the CRA and Canada Post. Missed health coverage, denied insurance claims and lost tax slips cost far more than a late magazine delivery. The rest can follow once the urgent items are done. The CMHC change of address checklist is a handy cross-check for banks, insurers and service providers you might forget.
Update your BC Services Card, MSP and driver's licence
Anyone moving within the province should check the official MSP guidance and update their address promptly. The same provincial guidance says an MSP Account Change Request form takes 21 business days to process, so do not wait until the last day.
You can also update your BC Services Card and BC driver's licence online together through the ICBC and provincial portal. The Province of BC explains on its change personal information page that if your card carries a photo, you will receive an address sticker to attach to it. Follow these steps:
- Gather your previous address, your new address and any proof of residence the portal requests.
- Sign in to the provincial portal with your BC Services Card or another accepted login.
- Submit the address change for your BC Services Card and driver's licence in one session.
- Submit your MSP update, either online or with the MSP Account Change Request form.
- Save every confirmation number and email receipt.
- Watch your mailbox for the address sticker, and attach it to your card when it arrives.
Pro Tip: Do the MSP update on moving day, not after. The 10-day legal window is short, and the 21-business-day processing time means your record may still show your old address weeks later.
Vehicle insurance and registration: update Autoplan and ICBC
Moving within BC means a visit to an Autoplan broker. ICBC's moving guidance says the broker updates the home address on your vehicle insurance policy. This is not a step to skip, because ICBC notes that if your policy address does not match where you actually live, you may risk denial of coverage during a claim.
Newcomers from other provinces should check ICBC's official guidance for the deadlines to switch their driver's licence and register, license and insure their vehicle. Commercial vehicle requirements may differ, so confirm them with ICBC.
- Book the broker appointment before moving day if you can, and bring your vehicle documents and new address details.
- Keep your updated policy documents in the vehicle in case you need to show them.
Hiring a temporary vehicle for a group move? Partners such as Sprinter Van Rentals publish guidance on renting group vans for travel into Canada, which can be useful if relatives are driving to help out.
Federal updates: CRA, Service Canada and Elections Canada
The fastest federal update is the CRA's online account. According to the CRA's change of address page, updates made online take effect immediately upon submission, while mailed updates can take 4–6 weeks. That gap matters if you receive benefit payments or expect tax slips.
- CRA: update through your online account. Do this first if you receive benefits or credits.
- Service Canada: update your address through the official online portals, and check any benefit contacts tied to your Social Insurance Number.
- Elections Canada: E-Registration lets you check your registration and update your address online, though it may ask for your old address first before it shows the update option.
- Other federal programs: the Government of Canada address change page lists additional departments you may need to notify.
CRA online updates take effect immediately, while mailed updates can take 4–6 weeks. (Canada Revenue Agency) That difference decides whether your next benefit payment or tax slip reaches the right door.
Canada Post mail forwarding: options and 2026 prices
Mail forwarding catches whatever slips through while your updates are still processing. Canada Post's mail forwarding service recommends purchasing in advance, and its listed 2026 prices for a residential move within a province are:
| Duration | Within-province price |
|---|---|
| 4 months | 2026 prices |
| 12 months | 2026 prices |
Across-province and international forwarding have their own options, and business pricing differs from residential, so check the current page for your exact move. Four months covers most people who finish their updates quickly. Choose 12 months if you receive annual tax slips, license renewals or slow-moving paper mail from several organizations.
Pro Tip: Buy forwarding before moving day and align the start date with your move. A full year of forwarding is a cheap safety net for tax slips and renewal notices that only arrive once a year.
Property tax, BC Assessment and Land Title
Your property tax address is separate from your provincial ID. The Province of BC's property tax update page explains that you contact your municipality, or BC Assessment and the Land Title and Survey Authority for rural properties. BC Assessment's moving guidance adds that tax notices only reach you if those records are correct.
- BC Assessment receives updates weekly, but changes submitted between November 30 and early January may not reach some municipal systems until after that window.
- Rural properties require contact with both the Land Title and Survey Authority and BC Assessment.
- If you never received a tax notice, call your municipal tax office and ask for it to be reissued.
- Keep proof of the date you submitted each change, in case a penalty dispute comes up.
- Owners who rent out a property should confirm which address receives the notice.
Your priority timeline: first 10, 30 and 90 days
Legal deadlines should set the order of your week. This timeline sorts the tasks by urgency:
- Days 1 to 10: submit your MSP update, as the Province of BC requires, and update your BC Services Card if it needs a new address.
- By day 30: if you came from another province, register, license and insure your vehicle with ICBC. Update the CRA online if you receive benefits or tax mailings.
- By day 90: newcomers must switch to a BC driver's licence. Follow up on municipal and BC Assessment records.
- Throughout: confirm each update with a confirmation number, an email receipt or a physical letter at the new address.
- At the end of month three: scan your mail. Anything still addressed to your old home points to an organization you missed.
Practical tips and a printable change-of-address checklist
Before you start the manual work, try Address Change BC, the province's change of address service. It updates some provincial and local government organizations in one process for eligible address types, but only for entities that accept the service. Everything else still needs a separate update.
Build a simple spreadsheet listing each account, the update date and the confirmation number. Then schedule your appointments: book the Autoplan broker a week before the move, and order mail forwarding at the same time.
Here is the one-page checklist to print and tape to the fridge:
- MSP, BC Services Card and driver's licence
- ICBC and Autoplan broker
- CRA and Service Canada
- Canada Post forwarding
- Banks and credit cards
- Utilities and internet
- Subscriptions and online shopping accounts
- Municipal property tax office and BC Assessment
How to notify utility companies of an address change in BC
Utilities need two dates: when service stops at the old home and when it starts at the new one. Call or log in ahead of time, since some providers need time to schedule a final meter reading or a connection.
For electricity, BC Hydro's online account lets you move your service to a new address, and the same account is where you close the old one. Natural gas, water and sewer billing may come from your gas provider or from your municipality, depending on where you live, so check your latest bill to see who actually sends it. Internet, phone and cable providers often offer a transfer-service option that keeps your plan, though you should confirm that your new building supports the same speeds.
A few habits prevent surprise bills:
- Request a final bill at the old address and confirm the closing date in writing.
- Ask whether any deposit or credit will transfer to the new account.
- Update the mailing address on automatic payments so statements do not vanish.
- Take a photo of the meter reading on moving day as your own record.
- If you rent, ask your landlord which utilities are included, so you do not open an account you do not need.
Do the utilities early in the week. Having power and internet working on the first evening makes every other task, including the online government updates, much easier to finish.
How to update your address for school registration and children's records
Schools need your current address to confirm catchment, bus routes and emergency contacts. Moving within a district may only require a short form, while a move to a different school catchment usually means a new registration. Contact the school office, or your district's registration page, as soon as your new address is confirmed.
Have these documents ready:
- Proof of your new address, such as a lease, a utility bill or a purchase agreement.
- Your child's birth certificate or other identification.
- Immunization and previous school records, if you are changing schools.
- Your updated health coverage details, since the school may ask for a BC Personal Health Number.
Some districts have registration windows and catchment boundaries that affect placement, so ask about deadlines early, particularly if you are moving over the summer. Your child's pediatrician, dentist and any after-school programs also hold your address, so add them to the master list. If you share custody, send the new address to both households' contact lists so pickup arrangements stay clear.
Tell your child's teacher the move date as well. A small heads-up helps teachers support a student during the adjustment, and it ensures report cards and notices go to the right place.
How to update your address with emergency services and local police
BC does not have one central registry for emergency addresses. In most places, 911 dispatchers see location information tied to your phone line or the address you give on the call, so the most important step is making sure your phone and utility accounts carry the new address. Mobile callers should be ready to state their civic address clearly.
Beyond that, consider these updates:
- Your municipality: many local governments run alert programs for evacuations, floods or wildfires. Re-register your new address and phone number in any such system.
- Your local police detachment: if you have a registered alarm system or a security permit, tell the detachment or the municipality that issues it.
- Your alarm company: update the monitored address so responders are sent to the right place.
- Your family: write the new street address, unit number and entry instructions on a card near the phone, especially for children and visitors.
In apartment and condo buildings, note the building entrance, the buzzer code and the unit number. In rural areas, confirm that your civic address sign is visible from the road. Paramedics lose precious minutes when a house number is hidden by a hedge or missing entirely. Share these details with anyone who cares for your kids or elderly relatives.
Updating financial institutions and credit card billing addresses
Banks and card issuers should get your new address early, since they send tax slips, statements and security notices that you cannot afford to miss. Most let you change your address in online banking or in the mobile app. If you prefer, call the number on the back of your card, and be ready to verify your identity.
Update each of these:
- Chequing, savings and investment accounts.
- Credit cards and lines of credit.
- Mortgages, car loans and student loans.
- Your employer's payroll, so your T4 reaches the right address.
- Online payment services that use a billing address for purchases.
Do not forget the billing address for online shopping accounts. A card payment can fail if the billing address on the order does not match what your card issuer has on file. That mismatch is a common cause of declined purchases right after a move.
For safety, change the address first through a secure login rather than by replying to an email or text. Fraudsters sometimes target recent movers with fake change-of-address requests. If a message asks for your new address and a password, log in through the official site instead. Afterward, scan your next statement to confirm the new address printed correctly.
Updating subscriptions and delivery services for BC residents
Subscriptions are easy to forget, and they can send items to a stranger's door. Open each account and look for "shipping address" or "delivery address," then change it before the next order ships. Pause or reschedule deliveries during your move week if you can.
Think through these categories:
- Shopping and delivery accounts: online retailers, grocery delivery and meal kits.
- Subscription boxes: pet food, coffee, vitamins and clothing.
- Media: newspapers, magazines and streaming accounts that tie to a billing postal code.
- Memberships: gyms, clubs, warehouse stores and libraries, where a local library card may require proof of residence at the new address.
- Pharmacy: prescription refills and delivery services.
- Pet records: vet clinic files and municipal pet licenses, which many BC municipalities require you to renew with your current address.
Many sellers also use your postal code for taxes and for deciding which fulfillment center ships your order, so an old address can change what you pay. Once the move is complete, check your inbox for a while. Each "shipping confirmation" email shows an address, and any old one reveals an account you still need to fix. Canada Post forwarding will catch a stray parcel for a while, but not forever.
Tips for coordinating your address change timing to avoid gaps
The trick is overlap. Start with tasks that take the longest, and finish with tasks that apply the moment you arrive. Order Canada Post forwarding and book your Autoplan broker before moving day, because both work best when scheduled early. Submit your MSP update during the first days, keeping the 10-day legal limit in mind.
A simple weekly rhythm works well:
- Before the move: notify your landlord or buyer, book movers, and schedule utility transfers.
- As moving day approaches: order mail forwarding, confirm broker appointments and pack a box of essential documents.
- Moving day: take meter photos, submit your MSP update and update the CRA online.
- After the move: update banks, employers, schools and subscriptions.
- Follow-up: check municipal records and your mail for organizations you may have missed.
Keep your health coverage uninterrupted by finishing MSP before anything else, and keep your insurance valid by visiting the broker quickly. If a deadline falls on a busy day, handle the legal items first and leave the subscriptions for later. Leave a few spare days between your move out and your move in for cleaning, and use that space for unexpected paperwork.
Author perspective: planning updates around a local Abbotsford move
Most of the stress I see in a move comes from administration, not boxes. Customers can line up their MSP update, broker visit and mail forwarding around the move date. Pick your move date first, then book movers early so those appointments have room to fit around it.
— Jack W.
How our moving services simplify your address-change timeline
We handle the heavy lifting so you can focus on the paperwork. Our team at 2 Friends Trucking & Moving offers:
- Local moving across Abbotsford and the Fraser Valley.
- Long-distance moving within BC.
- Packing, loading, unloading and storage moving.
Request a free quote on our main page or through our contact page, and tell us which address deadlines you are working around. We will help you pick a move date that fits.
FAQ
Do I have to change my address with CRA and Service Canada?
Yes, you should update both, because Canadian systems are not connected and one update does not reach the others. The CRA's change of address page says online updates take effect immediately, so it is the quickest way to keep benefit payments and tax slips on track.
What's the easiest way to change my address in BC?
Start with the provincial portal, which lets you update your BC Services Card and driver's licence together. Then try Address Change BC for the provincial and local organizations that accept it, and finish the rest manually.
How do I notify Service Canada of a change of address?
Use the official online portals on Canada.ca to update your account and any benefit contacts tied to your Social Insurance Number. The Government of Canada address change page lists each department so you can work through them one by one.
Can I change my address online in Canada?
Often you can. The CRA, the BC provincial portal for your Services Card and licence, and Elections Canada all accept online updates. An Autoplan address change is the exception, since ICBC directs you to visit a broker.
Sources
- Moving Within B.C. - Province of British Columbia
- Canada
- Icbc
- Canada
- Forward mail when you move or relocate | Personal | Canada Post