Why Keep Your Address Up-To-Date?
In an age of emails, remembering to keep a current address with your licensing state can seem like a task that is no longer relevant and at best minimally beneficial. While it is true that most companies or advertisers don't necessary care to know your home address, (as long as their marketing media comes to your inbox), this is not the case with Uncle Sam. The government isn't concerned with selling you something that you should buy, but rather creating laws and regulations you must follow. We've laid out some of the reasons why it is important to keep your address up-to-date.
Scroll to the bottom to find our list of licensing agency grace periods and their address change links.
REASON 1 - Identity Theft Prevention
Though your identity being at risk is not the main concern of your local DMV, it should be yours! Your old mailing address opens the door for possible thieves to gain access to your name, account numbers, subscriptions, and bills. These pieces of information can be used to assemble the puzzle of your identity to a potential thief, putting you and your wallet at risk! Want to better protect your identity? Make sure to update your address promptly after each move.
REASON 2 - Personal Information Delivery
There is necessary information the government will not release over the phone or to an email address without having certain accounts already created. This can be a problem for those who aren't tech-savvy or simply don't know they need to create such accounts as the following:
DOT Pin # - If you are a motor carrier/owner operator this number is confidential and will be mailed to your physical address if your email doesn't recognize their email.
FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse - If you haven't created an account with the Clearinghouse, when a future employer sends a full query consent (required for new hires), that request will be mailed to your last registered address. You won't see it for 7-10 days, and your new employer can't put you behind the wheel until that is approved. Unsure of what the Clearinghouse is? Check out our post here!
W-2/Financial Information - Without a current address, your previous employers could send your tax information to a former address, hampering your ability to complete filing your taxes. This also applies to any financial institutions you may have a loan or account with.
REASON 3 - It's the LAW!
Once you move, your licensing state will give a grace period for you to get your address update submitted to them. Depending on your state this could be anywhere from 2 days to 90 days. While they likely won't penalize anyone for violating this code, as we've covered above, there is no downside to keeping your address current! Your state has probably made it simple and free to update your address with them, You should check your local DMV or DPS website.
We've put together a list of the grace periods for each state and the links to their address change operation, check it out below!
State by State Address Change Information
Alabama law provides a grace period of 30 days
To update your address please go to : https://www.alea.gov/sites/default/files/inline-files/change%20of%20address_0.pdf
Be aware this form must be mailed in & cannot be submitted online.
Alaska law provides a grace period of 30 days
To update your address please go to : https://doa.alaska.gov/dmv/forms/pdfs/401.pdf
Arizona law provides a grace period of 10 days
To update your address please go to : https://azmvdnow.gov/home
Arkansas law provides a grace period of 30 days (Not Verified)
To update your address please go to : https://airsdsmvpub.dfa.arkansas.gov/mydmv/_/
Be aware this form must be mailed in & cannot be submitted online.
California law provides a grace period of 10 days
To update your address please go to : https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/online/coa/welcome
Colorado law provides a grace period of 30 days (Not Verified)
To update your address please go to : https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/dmv/change-your-address
Connecticut law provides a grace period of 2 days
To update your address please go to : https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/DMV/20/29/B58INDpdf.pdf?la=en
Be aware this form must be mailed in & cannot be submitted online.
Delaware law provides a grace period of 30 days
To update your address please go to : https://dmv.de.gov/forms/driver_serv_forms/pdfs/dr_frm_chgadr.pdf?cache=1588190831091
Be aware this form must be mailed in & cannot be submitted online.
Florida law provides a grace period of 30 days
To update your address please go to : https://services.flhsmv.gov/VirtualOffice/
Georgia law provides a grace period of 30 days if moving in from out of state, 60 days if moving within Georgia
To update your address please go to : https://online.dds.ga.gov/onlineservices/addresschangeintro.aspx
CDL holders are not eligible to change their address online
Idaho law provides a grace period of 30 days
To update your address please go to : https://www.dmv.org/id-idaho/change-address.php
Illinois law provides a grace period of 10 days
To update your address please go to : https://www.ilsos.gov/addrchange/AddrChangeController
Indiana law provides a grace period of 10 days
To update your address please go to : https://mybmv.bmv.in.gov/bmv/mybmv/default.aspx
Iowa law provides a grace period of 30 days
To update your address please go to : https://mymvd.iowadot.gov/Account/Login?ReturnUrl=%2fChangeAddress/
Kansas law provides a grace period of 10 days
To update your address please go to : https://www.kdor.ks.gov/Apps/MotorVehicles/motorvehicle/default
Kentucky law provides a grace period of 10 days
To update your address you must get a duplicate license in person at your Circuit Court Clerk's office - Find your location here
Louisiana law provides a grace period of 10 days
To update your address you must go in person to your local OMV office
Maine law provides a grace period of 30 days
To update your address please go in person to your local BMV office
Maryland law provides a grace period of 30 days
To update your address please go to : https://securetransactions.mva.maryland.gov/emvastore/(S(d05toql1atvxw4e5wfrpfhee))/MustHave2.aspx
Massachusetts law provides a grace period of 30 days
To update your address please go to : https://atlas-myrmv.massdot.state.ma.us/myrmv/_/#2
Michigan law provides a grace period of 10 days
To update your address please go to : https://onlineservices.michigan.gov/ExpressSOS/CustomerManagement/EligibilityRequirements
Minnesota law provides a grace period of 30 days
To update your address please go to : https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs/Pages/search-dvs.aspx?filter1=Driver%27s%20License&filter2=Class%20D&filter3=Change%20Address%20on%20License
Mississippi law provides a grace period of 30 days
To update your address please go to : https://www.ms.gov/dps/license_renewal/
Missouri law provides a grace period of 30 days (Not Verified)
Montana law provides a grace period of 10 days
To update your address please go to : https://media.dojmt.gov/wp-content/uploads/Change-of-Address-for-Driver-License-or-ID-Card-Electronic-Record-1.pdf
Be aware this form must be mailed in or to update your photo you must visit in person
Nebraska law provides a grace period of 60 days
To update your address please go to : https://www.nebraska.gov/dmv/dlr/index.cgi
Nevada law provides a grace period of 30 days
To update your address please go to : https://dmvapp.nv.gov/DMV/Application/DMVPortal/Pages/Default.aspx
New Hampshire law provides a grace period of 30 days
To update your address please go to : https://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/dmv/forms/documents/dsmv30.pdf
Be aware this form must be mailed in or brought in person to a DMV location
New Jersey law provides a grace period of 7 days
To update your address please go to : https://emvc.state.nj.us/MVC_SAC/AVSStart.jsp
New Mexico law provides a grace period of 10 days
To update your address please go to : https://eservices.mvd.newmexico.gov/eTapestry/_/
New York law provides a grace period of 10 days
To update your address please go to : https://dmv.ny.gov/address-change/how-change-your-address
North Carolina law provides a grace period of 60 days
To update your address please go to : https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/offices-services/online/Pages/my-ncdmv-duplicate-registration.aspx
North Dakota law provides a grace period of 10 days
To update your address please go to: https://apps.nd.gov/dot/dlts/dlos/addressWelcome.htm
Ohio law provides a grace period of 10 days
To update your address please go to : https://services.dps.ohio.gov/BMVOnlineServices/Home/Login?returnUrl=%2FBMVOnlineServices%2FDL%2FAddress&authLevelEnums%5B0%5D=DLNumber&authLevelEnums%5B1%5D=Person
Oklahoma law provides a grace period of 10 days
To update your address please go to : https://wa1.dps.state.ok.us/addresschange/
Oregon law provides a grace period of 30 days
To update your address please go to : https://dmv.odot.state.or.us/cf/addresschange/index.cfm
Pennsylvania law provides a grace period of 15 days
To update your address please go to : https://www.dot4e.penndot.gov/driver_services/dllogin.jsp#top?20200429180406281=20200429180406281
Rhode Island provides a grace period of 10 days
To update your address please go to: https://www.ri.gov/DMV/address_change
South Carolina law provides a grace period of 10 days
TO update your address please go to : https://www.scdmvonline.com/SCTRNS/Public/Transactions/Info.aspx
South Dakota law provides a grace period of 90 days (Not Verified)
To update your address please go to: https://apps.sd.gov/PS11eSDDrivers/DLEligibilityCheck.aspx
Tennessee law provides a grace period of 10 days
To update your address please go to : https://dl.safety.tn.gov/_/
Texas law provides a grace period of 30 days
To update your address please go to : https://txapps.texas.gov/tolapp/txdl/
Utah law provides a grace period of 10 days
To update your address please go to : https://secure.utah.gov/dlr/index.html;jsessionid=dd1b26dfd9da0473ff3ccf2b68c9
Vermont law provides a grace period of 30 days
To update your address please go to : https://secure.vermont.gov/dmv/express
Virginia law provides a grace period of 30 days
To update your address please go to : https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/dmvnet/pin_maint/pin_logon.aspx?SESS=NEW
Washington law provides a grace period of 10 days
To update your address please go to : https://secure.dol.wa.gov/home/
West Virginia law provides a grace period of 20 days
To update your address please go to : https://transportation.wv.gov/DMV/DMVFormSearch/DMV-98-TRB-WF.pdf
Wisconsin law provides a grace period of 10 days
To update your address please go to : https://trust.dot.state.wi.us/dmvac/dmvacservlet?whoami=search
Wyoming law provides a grace period of 10 days
To update your address please go to : http://www.dot.state.wy.us/files/live/sites/wydot/files/shared/Driver_Services/Forms/Notice%20of%20Change%20of%20Address%2020171013.pdf
