How snowbirds handle mail is not just “one form and done,” but it’s definitely something you need to take care of! After all, if you leave your northern house empty, a stuffed mailbox is an open invitation that says nobody is home.
That can look tempting for break-ins, squatters, or it leaves your personal mail in the hands of your tenants if you rent the north home while you are gone, like I suggest as an option for How Snowbirds Afford Two Homes.
The solution is simple! Don’t let the box fill up. Assuming you’re still planning to return home at the end of the season, the fix you want is a temporary forward, not a 30-day hold. Don’t file a permanent change of address, either (unless you’ve decided to truly relocate permanently)!
Is Hold Mail Enough for a Whole Season?
No. USPS Hold Mail pauses all mail at that address, letters and packages, but only for between 3 to 30 days. That is a long weekend or a short trip; not an entire snowbird season! Plus, you need to wait at least 3 days between holds, so you can’t try to set up back to back requests to work around it.
When the hold ends, the carrier usually brings the pile back, or you’ll need pick it up at the office within 10 days.
That said, if you are only planning to snowbird for a month or less, hold mail can be a viable option (just not the norm). Make sure to time the hold to cover your whole short trip, and be home or at the post office when it ends so the pile is not sitting.
What’s a Temporary Change of Address?
So long as you’re coming back to your northern address at the end of the season, the USPS Change of Address as a temporary order is the tool you want. It allows you to change the address where your mail is delivered on a seasonal basis. Here’s what you need to know!
- File online or in person (online has a small identity-check fee; in person has no authentication fee)
- File up to 90 days before you leave, and allow up to 2 weeks for forwarding to start
- Minimum request is 15 days. A first order can cover a typical 1 to 6 month winter (185 days). A second order can extend an additional 179 days, but after that you’re capped (it can’t go over a year)
- There is a 45-day cooling period once you return home before the limit resets
- Keep the confirmation code so you can edit or cancel
- Skip third-party “change of address” websites. They are not USPS!
Should I File a Permanent Change of Address?
Almost never, so long as you still plan to return home and keep your northern address as your primary residence. If plans change, you can always switch a temporary order to permanent online. However, you cannot switch a permanent order back to temporary!
Permanent changes tells mailers you moved. A USPS change of address only changes the Post Office file, not your bank, insurer, or voter record, so if you do move permanently, make sure to update all of your utilities, subscriptions, and mailing addresses with the vendors directly.
What’s Informed Delivery?
Informed Delivery is a free USPS service where the address qualifies. You get letter previews and package tracking, so you can see what showed up while you are gone. This can be a good option if you want to leave your mail running and have a neighbor or relative retrieve it for you, so you know when something is there!
You can also sign up for Premium Forwarding Service Residential (PFS-R), which allows residential customers to have all mail reshipped to a temporary address weekly. However, this comes with a fee, so I personally opt for seasonal forwarding instead.
What About Amazon, UPS, and FedEx?
Amazon, UPS, and FedEx do not follow a USPS hold or forward. Change the delivery address in each account directly to your winter house or a PO Box so packages are not sitting on your northern porch.
Short List for U.S. Snowbirds
- Hold Mail only for a short trip (3 to 30 days) – pick up when you return
- Temporary change of address (for up to 364 days) if you are coming home
- Turn on Informed Delivery so you know what may have arrived
- Update Amazon, UPS, and FedEx yourself
- Leave a trusted person with a key as a backup
- Do not file a permanent forward (unless you’re moving completely)
- Do not just leave a full mailbox and hope for the best!
How Do Canadian Snowbirds Handle Mail?
This is a common enough question that Canada Post actually has a temporary option aimed at Canadian snowbirds (with a home address in Canada) heading south! I always recommend confirming with Canada Post the week you leave for current fees, as they can vary.
- Entire winter (3 months or more): Use Canada Post Mail Forwarding. You’ll still pay the 3 month minimum fee if your trip is under 3 months and you use this service, so you may want to consider a Hold (below) instead if you’re planning a shorter stay
- Shorter than that 3-month floor: Canada Post Hold Mail, a paid pause. Letter mail is stored and delivered after the hold ends. Sold in weekday blocks with a short minimum, not designed for a full winter. Typically starts about 3 business days after you order. You cannot pick up the stored pile during the hold
- Parcels: neither tool holds or forwards them the way letters move, so tell Amazon and UPS the winter address. Hold Mail parcels may still be delivered
- If you already have a U.S. address: use the USPS tools on that U.S. address. A USPS temporary order is not a way to create a first U.S. address from Canada
- A forward does not change tax or health files. Canada Revenue Agency, Service Canada, and provincial health each keep their own address
What Should I Not Do?
- Do not file a permanent change of address “just in case”
- Never leave a stuffed north mailbox (use a hold, a forward, or arrange for it to be picked up)
- Don’t pay a third-party change-of-address website, or a private mailbox store!
- Remember not to treat a postal forward as a voter, tax, or insurance move
Final Thoughts
A quiet north house starts with a quiet mailbox. That is the whole job of how snowbirds handle mail!
Depending on the length of your snowbird adventures, you have different options. Hold for the short term, temporary forward for the longer season, and a permanent address change only if you give up being a snowbird and relocate permanently.
I always advise a quick recheck the official pages (either in the US or Canada, depending where you’re from) the week you leave, just to make sure you know what to expect and can get ahead of any issues. Happy travels!
I was born and raised in the northern United States, and one thing I learned pretty early on in life is: I hate the cold and snow. Sure, there’s something charming about the first snowfall of the year, but after that, I’m out.
While a part of my heart will always lie in New England, the older I get, the more I want to escape it during the coldest months.
That’s where the snowbirding lifestyle earned its appeal for me. When the bad weather starts to loom, I head south to find warmer climates to get me through until spring and warmer weather returns.
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