Residential Mail Forwarding Laws

The federal regulatory laws that govern the delivery of mail in the United States are known collectively as the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM).
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) offers two separate mailer services for forwarding mail: Change-of-Address Orders and Premium Forwarding Service.

Mailboxes

Change-of-Address Orders

A Change-of-Address (COA) Order is Form 3575. It is a legal request that the USPS forward your mail from one location to another. It can be filled out either online or in person, and either mailed or hand-delivered to your local USPS station. The cost, as of 2009, to submit the form is $1 if done over the internet and free if mailed or hand-delivered.
If it is permanent request, your mail will be forwarded for a period 18 months if the mail is being forwarded from one residential address to another residential address, or for six months if the mail is being forwarded from general delivery to a residential address. You are permitted a year extension on this time limit, if needed.
If it is a temporary request, your mail will be forwarded from two weeks to six months, with a one-year extension.

Premium Forwarding Service

Premium Forwarding Service (PFS) is started by filling out Form 8176. It requires a nonrefundable $15 application fee and costs about $14 per week to maintain (as of 2009). All costs must be paid up front. PFS allows you to have the USPS to forward your mail from your residential address to the the address of your choice for anywhere from two weeks to one year. All of your mail will be forwarded by the USPS via Priority Mail service on a weekly basis.
PFS can not be combined with COA.

Mail Not Forwarded

The DMM lists four different types of residential mail that cannot be legally forwarded by the USPS on COA: any mail that is either addressed to "Occupant" or "Postal Customer"; any mail that is addressed in a format that does not confirm to DMM guidelines; any mail that has printed on the envelope specific instructions of the sender (such as "Address Service Requested"); and any mail that is perishable.
The USPS will not forward residential mail on PFS if it is marked "Surface Mail Only" or "Hazardous Materials."

Cost of Forwarding for COA

The price for forwarding mail on COA is determined by the class through which the sender chooses to mail. If the sender uses Express Mail, there is no charge. If the sender use first class mail or priority mail, there is no charge provided that the sender fully prepaid postage. If the sender is a publisher sending approved periodicals, there is no charge for 60 days. If the sender uses standard mail, the recipient will be charged additional postage to have mail forwarded. To prevent this, the sender's standard mail must be accompanied with the Shipper Paid Forwarding Service, used in conjunction with Address Change Service.

Domestic Mail Manual

The federal regulatory law that governs the forwarding of residential mail is contained in Section 507 ("Mailer Services") of the DMM.

References

• Domestic Mail Manual: Mailer Services