Notifying the USPS when someone dies
Executor is responsible for notifying the USPS
OverviewWhen someone dies
USPS Customer Service
Phone1-800-275-8777
TTY711
WebsiteVisit website→
HoursMonday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET; Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET
Mail Forwarding Assistance
Phone1-800-275-8777
TTY711
WebsiteLearn about benefits→
HoursMonday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET; Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET
Post Office (In-Person)
Phone1-800-275-8777
TTY711
Timeline
Forwarding processing begins within 3 business days but may take up to 2 weeks; standard forwarding lasts 12 months
WebsiteLearn more →
HoursPost Office hours vary by location
Verified Apr 2026
When someone dies, the United States Postal Service (USPS) must be notified. The executor is responsible for notifying the USPS.
Notification deadline: No deadline; mail continues to the address until forwarding is requested.
Steps to take
Steps for notifying the USPS and applying for survivor benefits:
1
Determine your relationship to the deceased's address:
- •If you shared the address: you can open and manage the deceased's mail directly, and forward individual pieces by writing the new address on the envelope
- •If you have a different address: you must visit a Post Office in person with court documentation
2
To forward all mail (in-person only):
- •Obtain Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from the probate court
- •Visit any Post Office with your court documentation and government-issued photo ID
- •Complete PS Form 3575 (Change of Address Order) — available free at the counter
- •A death certificate alone is not sufficient; court appointment documentation is required
3
Standard mail forwarding lasts 12 months. Extended forwarding is available for 6, 12, or 18 additional months at an additional cost. Extended forwarding cannot be cancelled or refunded once purchased.
4
Register the deceased at DMAchoice.org (Data and Marketing Association Deceased Do Not Contact List) to reduce advertising and marketing mail. This takes approximately 3 months to take effect.
5
After forwarding expires, First-Class Mail is returned to sender for 6 additional months. Marketing mail is discarded (not forwarded or returned).
Required Documents
- Court-issued Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration
- Government-issued photo ID (executor or administrator)
- PS Form 3575 (Change of Address Order — completed in person at the Post Office)
Timeline
Forwarding processing begins within 3 business days but may take up to 2 weeks; standard forwarding lasts 12 months
Survivor benefits
Mail Forwarding for Deceased Persons
An executor or administrator can forward all of the deceased's mail to a new address (such as the executor's address or the estate's address) for up to 12 months. Extended forwarding is available for 6, 12, or 18 additional months at an additional cost. After forwarding expires, First-Class Mail is returned to sender for 6 additional months with the new address on the label.
Eligibility: Court-appointed executor or administrator with Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration
How to apply: Visit any Post Office in person with court-issued documentation and government-issued photo ID; complete PS Form 3575
Learn more →Individual Piece Forwarding (Shared Address)
If you shared an address with the deceased, you can forward individual pieces of their mail without visiting the Post Office. Cross out the printed address, write "Forward to" with the new forwarding address on the front, and leave in your mailbox for carrier pickup, drop in a blue collection box, or take to a Post Office lobby drop.
Eligibility: Person who shared the same address as the deceased
How to apply: Cross out the address on the envelope, write "Forward to" with the new address, and place in mailbox, collection box, or Post Office lobby drop
Learn more →Frequently asked questions
USPS does not have a "stop mail" option for deceased persons. You can forward the mail to a new address by visiting a Post Office in person with Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration and completing PS Form 3575. If you shared the address, you can manage the mail directly.
No. Mail forwarding for a deceased person must be requested in person at a Post Office. You must present court-issued Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration and a government-issued photo ID. Online change of address is not available for this purpose.
No. A death certificate alone is not sufficient. You must provide court-issued Letters Testamentary (if you are the executor named in a will) or Letters of Administration (if appointed by the probate court). These documents prove your legal authority over the estate.
Mail continues to be delivered to the address. When a mail carrier personally confirms the addressee is deceased and mail is not deliverable to another person at that address, the carrier may annotate individual pieces as "Deceased" and return them to sender. Marketing mail is discarded.
If you shared the same address as the deceased, you can open and manage their mail directly without court documentation. You can also forward individual pieces by crossing out the address, writing "Forward to" with the new address, and leaving it in your mailbox for carrier pickup.
Register the deceased at DMAchoice.org (Data and Marketing Association Deceased Do Not Contact List). Advertising mail should decrease within approximately 3 months. USPS does not forward marketing mail — it is discarded regardless of forwarding orders.
PS Form 3575 (Change of Address Order) is the standard form used for all mail forwarding, including for deceased persons. It is available free at any Post Office in the Mover's Guide packet. For deceased persons, the form must be completed and submitted in person.
After completing the notification process, eligible survivors can apply for 2 benefits through the USPS. Each benefit has its own eligibility requirements and application process.
Keep copies of all documents submitted to the USPS. Original documents submitted for verification are typically returned after processing.
USPS Customer Service
Phone1-800-275-8777
TTY711
WebsiteVisit website→
HoursMonday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET; Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET
Mail Forwarding Assistance
Phone1-800-275-8777
TTY711
WebsiteLearn about benefits→
HoursMonday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET; Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET
Post Office (In-Person)
Phone1-800-275-8777
TTY711
Timeline
Forwarding processing begins within 3 business days but may take up to 2 weeks; standard forwarding lasts 12 months
WebsiteLearn more →
HoursPost Office hours vary by location
Verified Apr 2026