You can cancel a USPS change of address online, by phone, or in person at your local post office
If you filed a change of address with USPS and now need to stop it, the fastest way is to go online to USPS.com, sign into your Informed Delivery account, and cancel it directly from your dashboard. You can also call USPS Customer Service at 1-800-275-8777 and ask them to cancel it over the phone, or walk into your local post office with ID and ask a clerk to reverse it. The method you choose depends on how much time you have — online takes a few minutes, but the cancellation may take a day or two to process in their system.
All three methods are free and work equally well. The main difference is speed and proof: online gives you an when ready confirmation number, phone gives you a timestamp, and in-person gives you a printed receipt. Pick whichever fits your schedule.
Key Takeaways
- The online method through Informed Delivery is the fastest way to cancel; you need your USPS account login and can see the cancellation confirmation when ready.
- Phone cancellation through 1-800-275-8777 works if you do not have online access, but you will need to verify your identity and provide your address.
- In-person cancellation at your local post office requires a photo ID and takes effect when ready, with a printed receipt as proof.
- If mail has already been redirected, canceling the change of address does not retrieve it — you will need to contact the sender or file a separate request with USPS.
- Cancellations are free and do not require a reason; you can reverse a change of address at any time before the end date you originally set.
Canceling online through Informed Delivery
Go to USPS.com and sign into your Informed Delivery account using your email and password. If you do not have an Informed Delivery account, you can create one for free using your address and a valid email. Once you are logged in, look for the "Manage My Mail" or "Change of Address" section — the exact wording varies, but it will be in the main menu or under account settings.
Find the active change of address you want to cancel and select the option to cancel or delete it. USPS will ask you to confirm the cancellation. Once you submit, you will see a confirmation message on screen with a confirmation number. The cancellation usually takes effect within one business day, though the mail system may take longer to fully sync. Keep the confirmation number or take a screenshot for your records in case you need to follow up.
Canceling by phone with USPS Customer Service
Call 1-800-275-8777 and tell the representative you want to cancel a change of address. Have your current address and the address you were forwarding to ready, along with your phone number or email. The representative will look up your change of address in the system and ask you to confirm the details before they cancel it.
The cancellation takes effect when ready on the phone, but it can take one to two business days for the system to update and stop forwarding your mail. If you are canceling because mail is going to the wrong place, ask the representative if there is a way to expedite the stop or if you need to file a separate request. Keep a note of the date and time you called and the representative's name in case you need to reference the cancellation later.
Canceling in person at your local post office
Walk into your local post office with a photo ID — a driver's license, passport, or state ID all work. Tell the clerk you want to cancel a change of address. They will ask for your current address and the forwarding address, then look it up in their system. Once they confirm the details, they will process the cancellation right there.
In-person cancellations take effect when ready, and the clerk can print you a receipt showing the cancellation was processed. This method is useful if you want proof on the spot or if you are having trouble with the online or phone methods. The post office system updates faster for in-person requests, so mail should stop forwarding within one business day.
What happens to mail that was already forwarded
Canceling your change of address does not bring back mail that USPS has already forwarded to your new address. If a piece of mail has left your original address and is on its way to the forwarding address, it will still arrive there. If you need that mail redirected again, you have a few options: contact the sender and ask them to resend it to your original address, file a new change of address from the forwarding address back to the original address, or contact USPS directly to see if they can intercept a specific piece of mail.
Mail interception is not may provide and works best if you catch it quickly — within a few days of the mail being sent. Call 1-800-275-8777 or visit your local post office with details about the piece of mail (sender name, approximate date sent, what it is) and ask if they can hold it or return it to sender. The post office will attempt to locate the mail in their system, but once it has been delivered to the forwarding address, they cannot retrieve it.
Canceling a change of address before it starts
If you filed a change of address but it has not started yet — meaning the start date is in the future — you can cancel it at any time before that date. The process is the same whether the change is active or pending: use Informed Delivery online, call 1-800-275-8777, or go to your post office. There is no penalty for canceling early, and USPS will not charge you anything.
This is useful if you filed a change of address in advance and then your plans changed. You can cancel it without any impact on your mail service. If you later decide you do need the change of address after all, you can file a new one at that time.
Troubleshooting if the cancellation does not work
If you canceled online but mail is still being forwarded, wait one to two business days for the system to fully update. If it has been longer than that, call 1-800-275-8777 and ask them to verify that the cancellation went through. Sometimes the online system and the mail delivery system do not sync when ready, and a phone call can speed things up.
If you canceled by phone or in person and the problem continues, go to your local post office and ask a clerk to check the status of your cancellation in their system. Bring your ID and be ready to provide both your original address and the forwarding address. The clerk can see exactly when the cancellation was processed and whether there is a delay in the system or if something went wrong during the cancellation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cancel a change of address that someone else filed for my address?
If someone filed a change of address for your address without your permission, you can cancel it by going to your post office with a photo ID and explaining the situation. The clerk will verify your identity and address, then remove the change of address from the system. You can also call 1-800-275-8777 and report it, though in-person is faster because the clerk can confirm your identity right away.
What if I do not have my confirmation number from the original change of address?
You do not need the confirmation number to cancel. When you call or visit in person, USPS can look up the change of address using just your address and the forwarding address. Online through Informed Delivery, the system shows all active changes of address on your account, so you can cancel directly without needing the number.
Does canceling a change of address cost money?
No. Canceling a change of address is free. USPS does not charge for filing, changing, or canceling a change of address at any time.
How long does it take for mail to stop being forwarded after I cancel?
Mail should stop being forwarded within one to two business days after you cancel. In-person cancellations at the post office usually take effect fastest. If mail is still being forwarded after three business days, contact USPS to confirm the cancellation went through.
Can I cancel a change of address that is set to expire soon?
Yes. Even if your change of address is set to expire in a few days, you can cancel it when ready. There is no reason to wait for it to expire on its own — canceling stops the forwarding right away.