Change of address in France: every step to take

La Poste: mail redirection

Having your mail forwarded

The first essential step: have your mail redirected, on the La Poste website or at a post office.

• Duration: 6 months or 12 months
• Price: a paid service, depending on the duration chosen (current rates on the La Poste website)
• Lead time: set it up at least 5 days in advance

Official bodies

The tax office (impôts)

• Enter your new address in your personal account on impots.gouv.fr
• Important for your local taxes (the taxe foncière property tax, the taxe d'habitation on a second home)

State health insurance (CPAM)

• Via ameli.fr or the app
• In your account, under your personal details
• Your Carte Vitale is updated automatically

The CAF (family benefits office)

• On caf.fr or the mobile app
• May affect your entitlements (housing benefit)
• Do it as soon as you have actually moved

France Travail (the job centre, formerly Pôle emploi)

• On francetravail.fr
• In your personal account
• Do it promptly if you receive benefits

ANTS (vehicle registration)

• Compulsory within one month
• On ants.gouv.fr
• Free if it is a simple change of address

Electoral roll

• Registration is not automatic when you move
• Do it online at service-public.fr or at the town hall (mairie)
• Deadline: no later than the 6th Friday before an election

Contracts and subscriptions

Energy

• Electricity: EDF or an alternative supplier
• Gas: cancel or transfer
• Do it 2 weeks before the move

Internet and phone

• Check that your new address is eligible
• Allow for installation lead times
• Cancel or transfer, depending on the offers

Insurance

• Home: new address, new property
• Car: address on the registration certificate (carte grise) = insurance address
• Others: health, life, etc.

Other organisations

Your bank

• In branch or in your online account
• New address on statements and letters

Your employer

• Your company's HR department
• Important for social security declarations

Schools

• Enrol the children at the new school
• Leaving certificate (certificat de radiation) from the old school

Your registered GP (médecin traitant)

• If you change town, find a new doctor
• Update it on ameli.fr

Our tip: the one-stop service

The service-public.fr website offers an online change-of-address service that automatically notifies many organisations. Handy, but check that everything has actually gone through!