The short version
- The fastest way to change your address with CRA is My Account: Profile, then Contact information. It's updated immediately.
- By phone at 1-800-959-8281 is also immediate once the agent confirms who you are. By mail on form RC325 takes 4 to 6 weeks.
- CRA doesn't pass your new address to Service Canada, your province or Canada Post, and Canada Post doesn't tell CRA. Each one needs its own update.
- Change your marital status, direct deposit and phone number the same way. Marital status changes are due by the end of the month after the change.
- Moving to another province changes your benefits and your provincial tax. The province you live in on December 31 is the one that counts for the whole year.
How to Change Your Address With CRA
Changing your address with CRA takes about three minutes. Not changing it can take months to fix: refund cheques bounce around, a review letter goes to the old place, the 30-day deadline passes while you're still unpacking, and the benefit payments stop because CRA "couldn't confirm" you. Mail forwarding won't save you, and neither will telling Service Canada. Here's what to change, where, and what changes with it.
Four Ways to Update Your Address
| Method | How long | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| My Account online | Immediate | Profile, Contact information, Edit. See CRA My Account. |
| Phone: 1-800-959-8281 | Immediate | Have your SIN, date of birth, and a tax document such as your last notice of assessment. See contacting CRA. |
| Form RC325 by mail | 4 to 6 weeks | Signed; mail to the tax centre on the form |
| On your tax return | Immediate if filed electronically through a tax preparer; about 8 weeks on paper | NETFILE can't change an address; use My Account first |
Can't sign in? Phone works, or fix access first: My Account login problems.
Moving, and not sure what changes?
Tell the assistant where you're moving from and to, when, and who's moving with you. It lists every update to make with CRA and others, and what happens to your benefits and taxes for the year.
What Else to Update While You're There
| Information | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Direct deposit | Refunds and benefits arrive days sooner and don't get lost in the mail |
| Marital status | Benefits are based on family income. Report changes by the end of the month after the change; for separation, after 90 days apart. See shared custody. |
| Phone and email | CRA's security codes and online mail notifications |
| Children in your care | A child moving in or out changes the Canada child benefit |
| Online mail | Letters arrive in My Account the same day, instead of in the mail weeks later |
Who CRA Doesn't Tell
- Service Canada, for CPP, OAS and EI: update through My Service Canada Account; see benefits for seniors.
- Your province, for the health card, driver's licence and provincial programs that aren't paid through CRA.
- Banks and investment firms, which issue your tax slips. A T5 at the wrong address is still reported to CRA; see T5 slips.
- Employers and pension plans, for T4 and T4A slips.
- Your business accounts, separately in My Business Account if you have GST/HST or payroll numbers.
Moving Provinces: What Changes
Your provincial tax for the whole year is the province you live in on December 31. Provincial benefits paid with the CCB or the Groceries and Essentials Benefit switch to the new province once CRA has your address. Compare what the move does to your tax with the province comparison calculator, and if the move was for a job, see moving expenses. If a letter went to your old address and a deadline passed, act anyway; CRA often allows extensions; run it through the CRA letter analyzer and objection deadlines.
Change of Address Questions
How do I change my address with CRA?
Sign in to My Account and go to Profile, then Contact information, or call CRA at 1-800-959-8281. Both update your address immediately. You can also mail form RC325, which takes 4 to 6 weeks.
Does Canada Post tell CRA when I move?
No. Mail forwarding doesn’t update your CRA address, and CRA does not share your new address with other government departments.
Does changing my address with CRA update Service Canada?
No. CPP, OAS and EI are run by Service Canada, which needs its own update through My Service Canada Account or by phone.
Can I change my address on my tax return?
Yes, if a tax preparer files it electronically or you file on paper. NETFILE software can’t be used to change your address, so update it in My Account first.
What happens to my benefits if I move to another province?
Federal benefits continue. Provincial benefits paid through CRA switch to your new province once CRA has your new address, and your income tax for the year follows the province you live in on December 31.
How do I change my direct deposit with CRA?
In My Account under direct deposit, through most Canadian banks’ online banking, or by phone. The change applies to refunds and benefit payments; allow a few days before the next payment.
Sources: CRA, Change your address. Checked October 2026. Processing times are CRA's published estimates. Provincial benefit timing after a move varies by program.
Last reviewed October 5, 2026 against CRA and Government of Canada sources. How we check our facts.