Moving is never fun, I think we can all agree on that. On top of everything you need to plan for the physical move, you need to update a huge number of companies, government organizations, and ongoing services (think doctors, vets, dentists, etc.) about your new residing address. One of the most important parts of a move is making sure that you update your address on the different ID’s that you use, including your driving license. Not all of these ID’s show your address, but even if they don’t, it’s important to update the organization that supports them.
What ID’s require an address change notification?
Fair warning, this blog is specific to the province of Ontario in Canada, but in general, most of the ID’s that need to be updated will be similar across provinces and even countries. Things like driver's licenses, health cards, passports, and known traveller cards are common examples. For other provinces and countries, you should refer to government websites where they will have the most relevant information to you.
How do I know what ID I need to update?
It should go without saying that you don’t need to update the address on a piece of ID that you don’t have. Don’t have a Canadian drivers license? Safe to say you don’t need to update your address for one. For every piece of ID you currently have, you’ll likely need to update your address with the relevant organization. Sometimes it can be hard to remember the different ID’s that you have, especially if you haven’t used them in a while. To make sure you don’t overlook any, start a list as soon as you know you’re going to be moving to a new address. Write down every piece of ID that you can think of right away and then keep the list handy over the next few weeks to add others that come to mind. For each piece of ID, you’ll need to check with the responsible organization to determine how you go about notifying them of the address change.
What Ontario ID’s do I need to update?
The most commonly held ID’s are a Canadian drivers license and health card - you’ll need to update your address for both. Click here for instructions on how to notify Service Ontario (basically your DMV Ontario) of your Ontario address change for both your Ontario drivers license and health card. Click here for instructions on how to do an online address change if you don't want to go into a license bureau to fill forms. In general, you will need to share the new address with the license office and proof of the upcoming address change. Be sure to update drivers license address within 6 days of your move and your health card change of address within 30 days of your move. Note that you should also update your vehicle permit via Service Ontario to reflect your car registration address change, along with your drivers license address change.
To change your address for both your drivers license and health card, you’ll need the full details of your new address, including the address, postal code, city, and province, for address verification. In addition to the address, you’ll need the details found on your driver's license to update it online. For your health card, it depends what version you have. If your current health card has an address printed on it, you’ll need to update it in person with the address forms at ServiceOntario. For a photo health card, you’ll need your card number, version code, postal code on current drivers license, and the 9 characters on the back of your health card. Lastly, if you’ve somehow managed to keep a red and white health card, you’ll need your health card number, version code, and postal code on your current driver's license.
What other pieces of ID should Ontarians update?
Beyond your provincial ID’s, you’ll need to update IDs and documents that are managed outside of the province. This section will speak in particular to passports and NEXUS cards, but again, it's important to make a full list of the IDs and documents that you have and to see if a notification of address change is required for them.
When you change address, you will need to update your passport and your known traveller ID (if you have one). Your passport is an especially important document to keep up to date as you don’t want to get in a position where your travel plans are impacted. Luckily, it’s dead simple to change. Just go to page four of your passport, cross out the old address, and write in the new address in the space above the old one. I know this seems too good to be true, but check out the government of Canada website to verify these instructions. There is always the possibility of a requirements change and/or a procedure change but this is currently the best way.
As for your known traveller ID, it’s important to keep the necessary bodies of authority informed of your address. Having these documents is a privilege and many require transparency as to your whereabouts as part of that privilege. An important part of that is keeping them up-to-date on your current address. The most commonly used traveller ID relevant to Canadian’s is NEXUS. To update your address, log into the TTP website and on the right hand side of the dashboard, you’ll see an option to change your information.
You’ve finished updating your ID’s, now what?
There are a number of other folks that you’ll need to notify of your address change. Think of all the services that are currently connected to your address, such as utilities, internet, cable, etc. On top of that, if you’re moving far enough away, you may need to get a new family doctor for you and your family members, vet for your furry friend(s), and other health services that are bound to a particular location. Check out our blog on all of these services here.
If you’re changing your address, you might also be in the middle of selling your current home and/or purchasing a new one. If so, an extremely important part of this process is engaging a real estate closing service. Once you’ve agreed to buy or sell a home, this is the group that takes your purchase or sale the last mile to finalize. Doormat is a property closing service that keeps things simple with a completely virtual closing experience that flows through your own personalized dashboard. Doormat’s platform keeps you in the know on the progress of your closing, stores all your documents in one place, and provides support when and how you need it.
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