Key takeaways
- In Western Australia you have just 14 days from your moving date to update your driver’s licence and vehicle registration address with the Department of Transport WA. Missing this can trigger fines and identity theft risk
- Start your address checklist 2 to 4 weeks before move day. This gives utility providers, financial institutions, government departments, and other organisations enough time to update your address details before you move in.
- Australia Post offers a paid mail redirection service that holds your old address mail and forwards it to your new address for 1, 3, 6 or 12 months. It is the safety net while you work through this comprehensive checklist.
- The big four categories to update first are government departments (transport, ATO, Medicare, electoral commission), utility providers (electricity, gas, water), financial institutions (banks, super, insurance), and essential services (mobile phone, internet, post office redirect).
- This guide is written for Western Australia residents and lists the actual WA government, utility, and council contacts you will need to update your address.
Moving house is stressful enough without missed bills, fines, or identity theft because someone else is collecting your mail at your old address. This comprehensive checklist walks you through every Western Australia organisation, government department, and household service you need to notify when you change your address – in the order that protects you fastest.
We have put this list together from years of helping families update their address details across Perth, the Pilbara, the South West, and regional WA. Use it as a to do list for the 4 weeks around your move. If you want a printable copy, work through the comprehensive checklist below in order and tick each section off as you go.
When to Start Your Change of Address Checklist
The single biggest mistake people make is starting too late. A short timeline list:
- 4 weeks before move day: mail redirection service set up, government departments notified, financial institutions updated.
- 2 weeks before move day: utility providers, internet provider, gas provider, water provider, electricity provider booked for connection at the new address.
- Move day: final meter readings, hand back keys, confirm essential services running at the new home.
- Within 14 days after moving: driver’s licence, vehicle registration, and any state-issued ID must be updated at the WA Department of Transport. This is a legal requirement.
- Within 4 weeks after moving: medical records, employer HR department, insurance providers, professional organisations, education providers, and any other organisations not yet updated.
Step 1: Set Up Mail Redirection with Australia Post
Before you do anything else, set up a mail redirection. This is the safety net that catches anything you forget on the rest of this address checklist.
Australia Post offers a paid mail redirection service (around $33 to $151 depending on duration and whether you hold a concession card) that forwards letters and small parcels from your old address to your new address. Standard durations are 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. We recommend 6 months minimum because the long tail of subscriptions, government letters, and infrequent mail like rates notices does not always surface within 3 months.
Set it up at the post office in person, or via the online form on the Australia Post website. You will need photo ID and proof of your new address. Do this 1 to 2 weeks before move day so the redirection is active from the day you hand back your old address.
Step 2: WA Government Departments
Government departments in Western Australia hold the most important address details on record. Get these updated first.
Department of Transport WA (driver’s licence and vehicle registration)
You have 14 days from your moving date to update your Western Australia driver’s licence address and vehicle registration address details. The Department of Transport WA accepts updates online at the official WA government Transport portal, by post, or in person at a licensing centre. There is no fee. If you do not update within 14 days you risk a fine and missed renewal notices going to the wrong address. This is the legal requirement most likely to be missed.
WA Electoral Commission and Australian Electoral Commission
Update your enrolment with both the WA Electoral Commission (state and local government elections) and the Australian Electoral Commission (federal elections). The AEC online form takes 5 minutes. Re register at your new home so you can vote at the correct polling place. Failure to update can mean fines for not voting at a state election held while you are still on the electoral roll at the old address.
Services Australia (Centrelink, Medicare, Child Support)
Services Australia covers Medicare, Centrelink, and Child Support. Update your address details once through MyGov and it pushes through to all three. Government pension recipients, family payments, and Medicare card holders need this updated within 14 days. Otherwise rebates and benefits stop flowing.
Australian Taxation Office (ATO)
Update your address with the ATO via myGov, the ATO app, or your tax agent. The ATO uses your home address for tax assessments, super correspondence, and any communication about your superannuation benefits. An out-of-date address with the ATO is a common identity theft risk.
Local council
Both your old local council (for final rates and bin collection) and your new local council need to know. The new local council will send a welcome pack with bin collection days, library memberships, parking permit information, and any pet registration requirements. Pet owners must re register dogs and cats with the new council within 14 to 28 days depending on the local government area.
Step 3: Utility Providers and Household Services
You will be running two parallel lists here: disconnect at the old address, connect at the new address. Both should be booked at least 2 weeks ahead.
Electricity provider
In Western Australia, most metropolitan customers are on Synergy. Regional customers are usually on Horizon Power. Notify your current provider of your move date and final meter reading. Then contact the provider servicing your new address to set up a new account. Most providers will do both with a single call if you stay with them.
Gas provider
Most WA gas connections are through ATCO Gas (network) and a retailer such as Kleenheat or Alinta Energy. Same drill: disconnect old address, set up new connection, ensure compliance with any safety check requirements at the new home. If your new home has bottled LPG instead of mains gas, contact a local supplier to schedule the first delivery.
Water provider
Water Corporation services most of metropolitan Perth, the South West, and the Goldfields. Aqwest covers Bunbury. Busselton Water covers Busselton. Notify the relevant water provider with the move date and final meter reading. Owner accounts often roll over with the property settlement; tenant accounts need a fresh setup at the new address.
Internet provider and broadband subscription
Book your internet provider transfer at least 3 to 4 weeks before move day. NBN connections at a new property can take 5 to 15 business days, sometimes longer in regional WA. If your current provider does not service the new address, sign up with a current provider that does so streaming services and home networking are running on day one.
Phone company and mobile phone
Mobile phone numbers stay with you regardless of where you live, but your mobile phone account address details should still be updated for billing and any home address records linked to two-factor authentication. If you have a home landline, contact your phone company to transfer or disconnect.
Step 4: Financial Institutions
Banks and mortgage companies
Update your home address with every bank, credit union, mortgage providers, and loan providers you hold accounts with. Most banks accept the change online, by phone, or through their app. Address updates with banks are usually free. Mortgage companies will also reissue insurance certificates of currency at the new property.
Super funds
Your superannuation benefits are tied to your address details. Out of date super addresses are one of the biggest sources of “lost super” in Australia. Update directly with each super fund or through MyGov.
Car insurance provider, home and contents insurance
Your car insurance provider sets premiums partly on your home address. Updating your address can adjust your premium up or down depending on the new suburb. Home and contents insurance must be cancelled at the old address and a fresh policy started at the new home, ideally with overlap of 24 to 48 hours so all your belongings are insured during the move.
Other insurance providers
Health insurance, income protection, life insurance, vehicle breakdown cover (RAC WA, NRMA), and any travel insurance subscriptions all need the address change. Most will accept a single online form.
Step 5: Subscriptions and Memberships
This is where most people miss things. The list below catches the long tail.
- Streaming services – Netflix, Stan, Disney+, Spotify, Kayo: address only matters for billing, but worth updating.
- Online shopping – Amazon, eBay, Catch, The Iconic: update default delivery and billing address.
- Newspaper and magazine subscriptions – The West Australian, The Australian, niche magazines.
- Gym memberships and children’s sports teams – cancel or transfer to a closer location.
- Music classes, dance schools, swim lessons, tutoring – notify the education providers.
- Charity donations – update address for tax receipt mailings.
- Loyalty programs – Flybuys, Everyday Rewards, hotel chains, airline frequent flyer programs.
- Professional organisations – any industry body, ASIC if you are a director, your bar association or accreditation bodies.
- Any other organisations that send you mail or hold your address details on file.
Step 6: Workplace and Education
Employer HR department
Your HR department needs your new address for tax, super, and any HR-related correspondence. Group certificates, payment summaries, and end of year benefits are mailed to the home address on file. Notify within the first week of moving.
Schools and education providers
Public schools in Western Australia are zoned by your home address. If you are moving suburbs and the children are changing schools, contact the new school to enrol and the old school to transfer records. Universities, TAFE, and other education providers should also be notified for student loan and HECS-HELP correspondence.
Step 7: Health and Personal
Medical records and healthcare providers
Update your address with your GP, dentist, optometrist, specialist providers, and pharmacy. Medical records are increasingly digital but the contact details on file still need updating. If you are moving to a new suburb, ask your GP to forward medical records to a new local clinic.
Family, friends, and emergency contacts
Send a short message to family members, close friends, and anyone listed as your emergency contact with the new address. Update emergency contacts on file with your school, workplace, and any community group your children belong to.
Step 8: Move Day Final Checklist
On move day itself:
- Take final meter readings at the old address (electricity, gas, water).
- Confirm utility services are connected at the new home before the moving truck arrives.
- Hand back keys to the property manager or real estate agent at the agreed time.
- Carry a folder of identity documents (driver’s licence, passport, Medicare card, insurance papers) with you, not in the truck.
- Photograph the meter readings at both properties as a record.
- Check letterbox at the old address for any final mail that arrived between the redirection setup and move day.
If you are using a removalist company, a friendly team that has done thousands of WA moves can flag what is commonly missed and help you stage the address change list around your moving date. Experienced removalists Perth families have used for years often have a printable copy of this list at the depot, and Perth removalists with WA-specific experience are a useful sounding board on the local council, utility, and Department of Transport WA timing details.
State and Territory Specific Notes
This guide is focused on Western Australia. If you are moving from another state to WA, or from WA to another state, you will need to deal with both jurisdictions:
- From New South Wales to WA: Cancel NSW Government Service driver’s licence and re register with WA Department of Transport within 3 months. Vehicle registration must be transferred to WA plates within 3 months.
- From Victoria, South Australia, Australian Capital Territory, Tasmania, or Queensland: Same rule applies – update with WA Department of Transport within 3 months of becoming a WA resident, unless on a temporary basis.
- From Northern Territory: Update licence and registration with WA Department of Transport.
For the federal organisations (ATO, Services Australia, Medicare, AEC), one update covers your move regardless of which state you came from or are moving to.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I change my address in Western Australia?
Set up Australia Post mail redirection, update your driver’s licence and vehicle registration with WA Department of Transport within 14 days, notify Services Australia and the ATO via MyGov, contact your utility providers, financial institutions, and any other organisations holding your address details. Work through a comprehensive checklist over 2 to 4 weeks around your move.
How long do I have to update my address with the Department of Transport WA?
You have 14 days from the date you move to your new address to update your driver’s licence and vehicle registration with the WA Department of Transport. There is no fee, and the update can be done online, by post, or in person at a licensing centre. Failing to update within 14 days can result in a fine.
Does Australia Post mail redirection cost money?
Yes. Australia Post offers paid mail redirection at around $33 for 1 month up to $151 for 12 months. Concession card holders pay reduced rates. Mail redirection is not free but it is the cheapest way to protect against missed bills, fines, and identity theft from mail going to the wrong address during your move.
What is the easiest way to update multiple government services at once?
The myGov portal is the single fastest way to update government departments. Logging in once and updating address details pushes the new address through to Medicare, Centrelink, Child Support, the Australian Taxation Office, and your superannuation benefits provider in a single update. The Department of Transport WA, the AEC, and your local council still need separate updates.
Do I need to tell my bank when I move?
Yes. Every bank, mortgage providers, and financial institutions you hold an account with needs your new address. Out of date addresses with banks lead to missed cheque cards, contract notices, and identity theft risk. Updating with the bank is usually a 2-minute task in their app.
What happens if I do not update my address?
Missed bills, missed fines (which then escalate), missed government correspondence, lost superannuation, and increased identity theft risk are the main consequences. In WA, not updating your driver’s licence and vehicle registration within 14 days is a legal violation that can result in fines.
Can my real estate agent or property manager update my address for me?
No. The property manager handles the rental property paperwork only. You are responsible for updating your address with every other organisation. The exception is if you have given a family member or trusted person power of attorney for these tasks.
Is there a printable change of address checklist for Western Australia?
Yes. Save or print this guide as your address list. The order it is structured in (mail redirection, government, utilities, financial, subscriptions, workplace and education, health, move day) protects you in the right order so the most important updates happen first.
Final Word: Treat the Address Change Like a Project
The change of address checklist is not glamorous, but it is the difference between a smooth transition into your new home and three months of chasing missed bills, lost mail, and avoidable fines. Set aside an hour each weekend across the 4 weeks around your move, work through this checklist section by section, and tick off each entry as you go. By the time the moving truck arrives at your new address, every essential update is done, your mail is redirected, and you can focus on settling into the new home rather than untangling admin from the old one.
If you are still planning the physical side of moving house in Perth, our friendly team at Perth Cheap Movers can take care of the heavy lifting on move day so you can focus on this checklist. Whether it is a local move, a long distance interstate relocation, or an office change, our removalists handle every step from packing to delivery. Get in touch for a transparent quote and we will plan everything from packing to delivery around your moving date.