Nobody forgets the bank. The ones that slip are the accounts with a legal deadline or a fine attached, so those come first. There is no single correct order for the rest — do them as the paperwork allows.
Deadlines and penalties first
1
Driver licence and vehicle registration, through your state or territory road authority. Each has its own time limit, and they are not the same — check both for your jurisdiction.
2
Toll accounts and any e-tag. A toll notice sent to your old address can still become an unpaid fine.
3
Pet microchip registry and council pet registration. This is the one that matters if your animal gets out in a new suburb.
4
Electoral enrolment — once you have lived at the new address for at least one month. That is the AEC’s eligibility rule, so diarise it rather than doing it in week one (
AEC).
5
Medicare, Centrelink and the ATO, through myGov (below).
ONE UPDATE DOES NOT REACH EVERYTHING
When you change your address in myGov, you can choose to share the update with participating linked services such as Medicare, Centrelink and the ATO. Services that do not participate, and anything outside myGov, must be updated separately — so check each one (
myGov).
Identity documents
Organisations accept different proof of address. An updated licence is convenient but not a prerequisite for everything — the AEC, for example, accepts several identity options. Update the licence early because it is widely accepted, not because everything depends on it.
Money and insurance
1
Banks, credit cards and any loan or mortgage.
2
Superannuation and share registries.
3
Home, contents, car, health and life insurance. Contents and car premiums are priced on your address, so this one can change what you pay.
4
Employer payroll and salary packaging.
5
Child support or veterans’ affairs, if they apply.
Everyday accounts
1
Electricity, gas and internet: arrange the appropriate account changes. Water arrangements depend on your jurisdiction and whether you rent or own; check before opening or closing an account.
2
Mobile plan, streaming, gym and any subscription that ships something physical.
3
Online shopping, food delivery and parcel lockers, including saved addresses in each app.
4
Doctor, dentist, specialist, vet and school or childcare.
5
Professional registration, union, clubs, library.
Mail redirection
An Australia Post redirection is a safety net, not a substitute for the list above. Apply at least three full business days before you want it to start (Australia Post), and run it long enough to catch annual mail such as insurance renewals and rates notices.
When a redirected letter turns up, treat it as a task: whoever sent it is still using your old address.
OFFICIAL SOURCES
General information only, not legal or financial advice. Rules differ between states and territories and change over time. Check the source for your jurisdiction before you act on anything here.