Setting up mail forwarding
Mail forwarding service
Setting up mail forwarding: lead time, duration, limits
Step by step
A mail forwarding order (Nachsendeauftrag) ensures that letters are forwarded to your new address after the move. You book it with Deutsche Post online, at a Poststation or in a branch – according to the Post, at least five working days before the desired start. Enter all people with their first and last names written out in full; entries such as “Family” make the order impossible to carry out. As the start date, choose the day from which you no longer live at the old address.
For private customers who are moving, the order runs for six months and then ends automatically; if you want forwarding for longer, you book a new one. DHL parcels and small packages have not been forwarded since 1 July 2024 – change the delivery address with your retailers. Especially with a private move or a long-distance move, forwarding bridges the time until banks, insurers and authorities know your new address.
First moving day, then mail forwarding
Fixed price after a survey, date fixed early
We take care of the transport, you take care of the mail forwarding: as soon as moving day is fixed, book the forwarding service with at least five working days' notice. We quote the fixed price for the move after the survey. Call us on 01625978461 and arrange an appointment.
Quotes available individually based on workload, scheduling and the desired scope of services.
Why moving day must be fixed early
Forwarding needs a start date
A move is more than transporting furniture: so that no post goes to the old address, the mail forwarding order needs a fixed start date – and that depends on moving day. That is why we fix the date early and confirm it with the fixed price after the survey. We are based in Berlin-Moabit (Stromstraße 21); we are liable for your household goods under § 451e HGB at €620 per cubic metre, and additional insurance is available.
Five working days' notice
Six months' duration
Write out all names
No DHL parcels
Six points about mail forwarding
Deutsche Post's forwarding service is simple but has fixed rules: lead time, duration, names, no parcels. If you know them, you will not lose any post – even if the moving date shifts again or several people move at the same time.
Book in good time
Directly with the Post
Choose the right start date
Know the costs
Mind moves abroad
Change addresses anyway
Part loads: move affordably
Re-register,
forward, inform
Besides the transport, several changes of address need to be made when you move: re-registering at the registration office (Bürgeramt) within two weeks, banks, insurers, employer, the broadcasting licence fee (Rundfunkbeitrag) – and the mail forwarding order, which bridges the time in between. Which bodies to contact and in what order is covered in our guide Change of address: who to inform.
Before the move
On moving day
In the six months afterwards
Frequently asked questions about mail forwarding
The right time for mail forwarding
According to Deutsche Post, the mail forwarding order must be received at least five working days before the desired start. It is better to plan more buffer, especially if you book by post or in a branch. Especially with a move to another city, it pays to book the order as soon as moving day is fixed.
As the start date, choose the day from which you no longer live at the old address. If the move is postponed, clarify with the Post in good time how the start date can be adjusted. Enter all members of the household with their first and last names written out in full – up to twelve fit into one private order.
Duration, costs and what is not forwarded
For private customers who are moving, the forwarding service runs for six months and then ends automatically; no extension is provided for, but you can book a new order. According to the Post, it costs €31.90 online and €34.90 at a Poststation or in a branch (as of November 2026). Book directly with the Post, because third-party providers often charge more.
DHL parcels and small packages have not been forwarded since 1 July 2024. So change the delivery address in your customer accounts with online retailers. With a long-distance move abroad, letters can be forwarded; however, foreign service providers may charge fees, and registered letters and merchandise shipments are not forwarded abroad.
Moving costs at a glance: what you really pay
| Flat size | Price |
|---|---|
| 1-room flat | from €354 |
| 2-room flat | from €605 |
| 3-room flat | from €909 |
| 4-room flat | from €1,299 |
| House/villa | individual quote |
| Long-distance move | from €3.80/km |
Would you like to know exactly what your move will cost? Arrange a free survey.
Factors that determine the moving price
First of all, the volume counts – the more household goods, the greater the effort. The distance is charged from €3.80/km. The floor and lift also play a role, as does a possible parking restriction zone. We are happy to add furniture assembly or a shared load.
These are the services we offer
A move involves many tasks – you can book these services individually or in combination.
- Furniture transport: Safe transport of individual pieces of furniture.
- House clearance: We clear out quickly and reliably.
- Office move: Office moves with minimal business disruption.
- Move with assembly: Complete service including furniture assembly.
- Private move: Professional support when moving home.
- Shared load: Share the cargo space – save costs.
Long-distance moves from Berlin
We are based in Berlin-Moabit (Stromstraße 21) and also handle long-distance moves; mail forwarding works the same way throughout Germany. Destinations with their own pages can be found in the locations overview, routes under Long-distance moves.
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