To change the address on your NJ registration, update your record with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission online within one week of moving. The address change itself is free. If you want a replacement registration card printed with your new address, there’s a small fee that depends on your registration type.1New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Change of Address – Instructions for Change of Address2Justia Law. New Jersey Code Title 39 – Section 39-3-36
Change It Online
The MVC directs drivers to make address changes through its online portal.1New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Change of Address – Instructions for Change of Address Before you start, have these on hand:
- Your NJ driver’s license or ID number
- Your Social Security number
- The address currently on file with the MVC, including zip code
- Your new residential address
- Your vehicle registration number, printed on your current registration card
Log in with your license or ID number, Social Security number, and the zip code tied to your existing MVC record. Enter the new address, review it, and submit. The system returns a digital confirmation immediately. Print or save it. That confirmation is your proof that you reported the change within the one-week window.
Change It by Mail
The MVC also accepts address changes by mail. Send a signed letter to the Database Corrections Unit that includes your previous address on file, your new residential address, a copy of your NJ driver’s license or non-driver ID, and proof of the new address such as a recent utility bill in your name.3New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Address Change Skipping the proof-of-address document is the most common reason mailed requests get delayed.
Send it to:
Database Corrections Unit
PO Box 141
Trenton, NJ 08666
Getting a New Registration Card With Your New Address
Updating your record and getting a new physical registration card are two different steps. The online change updates the MVC’s file, but it does not automatically produce a new card. If you want one printed with the new address, you have to request a duplicate and pay the fee for your registration type:4NJ.gov. Registration and Title Fees
- $5 for a one-year passenger or commercial registration
- $5 if you’re in the last year of a four-year accelerated registration
- $11 if you’re in the first three years of a four-year accelerated registration
MVC document requests can take six to eight weeks to process, so plan ahead if you need the updated card by a certain date.5New Jersey MVC. 6 Points of ID
What Happens If You Miss the One-Week Deadline
State law sets the penalty for failing to report an address change within one week at a fine of up to $25.2Justia Law. New Jersey Code Title 39 – Section 39-3-36 The fine is small, but the bigger risk is what an outdated address costs you in missed mail: registration renewal notices, insurance correspondence, or court documents tied to a traffic matter. Any of those can turn into a license suspension, a coverage lapse, or a default judgment before you know it went out.
Update Your Insurance Too
Your auto policy is tied to a garaging address, the location where your car is primarily parked. Insurers use that address to price local risk. When you move, your premium may go up or down. More important, if you file a claim and the insurer finds the car has been kept at an address that doesn’t match your policy, you can face a denied claim, a canceled policy, or a fraud investigation. Call your insurer as soon as you know the new address, ideally before you move.
Voter Registration
During the MVC address change, you’ll be asked whether you want the update to carry over to your voter registration. If you say yes, the MVC forwards the change to the Division of Elections.6New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Voter Registration It’s easy to click past. If you skip it, your voter registration stays at your old address.