Declaring a change of address in Belgium
In Belgium you declare a change of address at the commune of your new residence, not the one you are leaving, and the declaration must be made within eight working days of moving in. A local police officer then verifies that you actually live there. Once the register is updated, you return to the commune to update the chip on your identity card.
Steps
Declare at the commune of your new address
Present yourself at the population service of the commune you have moved into, in person or through its online counter where one exists. You do not need to deregister at the old commune: the two administrations settle it between themselves.
Be reachable for the residence check
A local police officer calls at the address to confirm that you genuinely live there. Make sure your name is on the letterbox and the doorbell, and that someone can open the door. A failed visit restarts the clock.
Return to update your identity card
Once the entry is validated, go back to the commune with your identity card and your PIN code. The address is written to the chip, not printed on the card, and the operation cannot be done without the PIN.
Update the whole household, including children
Every member of the household is registered individually. Children, a partner and any dependant each need to appear at the new address, otherwise entitlements attached to the household composition break in unpredictable places.
Work through the list the register does not notify
Some organisations receive your new address automatically, many do not. Contact your mutuality, your insurers, your bank, your employer, your telecom operator and your energy supplier, and confirm each change rather than assuming it.
What being registered actually determines
Your entry in the population or foreigners' register is the anchor for almost everything administrative in Belgium. It carries the national register number, and that number is what mutualities, banks, tax authorities and insurers use to identify you.
It also fixes which region you belong to, and that has direct financial consequences. Vehicle taxation, property purchase duties, housing support and energy premiums are regional matters, so a move across a regional boundary changes the rules that apply to you.
The registered address is the legal one for the delivery of official documents. A tax assessment or a fine sent to your old address is validly served, and not receiving it is not a defence.
For non-Belgian nationals the register also carries your residence status. A change of address is therefore also an update to a residence file, which is another reason the police check exists.
The identity card and the digital identity behind it
The address on a Belgian electronic identity card is stored on the chip rather than printed on the plastic, which is why the card is not replaced when you move. The commune rewrites the chip in front of you, and you need your PIN.
If you have lost the PIN, ask for a new one at the same time. It is sent by post and takes time, so discovering the problem at the counter rather than beforehand adds a second trip you did not plan.
Your digital identity generally survives the move. The itsme application and the eID card reader continue to work, since they are bound to your national register number rather than to your address, but check that services relying on them show the new address.
Keep the old proof of registration. A residence certificate showing where you lived and from when is regularly requested by banks, insurers and foreign administrations, and it is easier to keep one than to request it years later.
Who has to be told separately
Your mutuality, because reimbursements and correspondence depend on it, and your insurers, because a home policy covers a specific property and a motor policy is priced partly on where the vehicle is parked.
Your bank, which needs to keep its client file current under its regulatory obligations, and any lender holding a mortgage or a loan.
Your energy supplier and network operator, through the energy transfer document, and your telecom operator, which has to move or terminate the connection at a specific address.
For a vehicle, ask the commune or your insurer whether the registration certificate will be reissued automatically once the register is updated, since the vehicle file is linked to your national register entry.
Finally, set up mail forwarding with the postal operator for the transition. It is a paid service and it is not a substitute for notifying anyone, but it catches what you forgot.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to declare a change of address?
Within eight working days of moving into the new home. You declare at the commune of your new address and not the one you are leaving, and the two administrations transfer the file between themselves without action from you.
Why does a police officer come to my home?
To verify that you actually reside at the declared address before the commune validates the entry in the register. Put your name on the letterbox and the doorbell, and make sure someone can answer, because a failed visit delays everything.
Do I need a new identity card after moving?
No. The address is stored on the chip, so the commune rewrites it on your existing card. You must bring your PIN code, and if you have lost it, request a new one at the same visit since it arrives by post.
Does everyone find out my new address automatically?
No. Some public bodies are updated through the national register, but banks, insurers, mutualities, employers and utility providers generally are not. Contact each one and confirm the change instead of assuming it propagated.