DA Form 3955 – Fill Out and Use This PDF

Updated: Nov 11, 2026

The DA Form 3955 is utilized for changing an individual's address within the Army's system, facilitating the routing and forwarding of mail according to the Privacy Act of 1974. It serves as a vital tool for both military and civilian personnel of the Army to ensure their mail is correctly managed and forwarded to new locations, detailing both old and new addresses, among other relevant information. For those needing to update their address, filling out this form accurately is crucial for seamless mail delivery.

Ensure your mail follows you without delay by accurately completing the DA 3955 form. Click the button below to begin.

Get Form Now Download PDF

How to Fill Out DA Form 3955

DA Form 3955 at a glance

What it is: DA Form 3955 is the Change of Address and Directory Card.

Who signs: Sign (signature) in Box 16, then enter the date in Box 17 and your phone number in Box 18.

Under the Privacy Act of 1974 (Title 39 USC and DoD/Postal Service Agreement, 2 FEB 80), Army military and civilian personnel use the form in mail functions and address inquires. The principal purpose of the form is to route and forward (Directory) mail. Disclosure is voluntary. However, failure to provide the requested information could result in delay/inability to forward mail.

A filled-in DA Form 3955 example: a sergeant moving with her family

DA Form 3955 example filled out, example: a sergeant moving with her family — Sergeant Ann Sample fills out DA Form 3955 for a move. She moves with her family to a new unit, and the move is not temporary. The picture shows page 1 only, and every value in it is made up. Box 3 is left blank because it is for P.O. Use Only.

How to fill out DA Form 3955, box by box

Name, grade, purge data, DoD ID number and box number

Enter your name (Last, First, MI) in Box 1 and your grade in Box 2. Box 3, Purge Data, is for P.O. Use Only.

Enter your DoD ID Number in Box 5 and your Box Number in Box 6.

New organization

Enter the complete designation of the new organization in Box 4.

Old and new mailing addresses

Enter the old mailing address in Box 7 (include BOX No., if any, and ZIP Code) and the new mailing address in Box 8 (including ZIP Code).

Email address and each authorized family member

Enter your email address in Box 11 and list each authorized family member in Box 12.

Is this move temporary?

Is this move temporary? Mark YES or NO in Box 13. If yes, enter in Box 14 when forwarding ends.

Change of address for

In Box 15, mark the change of address for FAMILY or INDIVIDUAL.

Signature and phone number

Sign (signature) in Box 16, then enter the date in Box 17 and your phone number in Box 18.

If your situation is different

You receive magazines or newspaper

Address one completed card each to the magazines or newspaper you receive; paste publication mail or key number in the OLD MAILING ADDRESS box.

Common questions about DA Form 3955

Where do I file it?

Address one completed card each to: the old unit of assignment; the new unit of assignment; the old post locator, or APO, if overseas; the new post locator, or APO, if overseas; correspondents who write you regularly.

Sources

[1] DA Form 3955 (JAN 2015), Change of Address and Directory Card, Department of the Army (the Official source link on this page).

DA 3955 – Change of Address Card Details

The DA 3955, officially titled the Change of Address and Directory Card, is the standard U.S. Army form used to update mailing address records. Both Army military personnel and Army civilian employees are required to submit this form whenever their mailing address changes because of a Permanent Change of Station (PCS), deployment, temporary duty (TDY) assignment, or any personal relocation that affects where official or personal mail should be delivered. Timely and accurate submission prevents gaps in mail delivery at your new location.

To complete the form, you will need your full legal name, your military grade or civilian pay grade, and your Social Security Number (SSN). The form contains dedicated fields for your current mailing address and your new mailing address. Official mail and personal mail are recorded in separate sections, so both types of correspondence can be routed independently if your official and residential addresses differ. Personnel with APO or FPO addresses should use the standard Department of Defense mailing format, including the PSC, Unit, or CMR designation in the appropriate fields. The form also includes a forwarding end date, which tells the postal service when to stop forwarding mail and begin returning it to the sender.

Authority for collecting this information is provided under Title 39 USC and the DOD/Postal Service Agreement dated February 2, 1959. All personal data gathered by the form is subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, which governs how information is stored, accessed, and distributed. The form includes a voluntary consent section allowing you to authorize or deny the release of your home address or SSN to third parties, including commercial mailers. Withholding this consent is permitted, but it may limit forwarding efficiency for periodicals and mail from outside the Army postal system.

Once completed, submit the form to your unit postal officer or the postal section at your installation before your scheduled departure date. Commanders, postal officers, and military postal inspectors may review submitted forms as part of routine mail management oversight. Mail forwarding through the Army postal system typically continues for up to one year from the date of submission. If you are simultaneously updating address records with civilian organizations, a separate change of address form covers banks, subscriptions, and other non-military accounts. For updates that also involve a name change, an address and name change form can serve as a checklist template when coordinating civilian record updates alongside military paperwork.

Question	Answer
Form Name	DA Form 3955
Form Length	2 pages
Fillable?	Yes
Fillable fields	23
Avg. time to fill out	15 sec
Other names	form da 3955, dd 3955, da 3955 fillable, da form 3955