Starlink Service Address vs Shipping Address: A Pre-Activation Checklist
Plans, Pricing & Buying Advice
The short version
Your service address is where you intend to use the Starlink connection. Your shipping address is where Starlink sends the kit. They can sometimes be different, but they solve different problems.
Before ordering, make sure the service address is the real installation location and that the shipping address is a complete, deliverable address. A kit arriving at an address does not automatically make that address the approved service location.
Service address vs shipping address
Service address
The service address is tied to the subscription and the place where the dish will operate.
It is used to:
- Check whether service is available or waitlisted at the intended location.
- Apply the plan and regional terms shown for that location.
- Determine where Residential service is expected to be used.
- Help Starlink support understand which location and kit you are troubleshooting.
Starlink says service is only guaranteed at the service address on the account. If you permanently move a Residential kit, update the service location in your account instead of assuming the old address will continue to work.
Shipping address
The shipping address is the delivery destination for the kit and accessories.
It is used to:
- Route the order to the correct property or receiving location.
- Validate the street, city, region and postal code for delivery.
- Provide the address that appears on the order and tracking information.
It does not replace the service address. A friend, workplace or parcel-receiving address may be suitable for delivery, but the dish still needs a valid service location for the plan you selected.
Billing address
Your payment provider may also ask for a billing address. That address is used to verify the payment method and is not automatically the place where the kit will be installed or the service will be used.
Treat these as three separate questions:
- Where will the dish be used? Service address.
- Where should the kit be delivered? Shipping address.
- What address is registered with the payment method? Billing address.
Before you place the order
Use this checklist while the order is still editable:
- Check the intended service location first. Enter the address where the dish will be installed on Starlink's availability map or checkout flow. Do not use the delivery address just because it is easier to enter.
- Confirm the plan matches the use case. Residential, Roam, Maritime and other plan types can have different location rules. Read the plan terms shown for your country and account.
- Enter a complete shipping address. Use the exact street, town or city, region and postal code accepted by checkout. Check the delivery address saved in your account as well as the address shown on the order.
- Check the country and service region. Starlink's Help Center says shipping an order to a different country from the service address is not supported. If the addresses cross a border, stop and confirm the correct ordering route before paying.
- Keep the order evidence. Save the order number, the service location shown at checkout, the shipping address, the selected plan and the kit or accessory list.
- Do not rely on a map pin alone. If the address is new, rural or shared by multiple buildings, compare the written address, the map position and the actual place where the dish will be mounted.
- Check who will receive the parcel. If another person will accept delivery, make sure they can identify the order and keep the sealed kit, accessories and serial labels together.
When the addresses are different
Different addresses can be reasonable in situations such as:
- You are sending the kit to a temporary receiving address before installing it at home.
- A business, installer or family member will receive the parcel.
- You are preparing a kit for a second property.
- You are moving and need the equipment delivered before you arrive.
The safe rule is: delivery convenience must not change the service location you declare.
Before ordering, confirm that:
- The intended service address is in an eligible service area.
- The plan you selected allows the way you intend to use the kit.
- Checkout accepts the shipping destination for the account and country.
- You know whether the service location needs to be updated before activation.
- You will not power up the kit at a temporary address and assume the account has been moved.
If the order is already placed and the shipping address is wrong, use the order or support options shown in your account as soon as possible. Do not cancel automatically: Starlink's Help Center warns that cancelling an order can affect your chance to purchase at the desired service location if availability changes.
On delivery day
Before connecting power:
- Open the order confirmation and note the service address that was selected.
- Take the kit to the intended installation location, if practical.
- Sign in to the same Starlink account used to place the order.
- Use the Starlink app to confirm the account, service location and setup prompts.
- Follow the current kit instructions for the dish, router, cables and power supply.
- Give the system time to complete its first connection before judging performance.
If you changed a service address shortly before setup, allow time for the account to update. Starlink currently says this can take 15 to 30 minutes for an address change to appear.
Do not factory reset the router simply because the kit was delivered to a different address. A reset will not correct a service-location or plan mismatch.
If you are moving an existing Residential kit
For a permanent move:
- Check availability at the new location before you disconnect the old one.
- In your Starlink account, open the subscription and look for the Service Location or Edit option.
- Enter the new location and review the price, plan and availability message before saving.
- Disconnect and transport the equipment safely.
- At the new location, use the app to confirm the account and allow the service to reconnect.
Starlink says updating the service address disables service at the previous location, and returning to that address may not be possible. Its service-address instructions also do not apply to Roam and Maritime plans, so use the plan-specific workflow for those services.
Common symptoms and the first check
- The kit arrived, but service is not available at the installation location: Confirm the service address and plan, not just the shipping label.
- Checkout accepts delivery but the location is waitlisted: Re-check the intended service address on the availability map.
- The app shows the wrong location after a move: Review the subscription's Service Location and allow time for the change to propagate.
- The order is going to the wrong place: Use the order-management or support path in your account immediately.
- A kit works at one address but not another: Check whether the plan permits use at the second location and whether that location is eligible.
What to include in a support request
If the addresses or account do not line up, give Starlink support:
- Order number and approximate order date.
- The service address shown in the account.
- The shipping address shown on the order.
- The location where you are trying to install the kit.
- Plan name and kit model, if shown.
- The exact error message and a screenshot with payment details and passwords removed.
Avoid sending your password, verification codes or full payment-card number.
Final pre-activation checklist
- [ ] Service address is the place where the dish will be used.
- [ ] Shipping address is complete and can receive the parcel.
- [ ] Billing address matches the payment method where required.
- [ ] Country and service region are compatible.
- [ ] Plan rules match the way you will use the kit.
- [ ] Order number and address details are saved.
- [ ] You will activate the kit at the intended service location.
- [ ] You know how to contact support if the addresses do not match.
Starlink's service-address instructions and shipping-address guidance are the final authority for the country and plan on your account.