What is a Section 8 transfer?

A Section 8 transfer is the process of transferring a Section 8 voucher to another locale, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. A tenant in Section 8 housing would want such a transfer so that he could still live in Section 8 housing.

To arrange a transfer, the tenant must follow a defined process that includes three steps, according to HUD. The tenant first notifies his local public housing agency. Upon approval of the transfer, he terminates the current lease within the lease provisions. He then finds acceptable alternative housing.

HUD regulations mandate that the tenant must have lived for at least 12 months in the jurisdiction of the public housing authority that issued the Section 8 voucher. For example, a tenant with a Section 8 voucher in Madison, Wisconsin, cannot move outside of that area for the first 12 months of receiving the voucher. To ensure a tenant with a Section 8 voucher is following the correct procedures, HUD strongly recommends that the tenant contact his public housing agency as soon as he considers moving.