A moving mechanism for an image forming apparatus which includes a photoreceptor configured to carry an electrostatic latent image, a first terminal, and an exposure device that emits light to draw an electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor , the moving mechanism being characterized by comprising: a stage comprising a second terminal configured to fit with the first terminal and configured to regulate a relative movement in a first direction with the photoreceptor , to move from a first position closer to the photoreceptor to a second position farther from the photoreceptor in a second direction opposite the first position so that the second terminal fits with the first terminal, and to support the exposure device; a first protrusion that protrudes from a base portion provided on the stage in a direction intersecting the second direction; a second protrusion that protrudes in a direction intersecting the first direction from the first protrusion at a position separated from the base portion in the first direction; and a slider configured to move in a third direction that intersects the second direction and the first direction, in which a thickness of a first position regulation portion that regulates a position of the first protrusion in the second direction when the stage is in the first position is thinner than a thickness of a second position regulation portion that abuts on the first protrusion in the first direction when the stage is in the second position, include the first position regulation portion and the second position regulation portion at positions separated from each other in the third direction, and slide with the first protrusion between the base portion and the second protrusion and include a guide portion for guiding the first protrusion , which is long in the third direction between the second position regulation portion and the first position regulation portion. a stage comprising a second terminal configured to fit with the first terminal and configured to regulate a relative movement in a first direction with the photoreceptor , to move from a first position closer to the photoreceptor to a second position farther from the photoreceptor in a second direction opposite the first position so that the second terminal fits with the first terminal, and to support the exposure device; a first protrusion that protrudes from a base portion provided on the stage in a direction intersecting the second direction; a second protrusion that protrudes in a direction intersecting the first direction from the first protrusion at a position separated from the base portion in the first direction; and a slider configured to move in a third direction that intersects the second direction and the first direction, in which a thickness of a first position regulation portion that regulates a position of the first protrusion in the second direction when the stage is in the first position is thinner than a thickness of a second position regulation portion that abuts on the first protrusion in the first direction when the stage is in the second position, include the first position regulation portion and the second position regulation portion at positions separated from each other in the third direction, and slide with the first protrusion between the base portion and the second protrusion and include a guide portion for guiding the first protrusion , which is long in the third direction between the second position regulation portion and the first position regulation portion. <EOS>