The BBC Trust approved the terms of the deal today, but construction on the site at the mediacity:uk development at Salford Quays, home to the Lowry gallery and the Imperial War Museum North, is not due to begin until September this year.
The departments moving include: BBC Children's CBBC and CBeebies television and radio; BBC Children's Learning; sections of BBC Future Media & Technology; BBC Radio Five Live and BBC Sport.
Mark Thompson, BBC director general, said: "I'm delighted that the BBC's vision for its expanded presence in the North of England is now firmly on the road to reality. I'm excited by the plans and believe they have a key part to play in the BBC's future.
"The modern, multimedia broadcast and production centre in Salford will shift the BBC's centre of gravity away from London, bringing a range of creative benefits to us and, I hope, helping us to better reflect and represent the whole of the UK."
Caroline Thomson, chief operating officer of the BBC, will be the executive director with responsibility for delivering the implementation of the BBC's move to Salford.
The Salford Quays development is to be built on a brownfield site based on 200 acres of former dockland.
Last year, Thompson warned that the BBC's move to the site near Manchester could be hit by the lower than expected licence fee settlement. He said that in the event of a low settlement, he would not be able to recommend to the Trust that the BBC should go ahead with the transformational plan for creativity and jobs in the North.
In December the outgoing BBC board of governors, since replaced by the BBC Trust, gave its seal of approval to the proposed £400m move, saying it would offer licence payers value for money.
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