A Northern Virginia move has the usual to-dos, plus a few local ones that catch people out: HOA rules, a county car tax, and DMV deadlines that start the day you move. Here’s the whole list, in order.
6 to 8 weeks before
- Lock in your dates. Pick your moving day, then book movers or a truck. Weekends and the end of the month fill up first.
- Read your HOA or building rules. Many Northern Virginia HOAs limit where moving trucks and storage containers can park, and for how long. Condo and apartment buildings often require you to reserve the elevator or loading dock.
- Clear things out. Donate or sell what you won’t move. Every item you skip is one less to pack, carry and unpack.
- Decide how you’ll pack. If you’re buying boxes, here’s what they cost. If you’re renting bins, book now so your dates are open.
4 weeks before
- Forward your mail. File a change of address at usps.com. Use the official site; look-alike sites charge extra fees.
- Schedule your utilities. Set a stop date at your old place and a start date at the new one:
- Electric: Dominion Energy or NOVEC, depending on your address. NOVEC serves parts of Clarke, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, Prince William and Stafford counties, plus Manassas Park and Clifton.
- Water: Prince William Water, Fairfax Water, Loudoun Water, or your town. Prince William Water asks you to request a transfer 2 business days before your move, or call (703) 335-7950 to start new service.
- Gas: if your new home has gas, it’s usually Washington Gas.
- Internet: book installation early, since appointments can fill up.
- Book your bins. Lidly drops off 3–7 days before your move, so you can pack over a few evenings.
1 to 2 weeks before
- Pack what you won’t need, room by room. Label each bin with the room and what’s inside. “Kitchen – pots” beats “Kitchen.”
- Pack a first-night bin with sheets, towels, chargers, toiletries, medicine, snacks and coffee.
- Sort out trash and recycling at the new place. Prince William County doesn’t run county curbside recycling, so it’s handled by your HOA or your own hauler. Fairfax County requires cardboard to be recycled. If you’re using boxes, plan where they’ll go after you unpack.
- Confirm parking for moving day, especially in a townhouse community or on a narrow street.
Moving week
- Keep heavy things like books and tools in small bins so every bin stays liftable.
- Stack heaviest on the bottom, no more than 4 high on a dolly.
- Take photos of your old home once it’s empty, and do a walkthrough of the new one before the furniture goes in.
After you move: the Virginia deadlines
| What | Deadline | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Update your address with DMV | 30 days | Moving within Virginia |
| Title and register your vehicle | 30 days | New to Virginia |
| Get a Virginia driver’s license | 60 days (30 for a CDL) | New to Virginia |
| Register your vehicle with the county | 60 days in Fairfax County | Everyone who moves into a new county or city |
DMV address change
Use DMV’s online Change Address transaction to update your residential, mailing and vehicle registration address. While you’re there, you can also apply to register to vote or update your voter registration.
Your county car tax
Every Virginia county and city taxes vehicles each year, so your new locality needs to know about your car:
- Fairfax County: register within 60 days of moving in. Late filing costs 10% or $10, whichever is greater. If you register your car with DMV within 30 days, the county files the return for you automatically. Cars still on out-of-state plates past Virginia’s 30-day window face a $100 tax plus a $250 penalty.
- Prince William County: its new-resident guide covers what to do in your first 30 to 60 days. Call Tax Administration at (703) 792-6710 with questions.
- Loudoun, Arlington, Alexandria and other localities: check your new county or city’s tax office.
Tell your old locality too, so it can update its records and your bill there.
And the rest
- Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and any subscriptions.
- Nest your empty bins and leave them at the door for pickup.
Moving in Prince William, Fairfax or Loudoun? See our service area or how Lidly works.