Moving to Fort Worth Checklist: Before You Move and Your First 30 Days

60 Days Before the Move

1. Pick your area. Commute, school district and tax rate vary block by block. Start with the Fort Worth guide, Fort Worth vs. Dallas and the DFW relocation timeline.
2. Check the school district by address. The City of Fort Worth is served by more than a dozen districts. See Fort Worth school districts.
3. Get pre-approved if you're buying, and compare renting vs. buying if you're not sure yet.
4. Budget for Texas property taxes and insurance. There's no state income tax, but property taxes are higher than many states. See Fort Worth property taxes and DFW home insurance costs.
5. Get moving quotes and book early if you're moving in summer.
6. Request school and medical records you'll need for enrollment and new doctors.

30 Days Before

1. Set a move date around your closing or lease start. If you're buying, plan on getting keys at closing and funding, not before.
2. Schedule utilities at the new address (details below) to start the day you arrive.
3. Forward your mail with USPS.
4. Call your car insurer. You'll need a Texas policy before you can register your car here.
5. Find your vehicle title or registration. You'll need proof of ownership at the county tax office.
6. Collect proof of address and identity documents for your Texas driver license: proof of identity (such as a passport or birth certificate), your Social Security number and proof of Texas residency once you have it (such as a lease or closing papers and utility bills). Check DPS for the current document list.

7 Days Before

1. Confirm movers, closing time and key handoff.
2. Confirm utility start dates for water, electricity, gas and internet.
3. Pack a first-week box: documents, medications, chargers, tools, sheets, cleaning supplies.
4. Stop utilities at your old home for the day after you leave.

Moving Week

1. Do the final walkthrough before closing if you're buying.
2. Change locks and garage codes after you get keys.
3. Photograph the home before the movers bring anything in, in case of damage.
4. Find the water shutoff and breaker panel.
5. Check your trash and recycling day in the Fort Worth Garbage & Recycling app or on the city's website.

Utilities in Fort Worth

Your First 30 Days (and the Deadlines After)

1. Register your vehicle within 30 days. Get Texas liability insurance first. Tarrant County is an emissions-testing county, so pass an emissions inspection, then register at the Tarrant County tax assessor-collector's office with your insurance card, proof of ownership and Form 130-U.
2. Get your Texas driver license within 90 days. You can drive on your out-of-state license for up to 90 days after you move. DPS asks that your vehicles be registered in Texas first. You'll surrender your old license; transfers from another U.S. state don't need the knowledge or driving tests.
3. Register to vote in your new county. Texas requires you to register at least 30 days before an election, and moving to a new county means a new registration, not just an address change.
4. Enroll your kids in school. Contact the district for your address with proof of residency, immunization records and prior school records.
5. File your homestead exemption if you bought a home you live in. Apply with the appraisal district (the Tarrant Appraisal District for most of Fort Worth) by April 30. You can apply in the year you buy if the previous owner didn't already get the exemption that year.
6. Update your address with your bank, employer, IRS and any professional licenses.
7. Find new doctors, a vet and the nearest urgent care.

Frequently Asked Questions