If you are moving within Austin or moving to Austin, TX, simply forwarding your mail through the USPS is not enough. This change of address checklist moving will help you properly update utilities, government records, and financial accounts — and clearly explain who to notify when moving so you don’t miss anything important. You will need to connect or transfer your utilities in advance.

First, take care of your electricity through Austin Energy. Within 30 days, you must update your address with the Texas Department of Public Safety. This will help you avoid problems with your driver's license, vehicle registration, and insurance. Notify banks, insurance companies, and government agencies of your new address. Mail forwarding does not guarantee that you will not miss bills and important documents.

We also regularly encounter people who move to Travis County and forget to update their voter registration, especially when changing polling places.

Do everything in advance to avoid service interruptions and fines.

Change of Address Checklist Moving to Austin, TX

Timeline Key Priorities
4 Weeks Before Move Take care of basic utilities. Schedule Austin Energy service connection or disconnection at your old address. Confirm water service. Choose a moving company. If you have children, start the process of transferring them to a new school.
2 Weeks Before Move Submit USPS change of address and update banks, lenders, employer, and essential subscriptions.
1 Week Before Move Transfer your renters or homeowners insurance. We recommend starting to set up internet service one week before the move. (Spectrum, AT&T Fiber, Google Fiber).
Moving Week Take final meter photos (electric/water if applicable), confirm utilities are active, cancel old services after move-out.
Within 30 Days After Move Update your address with the Texas Department of Public Safety and update your voter registration in Travis County, if required.

Austin Utilities Checklist

Electricity

Austin Energy provides electricity service within the city limits of Austin. To connect or transfer service, use the City of Austin Utilities Online Customer Care.  We recommend scheduling your service connection at least 5-7 business days before moving in, and even earlier during the summer. If you wait until the day of your move to schedule your service connection, it may not be guaranteed. Delays are possible on weekends, holidays, and during periods of high demand, so don't wait until the week of your move to schedule your electricity service.

Water & Wastewater

Water and sewer services are managed through the same City of Austin Utilities system. Submit your connection or transfer request at least five business days before move-in. Tenants should confirm whether water is included in the lease; homeowners must activate service directly with the city.

Trash, Recycling & Compost

Trash, recycling, and compost services are typically handled through Austin Resource Recovery. After transferring utilities, confirm that waste service is active for your address. If you live in a large apartment complex, verify arrangements with property management.

Internet in Austin

We recommend setting up your internet connection 1–2 weeks before moving.  Check whether your address is eligible for connection. In Austin, fiber availability can vary even between neighboring houses. Never assume that the same provider will automatically be available at your new address.

Decide in advance whether you will transfer your current contract or cancel the old one and open a new one. If you cancel your contract, don't forget to return your equipment to avoid additional charges.

Major providers:

Texas Government Address Changes

Mail forwarding through the USPS is not sufficient when moving to Austin. As part of your change of address checklist moving to a new home in Austin, you need to separately update your information in government records. One of the most common questions people ask is who to notify when moving to a new home in Austin. Below is a breakdown of required state and county updates.

Driver’s License Address Update

If you are moving within Texas, you must update the address on your driver's license within 30 days, as required by state law. You can do this online through the DPS portal (if you are eligible) or in person at an office.

Important: Changing your address on your driver's license does not update your vehicle registration information. These are separate records.

To make changes, you will need:

  • Your Texas ID or driver's license number
  • The last four digits of your Social Security number
  • Your new residential address

Vehicle Registration Update (Texas / Travis County)

If you have moved to Austin from another state, you must register your vehicle in Texas within a specified period after establishing residency. When moving within the state, you should also update your vehicle registration address so that renewal notices are not sent to your previous address. In Travis County, registration issues are usually handled through the Tax Assessor-Collector’s Office.

Voter Registration: Travis County

When moving within Austin or Travis County, you must update your voter registration address. This can be done through the Texas Secretary of State portal by submitting an updated form or through the County Voter Registrar’s Office.

In Texas, changes to voter registration must generally be submitted at least 30 days before an election to be effective in the current election cycle. If you have changed your polling place within Austin, your voting location may change, so it is best to update your information in advance.

Federal Address Updates

Updating your address at the state level does not change your information with federal agencies. To ensure that tax correspondence is sent to your new address, you must file Form 8822 (Change of Address) with the IRS. If you receive payments through the Social Security Administration, you must change your address through your online account or by contacting the SSA directly. This will help avoid delays in receiving letters and official notifications.

Financial & Identity Protection

Most generic address change moving checklist guides are limited to advising you to “notify your bank of your new address.” That’s not enough. When you go through the change of address checklist when moving to Austin, you temporarily increase your risk of identity theft, lost mail, and billing errors. It is important to address these vulnerabilities in advance.

Why you shouldn't rely solely on USPS forwarding

Mail forwarding is only valid for a limited time and does not replace updating your address in banking and insurance systems. When the forwarding period expires, letters will no longer be redirected. Therefore, banks, credit cards, insurance companies, and tax authorities must be notified directly. This is especially important for documents containing personal data, such as new bank cards or tax notices.

Monitoring finances during a move

During a move, it is worth activating transaction notifications and checking that your new address is correctly displayed in your personal accounts with financial institutions. Moving involves a lot of data updates, and errors are most common at this stage.

Insurance & Moving Coverage

Insurance Address Update

When moving within Austin or relocating to Austin from another state, notify your insurance providers of your new address before your move-in date. This includes homeowners, renters, auto, and umbrella policies.

Make sure your new residential address is reflected in your policy documents and that coverage begins on the correct date. Address updates are not automatic and must be requested directly through your insurer.

If you are moving from another state, you may need to issue a new Texas policy rather than simply updating your address.

Renters Insurance in Austin

Many landlords in Austin require active renters insurance. Before move-in, confirm that your policy lists your new address and meets the minimum liability requirements stated in your lease.

If you are transferring an existing policy, update the insured location effective on your lease start date.

Hidden Address Updates Most People Forget

When you think you have updated all your government and financial information, there are still small details that usually come to mind when the need arises.

Pet Microchip & Veterinary Records

If you have pets with microchips, we recommend updating your address in the registration database and at the veterinary clinic in a timely manner. Incorrect information can slow down the return of your pet if it gets lost.

Subscription & Default Shipping Addresses

Update your default shipping address on Amazon and other delivery services. There is a high probability that you will automatically order something to your old address. We recommend that you always check the address you are using for delivery.

Ride-Share, Delivery & Maps

Update your home address in Uber, DoorDash, Google Maps, and similar apps in the same way. If you don't change it, navigation and delivery will be directed to your old location.

Smart Home & HOA Portals

Smart home devices must be reconnected to the new Wi-Fi network. When moving to a residential complex with an HOA in Austin, you should register on the association's portal, update your billing information, and check access to gates or parcel lockers.

Even small omissions at this stage can lead to delivery delays or administrative notices.

Conclusion

Before completing your move to Austin, confirm that you have updated:

  • Utilities
  • Texas DPS
  • Vehicle registration
  • Voter registration
  • Federal agencies
  • Banks and insurance

FAQ — Austin Change of Address Questions

If you’re moving within Texas, you typically have 30 days to update the address on your driver’s license or ID through the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). If you’re moving from another state, you’ll need to get a Texas driver’s license and register your vehicle within the state’s required timeframe after establishing residency. USPS mail forwarding won’t update your official state ID—you must change it separately with DPS.

Use the City of Austin Utilities Online Customer Care portal to connect service at your new address, disconnect service at your old address, or transfer service between addresses. Austin Energy electricity, plus water, sewer, and trash, are usually handled through the same city system. Schedule your connection at least 5–7 business days before your move—earlier during peak summer—to avoid delays.

Usually, no. If you’re staying in Texas, you generally don’t need a brand-new license—but you do need to update the address on your current license within 30 days. You can often do this through Texas DPS online (if eligible), by mail in limited cases, or in person at a DPS office. Keep in mind: updating your license address does not automatically update your vehicle registration address.

If you move within Austin or Travis County, update your voter registration address so you’re assigned the correct precinct and polling place. You can do this through the Texas Secretary of State’s online voter portal, by submitting an updated registration form, or by contacting the Travis County Voter Registrar. In Texas, updates generally must be submitted at least 30 days before an election to take effect for that election.