The Orlando Relocation Checklist: 30 Things to Do Before, During, and After Your Move

I help people relocate to Central Florida regularly, and the questions I get after they've found their house are often more urgent than the ones during the home search. Where do I get my license? When do I need to apply for the homestead exemption? How do I set up utilities? Here's the actual checklist I put together for buyers who are relocating to the Orlando area.

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Before You Move

1. Research your utility providers by address — they vary by location.

Unlike some metros where utility providers are uniform, Orlando has overlapping utility territories:

• Duke Energy Florida: Covers much of Orange County, including Dr. Phillips, Windermere, and parts of Winter Park
• OUC (Orlando Utilities Commission): Covers the City of Orlando incorporated area, including parts of Winter Park, College Park, and south Orlando
• SECO Energy: Covers parts of Osceola County and the Celebration area
• Clay Electric: Some Seminole County addresses

Your utility provider is address-specific. Go to duke-energy.com, ouc.com, or secoenergy.com and use their service territory locator with your new address before closing. Set up the new service to start on your closing/move-in date.

2. Understand your water/sewer provider.

Water in unincorporated Orange County is typically provided by Orange County Utilities. City of Orlando addresses use City of Orlando utility billing. Some communities (especially master-planned communities in Lake Nona, Windermere, etc.) have their own utility billing through the HOA or CDD. Ask your closing attorney or title company to clarify.

3. Choose your internet provider.

Central Florida internet is primarily served by:

• Spectrum (Charter): Widespread across the metro; cable internet
• AT&T Fiber: Available in many Orange County neighborhoods; fiber to the home
• Tavistock/Lake Nona fiber: Laureate Park and select Lake Nona communities have a dedicated gigabit fiber network through the community's tech infrastructure

The newer Lake Nona communities' fiber is a genuine lifestyle differentiator for work-from-home professionals. In older neighborhoods, Spectrum and AT&T are the primary choices.

4. Arrange for natural gas if applicable.

Many Central Florida homes use electric for everything. Some use natural gas (particularly older homes in Winter Park and established Dr. Phillips neighborhoods). Providers include TECO People's Gas (the dominant gas utility in metro Orlando) and Sunshine Gas for some Osceola County properties. If your new home has a gas connection, contact TECO (peoples-gas.com) to establish service.

5. Get your Florida vehicle insurance in order.

Florida requires: Personal Injury Protection (PIP) of at least $10,000 and Property Damage Liability of at least $10,000. Florida does not require bodily injury liability (though lenders and common sense recommend it). Contact your current insurer about transferring your policy before you relocate — Florida minimum requirements may be different from your current state.

6. Research your HOA and CDD.

If your new home has an HOA or CDD, get the governing documents (Declaration, Rules and Regulations, bylaws) and the current budget before closing. Know the fee amounts, payment schedule, and what the HOA covers (exterior maintenance, lawn, amenities). CDDs add a separate assessment to your property tax bill — confirm the current year amount and when payments are due.

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Within 30 Days of Moving In

7. Update your driver's license — you have 30 days.

Florida law requires new residents to obtain a Florida driver's license within 30 days of establishing residency. Bring to the DMV: your current out-of-state license, proof of Florida residency (two documents — lease/deed, utility bill, bank statement, etc.), Social Security number, and your vehicle title/registration information.

Orange County Tax Collector offices handle Florida driver's licenses. Locations include:

• 200 S. Orange Ave, Orlando (downtown)
• 3300 Silver Star Road, Orlando
• 3631 Windermere Road, Windermere (convenient for Dr. Phillips and Windermere buyers)

Make an appointment at octaxcol.com — walk-in wait times are long.

8. Register your vehicles in Florida — also 30 days.

Florida requires vehicle registration within 30 days of establishing residency. Bring: your out-of-state title, proof of Florida insurance, and proof of Florida address. Cost: registration fees vary by vehicle weight; typical passenger vehicle registration is $25–$100+ plus a one-time title fee of $75.96.

Vehicle registration is also handled at the Orange County Tax Collector offices. If you have a lienholder on your vehicle, they may hold the title — contact them about the Florida registration process.

9. Get your SunPass transponder.

Florida's toll roads are extensive in the Orlando metro. Every major expressway (408, 417, 429, 528/Beachline, Florida's Turnpike) is tolled. Without SunPass (Florida's toll transponder), you'll pay by mail at 2–3x the SunPass rate, and the bills are easy to miss.

SunPass is available at CVS, Walmart, Publix, and online at sunpass.com. The standard transponder is about $5; the portable option (moves between cars) is convenient for households with multiple vehicles. Load it with $25 to start.

10. Apply for your homestead exemption — deadline is March 1.

This is the most financially significant deadline in Florida real estate, and it bites people who miss it. Florida's homestead exemption reduces the assessed value of your primary residence by $25,000 for all taxing authorities, plus an additional $25,000 for everything except school taxes — a combined benefit of up to $50,000 in assessed value reduction.

For a home assessed at $700,000, the homestead exemption can save you $1,000–$1,500+/year in property taxes depending on the millage rate.

The deadline is March 1 of the year following your purchase. If you close any time before December 31, 2026, you need to apply by March 1, 2027 to get the exemption for the 2027 tax year. Applications at Orange County Property Appraiser: ocpafl.org. You can apply online.

Also apply for the Save Our Homes assessment cap at the same time — it limits future assessed value increases to the lesser of 3% or inflation once your homestead exemption is in place.

11. Update your voter registration.

Florida requires re-registration when you move counties. Register at vote.org or at any DMV office. Deadline for elections is 29 days before Election Day.

12. Update your address with USPS.

File a change of address at usps.com ($1.10 identity verification fee). Mail forwarding lasts 12 months. Notify all financial institutions, insurance companies, and important accounts directly — don't rely on forwarding for sensitive mail.

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First Month Essentials

13. Find your nearest Publix.

Publix is the dominant grocery chain in Central Florida. It's genuinely excellent — clean, well-stocked, and helpful. Knowing your nearest location is basic orientation. There are Publix locations within about 5 minutes of most of the major residential corridors. Winn-Dixie is also present but less prevalent.

14. Locate the nearest Trader Joe's and Whole Foods by neighborhood.

For buyers relocating from markets where specialty grocery is abundant, this matters:

• Trader Joe's: Winter Park (657 N. Orlando Ave, Winter Park); Millenia area (4600 Millenia Plaza Way); Lake Mary; Waterford Lakes. No location directly in Dr. Phillips or Windermere — the Millenia store is about 10 minutes from 32819.
• Whole Foods Market: Winter Park (1989 Aloma Ave); Millenia (4600 Millenia Blvd). Again, Millenia is the closest to Dr. Phillips/Windermere.
• Fresh Market: Dr. Phillips location at 7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd — this is the upscale grocery closest to the 32819 community.
• Sprouts Farmers Market: Multiple Central Florida locations including Winter Garden and Lake Mary.

15. Set up Duke Energy or OUC auto-pay and paperless billing.

Florida's summer months (June–September) bring utility bills that surprise people from other climates. Air conditioning a 3,000 sq ft home in August can run $200–$400/month depending on the efficiency of the system and your temperature settings. Auto-pay prevents missed bills during the busy moving period.

16. Learn the toll road system.

Key expressways with your SunPass:

• 408 (East-West Expressway): East-west connector, links I-4 to the east side
• 417 (Central Florida Greeneway): Major loop road; connects Lake Nona, Waterford Lakes, Maitland, Winter Park fringe, Windermere
• 429 (Western Beltway): West side; connects Winter Garden, Apopka, Ocoee, Windermere access
• 528 (Beachline Expressway): East-west to the airport and Cape Canaveral
• Florida's Turnpike: North-south through the metro; connects to south Florida

Without understanding the toll road network, you'll use surface streets that add 15–20 minutes to routine drives. The toll road system is genuinely efficient once you're using it with SunPass.

17. Register for Orange County's alert system.

Orange County uses an emergency notification system called AlertOrange (ocfl.net/emergency/alerts). Register your phone number and address for weather alerts, traffic emergencies, and evacuation notices. Florida's hurricane season (June 1 – November 30) is real; emergency notifications are how you get early warning.

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First Three Months

18. Get a Florida home insurance policy that includes wind coverage.

Florida homeowners insurance is an industry topic unto itself. The standard policy (HO-3) typically does not include flood coverage (separate NFIP or private flood policy required) and may have a separate hurricane wind deductible. Ensure your policy includes:

• Wind/hurricane coverage (required by most lenders)
• Proper coverage for your screen enclosure (often has separate limits)
• Pool liability coverage

I wrote a full post on Florida homeowners insurance — it's worth reading before your first renewal.

19. Schedule a whole-home systems inspection for your first year.

Even a home you bought with a clean inspection will reveal quirks over a year of occupancy. Schedule: HVAC tune-up and filter change (twice yearly in Florida), pest inspection (annual in Florida is standard — termites are real), roof inspection, pool inspection, and irrigation system check.

20. Understand your hurricane preparedness basics.

• Know your flood zone (FEMA flood zone lookup at msc.fema.gov with your address)
• Stock 3–7 days of water (one gallon per person per day), non-perishable food, medications
• Have a battery-powered or hand-crank weather radio
• Know your evacuation zone — Orange County publishes evacuation zone maps at ocfl.net/emergency

21. Explore Brightline.

Brightline operates privately-funded intercity rail service in Florida. As of 2026, the Orlando station is at the airport (Orlando International Airport's South Terminal Complex). Brightline connects Orlando to Miami with stops in West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami.

Travel time from OIA to Miami: approximately 3 hours. This is a genuinely useful option for Tampa (check timing), Miami business trips, and weekend travel that previously required either flying or a 3.5-hour drive. The OIA station is well-integrated with the airport; for Lake Nona buyers (15 minutes from OIA), Brightline is a legitimate commuting option.

22. Get familiar with Florida Lottery and Florida Resident discounts.

Florida residents get free admission to several state parks and discounted admission at some Florida attractions. The Florida Resident Annual Pass for Disney, Universal, and SeaWorld — if you have children or entertain guests — often pencils out within two visits. Florida has outstanding state parks; the annual Florida State Parks pass ($60/vehicle) covers all 175 state parks.

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Administrative Completion (Month 2–3)

23. Update your estate documents (will, trust, healthcare directive, power of attorney) to reflect Florida law. Florida has specific rules about homestead and surviving spouse rights that affect estate planning. Update these with a Florida-licensed estate planning attorney.

24. If you have a business entity registered in another state, determine whether you need to register it in Florida as a foreign entity. This is business/tax counsel territory, not real estate — mention it to your accountant.

25. Re-register any professional licenses in Florida if your profession requires state licensing (medicine, law, real estate, engineering, CPA, etc.). Requirements and reciprocity rules vary widely by profession.

26. Notify the Social Security Administration, Medicare (if applicable), and your pension administrator of your new address.

27. Update your auto and life insurance carriers with your Florida address. Rates will likely change — shop around before the policy renews.

28. Join the neighborhood Facebook group or Nextdoor community. These are the fastest way to find local recommendations, know about community events, and get heads-up about neighborhood issues. In active communities like Laureate Park, Lake Nona, and Dr. Phillips, Nextdoor is genuinely useful.

29. Visit your county property appraiser's site (ocpafl.org for Orange County) and verify that your homestead exemption application was received and processed. It shows up in the online database.

30. Take the drive time test. In your first month, drive your likely commute routes at peak hours (7:30am and 5:30pm) to understand actual traffic conditions. Many buyers are surprised by the difference between midday Google Maps estimates and real commute conditions in the I-4 corridor.

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Welcome to Central Florida. Call me when you're ready for your first home or when you're thinking about trading up.

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Ryan Solberg is a luxury real estate agent with MaxLife Realty serving Orlando, Winter Park, Dr. Phillips, Lake Nona, Windermere, and Celebration.