Moving Out of State Checklist: A Week-by-Week Plan

8 weeks before

• Set a budget. Estimate the move itself with our moving cost calculator, then add deposits, travel, temporary housing and a cushion of 10–15%.
• Compare the money side. Check take-home pay, rent and taxes in the new state with the relocation calculator.
• Get at least three moving quotes. Interstate movers must be registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration; look up their USDOT number and complaint history.
• Decide what not to move. Price is driven by weight or volume, so selling or donating furniture now saves money later.

4–6 weeks before

• Book movers, a truck or a container, and confirm dates in writing.
• Give notice to your landlord or schedule your home sale closing.
• Request medical, dental, veterinary and school records.
• Check whether your health insurance works in the new state; an interstate move usually qualifies for a special enrollment period on the marketplace.

2 weeks before

• File a change of address with USPS and update banks, employer payroll, and subscriptions.
• Schedule utility shut-off at the old home and connection at the new one.
• Update your auto and renters/homeowners insurance for the new address and state.
• Pack a "first week" box: documents, medications, chargers, basic tools, bedding.

Moving week

• Photograph furniture and electronics before they’re loaded.
• Keep IDs, titles, the lease or closing papers and the mover’s inventory with you, not on the truck.
• Do a final walkthrough and record meter readings.

First 30–60 days in the new state

• Driver license: most states require new residents to get a local license within 10 to 90 days, and a few (such as Arizona and Michigan) expect it right away. See the deadline for your state in our new resident guides.
• Vehicle title and registration: usually due on a similar timeline, sometimes with an inspection and a new-resident fee.
• Voter registration: register at your new address.
• Employer withholding: make sure payroll switched your state tax withholding on the day you moved.
• Residency paperwork: keep your lease or deed, utility bills and license dates; they prove when you became a resident for tax purposes.

At tax time

Expect to file a part-year resident return in both states for the year you move. Read taxes the year you move for how income is split and how to avoid being taxed twice.