Moving to Seattle — 39-Item Checklist

Check crime rates, safety grades, and neighborhood profiles for Seattle. CityCheck provides FBI-sourced safety grades for every neighborhood.

Compare housing costs, grocery prices, transportation, and utilities between your current city and Seattle. Check if your salary goes further or shorter.

Learn about street cleaning schedules, permit parking, meter hours, and common fine amounts in Seattle before you arrive. Expired meter tickets run $25-50 in WA.

File a change of address with USPS online ($1.10 identity verification fee) or at your local post office. Forward mail for 6-12 months to catch stragglers.

Update your mailing address with all financial institutions. Some banks flag out-of-state transactions as fraud — call ahead to prevent card freezes during your move.

Get at least 3 insurance quotes for your new Seattle address before move day. Landlords typically require proof of renter's insurance before handing over keys.

Cancel gym memberships, update streaming service addresses, transfer magazine subscriptions. Check which services are available in your new city.

Request copies of medical records, dental records, and school transcripts. Many offices need 2-4 weeks to process requests. Get vaccination records for school enrollment.

Seattle has specific rules about what goes in recycling vs. trash. Learn your pickup day and recycling rules before you arrive so you don't miss your first collection.

Seattle internet providers: Xfinity/Comcast (most common), CenturyLink/Lumen (fiber in some areas), Wave/Astound (select areas). CenturyLink fiber (where available) offers no data caps. Check availability by address.

Seattle City Light (city-owned): https://www.seattle.gov/city-light/start-or-stop-service or call (206) 684-3000. City-owned utility — among the cheapest and greenest power in the US (mostly hydroelectric). Start service online or by phone.

Puget Sound Energy (PSE): https://www.pse.com/en/start-stop-move/startservice or call 1-888-225-5773. PSE is SEPARATE from Seattle City Light. Not all Seattle homes use gas — many are all-electric. Check before signing up.

Seattle Public Utilities (SPU): https://www.seattle.gov/utilities/your-services/accounts-and-payments/start-or-stop-services or call (206) 684-3000. SPU handles water, sewer, AND garbage/recycling. One account covers it all. Same phone number as City Light.

Seattle trash is collected by Seattle Public Utilities (206-684-3000). Find your specific pickup day by address on their website.

Contact Seattle Public Utilities at 206-684-3000 to request your bins if they weren't left by the previous tenant. Standard is a trash bin + recycling bin.

DMV (when you transfer license), voter registration, employer HR, IRS (Form 8822), health insurance, car insurance, Amazon, and any subscription services.

Map out the closest grocery stores and pharmacy to your new Seattle address. Download store apps for digital coupons — this will save you hundreds over the first year.

Introduce yourself to immediate neighbors in the first week. They're your best source for hyperlocal information: which trash day is yours, where to park during street cleaning, and what to know about the block.

WA DOL - Queen Anne, 450 3rd Ave W, Suite 100, Seattle, WA 98119 (Mon-Wed, Fri 8:30am-4:30pm; Thu 9:30am-4:30pm). Phone: (206) 464-6845. Cost: $72 for new license (most expensive in the US). Deadline: 30 days after establishing residency. Bring: Current out-of-state license, Proof of WA residency (utility bill, lease, or bank statement), Social Security card, Proof of identity (passport or birth certificate). Other locations: WA DOL - West Seattle at 2420 SW Dakota St, Seattle, WA 98106. Washington has the most expensive license transfer in the US at $72

Bring your out-of-state title, proof of insurance, and proof of WA address to the Washington DOL. Most states require registration within 30-60 days. You'll also need a WA emissions/safety inspection in many states.

Register at https://voter.votewa.gov/WhereToVote.aspx. Washington is a vote-by-mail state — ballots are mailed to your registered address. Register at voter.votewa.gov. Same-day registration available at vote centers. Deadline: Same-day registration available.

Free for all who live, work, or go to school in Seattle. Apply online for instant digital access. Physical card at any branch with ID. 27 branches.

King County Metro + Sound Transit Link: ORCA LIFT reduced fare: $36/mo for income-qualified riders. Ask your employer about ORCA Passport — many Seattle employers subsidize transit. Monthly pass: $108/mo (Metro) or use ORCA fare-capping. Single ride: $2.75 (Metro bus) / $2.25-$3.50 (Link Light Rail, distance-based). More info: https://myorca.com

Seattle has specific rules about what's recyclable. Common mistakes: plastic bags (never in curbside recycling), greasy pizza boxes (trash, not recycling), and Styrofoam (trash in most cities).

Car insurance rates vary significantly by city. Seattle may be higher or lower than your old city. Get 3 quotes and update within 30 days of your move to avoid coverage gaps.

Search your insurance provider directory for in-network doctors near your Seattle address. Book a new-patient visit — most offices have a 2-4 week wait for new patients.

Search for in-network dentists near your Seattle address. Schedule a cleaning if you're due — dental health is easiest to maintain when you don't skip visits during a move.

File IRS Form 8822 (Change of Address) so tax documents go to the right place. This is separate from USPS mail forwarding. Free to file online or by mail.

Many Seattle neighborhoods require a residential parking permit. Check with Seattle's parking authority whether your block requires one — unpermitted cars get ticketed during restricted hours.

Join your Seattle neighborhood's Nextdoor group, Facebook neighborhood group, and any local Reddit community (r/seattle or similar). These are where you'll learn about block parties, lost pets, and local issues.

Walk every block within a 10-minute radius of your Seattle home. Note the coffee shops, restaurants, parks, and corner stores. You'll discover spots that don't show up on Google Maps.

Unexpected costs in Seattle: parking tickets ($25-115), towing ($150-400), lost apartment keys ($50-200 locksmith), laundry machine repairs. Build a $500 city emergency fund.

Seattle declares snow emergencies that require moving your car to designated routes or odd/even sides. Cars left on snow emergency routes get towed ($150-300+). Sign up for city alerts.

Know your rights as a renter in WA: security deposit limits, required notice periods, habitability standards, and eviction protections. Landlords cannot charge fees or make deductions that violate state law.

Seattle uses 311 (or a local equivalent) for non-emergency city services: pothole reports, noise complaints, abandoned vehicles, streetlight outages. Save the number in your phone.

Street cleaning tickets in WA run $25-55. Set a weekly reminder on your phone for the morning before your block's cleaning day. Move your car the night before.

Track open 311 requests near your Seattle address. Patterns in complaints reveal neighborhood issues: repeated noise complaints, rodent sightings, or infrastructure problems.

Recycling rules change. Seattle may add composting mandates, change accepted materials, or modify pickup schedules. Check annually or when you see a notice on your bin.

Set calendar reminders for annual renewals: residential parking permit, vehicle registration, and driver's license. Late renewal fees add up.