How to Set Up Utilities When You Move

The short answer

Start two to three weeks before the move. Schedule the old address to shut off the day after you leave, and the new address to turn on the day before you arrive. That one-day overlap is what keeps you from spending the first night without power.

The order that works:

• find out which providers serve the new address;
• book start and stop dates in the same session;
• file the mail forward and the address changes;
• confirm everything three days out;
• read the meters on move day.

Which utilities you actually have to handle

Not every household deals with all of these, but this is the full list to check against.

• Electricity and gas. Across most of Northern and Central California this is PG&E. Southern California is split between SCE, SDG&E, and SoCalGas. Some cities, including Palo Alto and Alameda, run their own municipal utility.
• Water and sewer. Usually the city or a district, not a company you choose. In San Francisco that is the SFPUC; East Bay addresses are served by EBMUD.
• Trash and recycling. Often a single contracted hauler per city, arranged through the city or the property manager.
• Internet and TV. The one worth booking earliest, because it may need a technician visit.
• Mobile service. Only an address update, unless you are changing plans.
• Home security or smart-home monitoring. Transfer or cancel; equipment may be leased.
• Propane or heating oil, in rural properties.

In an apartment, some of these are bundled into rent. Ask the property manager exactly which ones before you set anything up yourself.

How to find the providers for a new address

Electricity, gas, water, sewer, and trash are usually assigned by address rather than chosen. Internet is the one where you have a real choice.

• Ask the landlord, property manager, or the seller’s agent. They know, and it takes one message.
• Check the city website. Most list water, sewer, and the contracted waste hauler on one page.
• For power and gas in the PG&E territory, use the start, stop, or transfer service page and enter the new address.
• For internet, check two or three carriers against the exact unit number. Availability changes building by building, sometimes floor by floor.

The timeline

Three weeks out. Confirm the providers at the new address. Book the internet installation first, since technician slots go fastest and a same-week appointment is rarely available.

Two weeks out. Schedule start and stop dates for power, gas, water, and trash. Ask each provider whether a deposit or an identity check applies, because that is what delays activation.

One week out. File the USPS mail forward, and update your address with the bank, employer, insurer, and any subscription that ships something.

Three days out. Call or check online to confirm every scheduled date. Confirmations are worth the ten minutes; missed transfers usually turn out to have been booked for the wrong date.

Move day. Photograph the meter readings at both addresses. That photo settles any billing dispute later.

What each provider will ask for

Have these ready and the whole thing takes an evening.

• the service address, including unit number;
• the move-in date;
• a government ID and, often, a Social Security number for the credit check;
• the current account number, when you are transferring rather than starting;
• a forwarding address for the final bill;
• a payment method.

A deposit is common for a first account with no payment history with that utility. It is usually refunded or credited after a period of on-time payments.

Address changes beyond the utilities

Mail forwarding covers the gap, but it is not a substitute for updating the accounts themselves.

• Mail. File a USPS change of address. Standard forwarding runs for a limited period, so treat it as a safety net rather than a fix.
• Driver’s license and vehicle registration. California requires notifying the DMV within 10 days of moving. Use the online change of address system.
• Voter registration, which in California can be updated at the same time as the DMV change.
• Banks, credit cards, insurance. Auto and renters insurance rates are address-based, so this one has a real cost attached.
• Employer and payroll, for tax withholding and W-2 delivery.
• Schools, doctors, pharmacy, and vet.

What it costs to start service

There is no single number, and anyone quoting one is guessing. What you can plan for is the shape of the charges:

• a connection or account-setup fee at some providers;
• a security deposit when there is no payment history;
• an installation charge for internet if a technician visit or new wiring is needed;
• equipment rental for a modem or router;
• a prorated first bill covering the partial month.

Ask each provider for the setup cost when you book the date, and write it down. Rates and fees change, so check the current figure with the provider rather than relying on any article, including this one.

Cutting the first bills down

The first full month at a new address is usually the highest, because nothing is dialed in yet.

• Photograph both meters on move day and keep the images until the final bills clear.
• Ask about budget billing or a level-pay plan if the seasonal swings are large.
• Check whether you qualify for a low-income rate program; California utilities run them, and enrollment is not automatic.
• Set the water heater to a sensible temperature in the first week rather than the first winter.
• Return leased equipment from the old provider and get a receipt. Unreturned modems generate charges months later.
• Watch the first internet bill for promotional pricing that expires.

Renting versus owning

Renting. Ask which utilities are in the rent, which are billed back through the building, and which you set up in your own name. Buildings with submetered water often bill it separately from rent. Get the answer in writing before you sign.

Buying. Utilities transfer at close, not at the inspection. Schedule the start date for the day of closing or the day before. Confirm that the seller has scheduled their stop date, so the account does not lapse and require a reconnection.

Move-day utilities checklist

• Power and gas on at the new address, one day early.
• Water on and running clear.
• Trash service scheduled and bins confirmed.
• Internet installed or the appointment confirmed.
• Old address scheduled to shut off the day after you leave.
• Meter photos taken at both addresses.
• Mail forward active.
• DMV, bank, insurance, and employer updated.
• Leased equipment returned with a receipt.

Where this fits in the move

Utilities are the piece people leave to the last week, and it is the one part a moving crew cannot do for you. Handle it early and move day becomes only about the truck.

California Movers USA schedules the move itself through a dispatcher who confirms access, parking, and timing a few days out, which is a good moment to double-check that your service dates line up. See local moving or long-distance moving for how each is planned.

Related guides: how to pack for a move, how to write an apartment address, and moving to San Francisco. For the price side, see pricing and payment options.

Questions people ask

How far in advance should I set up utilities?

Two to three weeks. Internet first, because it is the only one that may need an appointment.

Should I transfer service or open a new account?

Transfer when the same provider covers both addresses; it keeps your history and usually avoids a new deposit. Open a new account when the provider changes.

What if the power is not on when I arrive?

Call the provider with the confirmation number and ask for a same-day reconnection. Most utilities can do it, sometimes with a fee.

Can I set up utilities before I have keys?

Yes. Providers schedule by address and date, and you do not need to be present for most start-ups. Internet installation is the exception.

Who pays for utilities during a lease overlap?

Whoever holds the account. If you keep the old address for a week after the move, keep the service in your name until the last day you are responsible for the unit.

Tell us about your move and we will come back with a starting quote.