Photo: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsA move creates a list of small deadlines, and the first month is when most of them land. This checklist puts the Nevada statutes and the Washoe County service providers in the order you will need them.
Week 1: the essentials
Set up electric and gas service before you arrive. NV Energy serves most of Northern Nevada, and TMWA supplies water to Reno, Sparks and Washoe County customers; the utilities guide lists the rest. Update your address with the post office, your bank and your insurers, using our change-of-address checklist.
Find your zoned school if you have children. The Washoe County School District publishes a lookup tool for attendance areas, and our schools guide lists what enrollment asks for.
Within 30 days: license and registration
NRS 483.245 requires a new resident to obtain a Nevada driver license within 30 days. NRS 482.385 requires a vehicle to be registered within 30 days of becoming a resident, or when you get a Nevada license, whichever comes first. The Nevada DMV also requires Nevada insurance, and vehicles in urban Washoe County need an emissions test, with newer vehicles exempt for their first model years.
Active-duty military members and their dependents are not required to transfer their licenses. Our guides on the driver license, registration and smog check cover the documents.
Within the first month: voting and taxes
You can register to vote in Nevada when you establish residency; see voter registration. Nevada has no individual income tax, but your former state may still require a final-year return. Homeowners should look at the homestead exemption and the property tax page.
Pets, trash and everyday services
Dogs in Washoe County need a license from Regional Animal Services and a current rabies certificate; see moving pets to Washoe County. Waste Management is the franchise garbage hauler for Reno and Sparks; see trash and recycling. Find a primary care provider early using our healthcare page.
Where the move itself fits
If your goods are still in transit, the checklist still applies. Moving to Nevada from another state, you book with O'Brien's and we coordinate the move from your origin through the Bekins network, then deliver, unpack and store in Sparks; vault storage starts from $40 per month if your keys come before your furniture. A free in-home estimate comes with 10 free heavy-duty boxes. Call 775-359-6683.