Fort Worth

Your first 30 days in Fort Worth

Everything Texas and the city expect from a new resident, in order. Set your move-in date and we'll work out your deadlines. Your progress saves on this device only.

Every step checked against official sources on Oct 31, 2026.

Before or on move-in day

Get the lights, water and internet on before the boxes arrive.

In most of Fort Worth you pick your own retail electric provider, while Oncor, the wires company, keeps the lights on whichever one you choose. Line up a plan before move-in so power starts on day one.

How to do it
  1. Find the ESI ID for your address (Oncor's moving-in page links to the lookup).
  2. Compare plans for your ZIP code on Power to Choose, the state's official site, and read each plan's Electricity Facts Label.
  3. Give your chosen provider the ESI ID so it can send Oncor the move-in order.
  4. Watch for the confirmation mailing: you can cancel within 3 business days, and the switch happens within 7 business days.
  5. If your address is served by an electric co-op instead (for example Tri-County Electric Cooperative), you have no provider choice; call the co-op to start service.
Official:
Deadline: Before your move-in dateCost: Varies by plan; check the plan's Electricity Facts Label for feesChecked: Oct 31, 2026

Moving is the easiest time to choose: early-termination fees typically don't apply when you change service addresses (PUCT), but read your contract. If you switch providers later, the switch takes up to 7 business days with no gap in service. Co-op and city-owned utility areas have no retail choice; whether a specific Fort Worth address is in Tri-County Electric's territory couldn't be confirmed from its pages, so check by address. Oncor outage line: 888-313-4747.

Sources

New Fort Worth water accounts are opened by phone, email or at City Hall. The first bill carries a $20 activation fee and usually a $50 deposit, and your trash fee rides on the same bill.

  • City of Fort Worth
How to do it
  1. Call Water Customer Service at 817-392-4477 (7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays), email MyWaterAccount@FortWorthTexas.gov, or visit City Hall, 5th floor.
  2. Have ready the account holder's name and phone number, the identification details the City requests, and the property owner's name.
  3. Ask about the deposit waiver if you have 12 straight months of on-time utility service.
  4. After your account exists, register for the MyH2O portal or app to pay your bill and watch usage.
Official:
Deadline: Contact the City at least a day before you need serviceCost: $20 activation fee; $50 minimum residential deposit (waivable); +$25 for same-day serviceChecked: Oct 31, 2026

Only for addresses inside Fort Worth city limits; suburbs such as Haltom City, Benbrook and Saginaw run their own water utilities. The City's pages do not describe online sign-up for brand-new accounts. Many apartment communities bill water through the property instead, so check your lease first.

Sources

Atmos Energy is the natural-gas utility for Fort Worth. If your home has gas heat, a stove or a water heater, set up service online or by phone before you arrive.

How to do it
  1. Open Atmos's Start Service form in its online Account Center, or call 888-286-6700 (weekdays 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central).
  2. Choose the date you want service to begin.
  3. For turn-on or reconnect appointments, Atmos requires an adult 18 or older to be home.
  4. If you ever smell gas, leave the area, then call 911 and Atmos at 866-322-8667.
Official:
Deadline: Before move-in, if your home uses natural gasCost: Connection charge listed at $65 in business hours ($97 after hours) in Atmos's tariff; confirm when you sign upChecked: Oct 31, 2026

Many apartments and some houses are all-electric, so you may not need this. The $65 figure comes from a tariff page with a 2013 effective date, so it may have changed.

Sources

The FCC's National Broadband Map shows which providers report service at your exact address. Look before you sign a lease or order a plan, then confirm directly with the provider.

How to do it
  1. Open the FCC National Broadband Map and enter your address.
  2. Note the providers and connection types (fiber, cable, fixed wireless) listed for it.
  3. Confirm availability and price with each provider before ordering, since the map is built from provider reports.
Official:
Deadline: Before you order serviceChecked: Oct 31, 2026

No list of named Fort Worth providers is included because none could be confirmed from an official source. The map's data was dated June 30, 2025 (updated 10/1/26).

Sources

A change-of-address request sends your USPS mail to your new Fort Worth home. Online filing includes an identity check with a small fee.

How to do it
  1. Go to the official USPS Change of Address site and choose Individual, Family or Business.
  2. Verify your identity and pay the online verification fee by credit card (billing address must match your old or new address).
  3. Expect a confirmation email and a letter at your old address; a notification letter reaches the new address about 5 business days before your start date.
  4. Separately tell banks, insurers and government agencies your new address; USPS generally will not forward IDs and financial mail.
Official:
Deadline: Allow 7-10 business days after approval for forwarding to startCost: $1.25 identity-verification fee (online)Checked: Oct 31, 2026

You can file in person at a Post Office instead if you cannot verify online or are filing for someone else.

Sources

Fort Worth borders many suburbs, so water, trash and even your school district depend on your exact address. Confirm it before you start services.

How to do it
  1. Ask your landlord, agent or closing paperwork whether the address is inside Fort Worth city limits.
  2. Enter the address in the City's My Area tool to see waste collection dates and your council district.
  3. If you are in a suburb, contact that city for water and trash instead of Fort Worth's departments.
Official:
Checked: Oct 31, 2026

My Area shows City data for an address but the page does not explicitly say it confirms city-limits status, so rely on your lease or closing papers too.

Sources

Your first week

The quick wins that make the place feel like home.

Texas requires liability coverage of at least $30,000 per injured person, $60,000 per accident and $25,000 for property damage. You need proof of it at the inspection station and the county tax office.

  • If you have a car
How to do it
  1. Tell your insurer you are moving to Texas and ask for a Texas policy; some out-of-state policies may be accepted, so ask your agent.
  2. Keep a card or digital proof of insurance handy for the inspection and registration visits.
  3. Questions about coverage: Texas Department of Insurance help line, 800-252-3439.
Official:
Deadline: Before your inspection and vehicle registrationCost: Varies by insurerChecked: Oct 31, 2026
Sources

Texas ended most vehicle safety inspections on Jan 1, 2025, but Tarrant County still requires an emissions test for gasoline vehicles 2 to 24 years old before registration.

  • If you have a car
How to do it
  1. Find a DPS-certified inspection station (many repair shops and service stations are) with DPS's station locator.
  2. Bring proof of insurance; stations ask for it.
  3. Bring the passing result to the county tax office when you register.
  4. Commercial vehicles still need a safety inspection too.
Official:
Deadline: Before registering your vehicle (due within 30 days of moving)Cost: Station fee capped at $18.50 per DPS; a small state fee is added at registrationChecked: Oct 31, 2026

The $18.50 cap comes from a 2020 DPS page and a 2024 TCEQ study, so confirm at the station. Vehicles under 2 years old are outside the test window.

Sources

City trash and recycling carts are collected Monday through Friday. Look up your day with the City's My Area tool; the monthly trash fee shows up on your water bill.

  • City of Fort Worth
How to do it
  1. Enter your address in My Area to see your waste collection dates.
  2. Call 817-392-1234 to order a free blue recycling cart and confirm your brown garbage cart size.
  3. Set carts out after 6 p.m. the night before and by 7 a.m. on pickup day; bring them in by midnight.
  4. If you rent in an apartment complex, ask your property manager; complexes arrange their own trash and recycling.
Official:
Cost: Monthly sanitation fee by cart size (32, 64 or 96 gallon) on your water bill; blue recycling cart is freeChecked: Oct 31, 2026

Exact monthly rates changed Oct 1, 2026 and could not be confirmed on a City page, so no dollar figure is shown. City curbside service goes to households with a City solid waste account.

Sources

Fort Worth's 311 Contact Center and the free MyFW app are how you report potholes, missed trash pickup, streetlights, code violations and water problems.

  • City of Fort Worth
How to do it
  1. Download MyFW from the App Store or Google Play.
  2. Save 817-392-1234 for the 311 Contact Center (weekdays 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.).
  3. You can also text a request to 817311.
  4. For emergencies, always call 911.
Official:
Checked: Oct 31, 2026

The City lists two text options (817311, or text hello to 817-835-6939). Report a missed trash pickup within 24 hours.

Sources

Register for the City's ReadyFW alerts and Tarrant County's free Tarrant Ready notifications so tornado and severe-weather warnings reach your phone. Outdoor sirens are only a backup.

How to do it
  1. Sign up for ReadyFW on the City's page (it asks you to create a Smart911 profile).
  2. Sign up for Tarrant Ready on the County's Emergency Notifications page (free; choose text, phone or email).
  3. Know the siren test: an audible 90-second test the first Wednesday of each month at 1 p.m.; other Wednesdays are silent.
  4. If sirens sound, go to an interior room away from windows and check a weather app, NOAA radio or local news.
Official:
Cost: Free (Tarrant Ready); ReadyFW page does not state a feeChecked: Oct 31, 2026

Older City pages still mention CodeRED and Nixle; ReadyFW is the current City sign-up page.

Sources

A Fort Worth address can be in Fort Worth ISD or in one of about 15 other districts, such as Keller, Northwest, Crowley or Eagle Mountain-Saginaw. Check your exact address before you enroll.

  • Families with kids
How to do it
  1. Enter your address in TXschools.gov's School Finder to see schools near you.
  2. For Fort Worth ISD, use its School Site Locator to see your zoned campus.
  3. Confirm attendance zones with the district itself; TEA says its boundary maps are approximate.
Official:
Deadline: Before you enrollChecked: Oct 31, 2026

The district list comes from the City's 2021 comprehensive plan. Whether a TAD property record shows the ISD could not be confirmed.

Sources

Your first 30 days

Texas has real deadlines for new residents. These come first.

New Texans have 30 days to register a vehicle in person at a county tax office. Bring proof of insurance, your out-of-state title or registration, photo ID and Form 130-U; you do not have to title the car in Texas.

  • If you have a car
  • From out of state
How to do it
  1. Have Texas insurance and, if required, a passing emissions inspection (steps above).
  2. Fill out Form 130-U; check the Registration Purposes Only box if you are not surrendering your out-of-state title.
  3. Visit a Tarrant County Tax Office (Fort Worth: Main Office, Poly or Southwest) with proof of ownership, photo ID, insurance and the inspection result.
  4. Pay fees and get your plates and sticker at the same visit.
Official:
Deadline: Within 30 days of moving to TexasCost: About $51.75 base registration, plus $90 new-resident tax (or the sales-tax difference), a $7.50 inspection program fee and county feesChecked: Oct 31, 2026

Late registration can bring penalty fees. TxDMV pages link to a Form 130-U file that returned a 404 on 2026-10-31, so ask the tax office or start from the TxDMV New to Texas page. County fees and accepted payment methods vary.

Sources

You can drive on a valid out-of-state license for up to 90 days, then you need a Texas license. All DPS visits are by appointment, and adults with a valid out-of-state license skip the written and driving tests.

  • From out of state
How to do it
  1. Register your vehicles first; DPS asks for proof of Texas registration for each vehicle you own when you surrender an out-of-state license.
  2. Run DPS's REAL ID Document Check to build your personal document list.
  3. Book an appointment at txdpsscheduler.com (up to six months ahead); Fort Worth has Mega Center, South and East offices.
  4. At the office, surrender your old license, pay the fee, and complete the vision test and photo.
Official:
Deadline: Within 90 days of moving to TexasCost: $33 for a Class C license, ages 18 to 84 (valid 8 years)Checked: Oct 31, 2026

Applicants under 18 still take the driving test, and a license expired two or more years must be retested. The Hurst DPS office has been closed since Feb 2024. Book early; appointments can fill up.

Sources

Texas has no fully online voter registration: you fill out the application, print and sign it, then mail or hand-deliver it to Tarrant County Elections. You can also register when you visit a DPS office.

How to do it
  1. Fill out the online application, then print and sign it (or pick up a paper form at a library, post office or DPS office).
  2. Mail it (postmarked at least 30 days before the election) or hand-deliver it to Tarrant County Elections, 2700 Premier St, Fort Worth 76111.
  3. Ask for a free manual postmark at a USPS counter so the date is right.
  4. Check your status later with Tarrant County's voter lookup.
Official:
Deadline: 30 days before the election you want to vote inCost: FreeChecked: Oct 31, 2026

The registration deadline for the Nov 3, 2026 election was Oct 5, 2026, so a newly arrived resident who is not yet registered cannot vote on Nov 3. A new registration takes effect 30 days after the state receives it.

Sources

Fort Worth ISD enrolls new Pre-K and K-12 students through its online Parent Portal. Gather the child's ID, immunization record, a guardian ID and a recent proof of address first.

  • Families with kids
How to do it
  1. Create a Parent Portal account on the Fort Worth ISD enrollment site and start the enrollment application.
  2. Your zoned school fills in from your address; you may also rank up to three campuses.
  3. Upload one document each for the child's age and identity, immunization record, parent or guardian photo ID, and proof of address dated within 30 days.
  4. Sign and submit; enrollment is not complete until all documents are received.
  5. If your address is in another district, use that district's enrollment system.
Official:
Deadline: As soon as you have proof of address; 2026-2027 enrollment is openChecked: Oct 31, 2026

The document list comes from a Fort Worth ISD campus enrollment page. Gold Seal Choice Programs are a separate lottery application with its own windows.

Sources

Anyone who lives or owns property in Fort Worth gets a free library card. Apply at any branch or, for adults, online; the old downtown Central Library closed in 2023, and the Downtown Express Library at 200 Texas St is the downtown location.

  • City of Fort Worth
How to do it
  1. Bring photo ID and proof of address (driver license, lease, recent property tax statement or business mail postmarked in the last 30 days; digital copies are fine).
  2. Apply at any Fort Worth Public Library branch, or online if you are an adult.
  3. Renew your account every 3 years.
  4. Kids through age 17 can get youth cards if they live with a qualifying parent or guardian.
Official:
Cost: Free for residents; non-resident cards are $50 a yearChecked: Oct 31, 2026

Downtown Express Library is a temporary branch; call 817-392-7715 for hours before you go.

Sources

Fort Worth requires every dog and cat to have a registered microchip, plus rabies shots by 4 months of age, a booster a year later, then at least every 3 years. A City license is only needed for pets without a microchip.

  • Pet owners
  • City of Fort Worth
How to do it
  1. Have your pet microchipped by a vet or Animal Care & Control, and register current contact details with the chip company.
  2. Keep rabies certificates current.
  3. If your pet is not microchipped, buy a City license (needs proof of rabies vaccination).
  4. Unaltered dogs and cats need an intact pet permit.
Official:
Cost: $12 microchip at Animal Care & Control; license for unchipped pets $100 (3 yr), $150 (5 yr) or $200 (lifetime); intact pet permit $50Checked: Oct 31, 2026

The City pages do not state a grace period for new residents. Outside Fort Worth city limits, check your own city's rules.

Sources

Tell the IRS your new address so refunds and notices reach you, and update banks, insurers and your employer directly because USPS forwarding does not cover sensitive mail.

How to do it
  1. IRS: enter the new address on your tax return, or file Form 8822, write to the IRS, or call.
  2. Allow about 45 days for the IRS to process an address change.
  3. Update your employer, banks, credit cards, insurers and subscriptions yourself.
  4. Update your Texas driver license address at DPS and your vehicle record at the county tax office.
Official:
Cost: FreeChecked: Oct 31, 2026

Social Security's address-change process was not verified because its site blocked automated access.

Sources

Within 90 days and beyond

Still on the clock, just a longer one.

If you own and live in your Fort Worth home, you can claim a residence homestead exemption through Tarrant Appraisal District; school districts must exempt $140,000 of value. Filing is free and you generally do not reapply each year.

  • Homeowners
How to do it
  1. Get your Texas driver license first; TAD requires a Texas DPS license or ID whose address matches the home.
  2. Apply online through TAD's homestead page, or mail or hand-deliver Form 50-114.
  3. Ask TAD's exemptions line, 817-284-4063, if the prior owner already claimed it this year.
  4. Over 65 or disabled? You may qualify for an extra $60,000 school-district exemption.
Official:
Deadline: By April 30 of the tax year you want it (late filing allowed up to two years)Cost: FreeChecked: Oct 31, 2026

A new owner may claim from the date they buy and move in if the previous owner did not claim it that year. TAD's page still shows an old $10,000 over-65 figure; the Comptroller says $60,000.

Sources

Fort Worth elects its mayor and council members for Districts 2 through 11 on Saturday, May 1, 2027. After the Nov 3, 2026 election, this is the next Fort Worth city vote.

  • City of Fort Worth
How to do it
  1. Make sure your voter registration is in and current at your Fort Worth address.
  2. Look up your council district with the City's My Area tool.
  3. Remember candidates file between Jan 13 and Feb 12, 2027.
  4. Check Tarrant County Elections closer to the date for early voting and vote center details.
Official:
Deadline: Register by April 1, 2027 (30 days before May 1; calculated)Checked: Oct 31, 2026

April 1, 2027 is our calculation from Texas's 30-day rule; Tarrant County had not published a 2027 calendar on the pages checked. No runoff date was found.

Sources

Trinity Metro runs buses, TEXRail to DFW Airport, the Trinity Railway Express and ZIPZONE on-demand rides in set zones. A local one-way trip is $2, and tickets are sold in the GoPass app.

How to do it
  1. Use the official Trinity Metro site (ridetrinitymetro.org) for routes, trip planning and alerts.
  2. Buy tickets in the GoPass app; a local day pass is $4 and a 7-day local pass is $18.
  3. Check the ZIPZONE zone map to see if on-demand rides cover your neighborhood ($2 a ride).
  4. TEXRail connects Fort Worth T&P Station to DFW Airport; the Trinity Railway Express runs between Fort Worth and Dallas.
  5. Customer support: 817-215-8600.
Official:
Cost: $2 local one-way ($1 reduced); $4 one-day local passChecked: Oct 31, 2026

Do not link to trinitymetro.org; that domain is parked and serves ads. The real site is ridetrinitymetro.org. Station addresses and train frequencies were not readable as text.

Sources

An NTTA TollTag is free and works on every Texas toll road, including the TEXpress managed lanes. Pay-by-mail ZipCash on NTTA roads costs twice the TollTag rate.

  • If you have a car
How to do it
  1. Open an NTTA TollTag account online (the tag arrives in 7 to 14 business days) or pick one up at an NTTA Customer Service Center.
  2. Choose a pre-funded balance ($10 or $20 for one vehicle, $40 for up to three vehicles); it refills automatically.
  3. Use it on any Texas toll road; TollTag members pay the lowest rates.
  4. TEXpress Lanes prices change with traffic and accept any Texas toll tag.
Official:
Cost: Tag is free; pre-funded balance of $10 to $40Checked: Oct 31, 2026

Pay-by-mail rules and rates for TEXpress Lanes were not verified. The ZipCash double-rate applies to NTTA's own roads.

Sources

Your City Council member comes from your address. Use the City's My Area tool or its council-district page to find yours.

  • City of Fort Worth
How to do it
  1. Enter your address in My Area to see your council district and elected officials.
  2. Or use the City's My Council Districts page.
  3. Save your council member's contact details for neighborhood issues.
Official:
Checked: Oct 31, 2026
Sources

Fort Worth's four Drop-Off Stations take bulk items, yard waste, electronics and household hazardous waste at no charge for eligible residents. Bring a recent water bill and your driver license.

  • City of Fort Worth
How to do it
  1. Pick a station: Brennan (2400 Brennan Ave), Southeast (5150 Martin Luther King Fwy), Old Hemphill Road (6260 Old Hemphill Rd) or Hillshire (301 Hillshire Dr, Haslet).
  2. Open Tuesday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to noon; closed Sunday, Monday and City holidays.
  3. Bring a Fort Worth water bill from the last six months showing sanitation charges, plus a matching driver license.
  4. Apartment residents can drop off recyclables and household hazardous waste with a driver license.
Official:
Cost: Free for eligible residentsChecked: Oct 31, 2026

Monthly curbside bulk pickup is also free for households with City service; find your week in the City's bulk schedule PDF.

Sources

Something out of date? Tell us and we'll recheck it against the source.