Moving to Texas checklist: what to do, and in what order, when you move to Plano

Moving to Texas checklist: the deadlines

The Plano moving to Texas checklist, in order

Each step on this list opens the door to the next, and the chain ends at the step worth the most money. Texas.gov's new-resident page lists the deadlines without saying they depend on each other. The DPS application for a new resident asks for current Texas registration for each vehicle you own, and TxDMV won't register a car from an emissions county until it passes the test. So the 90-day license window is really decided by how fast you get the car done.

Moving to Texas checklist traps that cost Plano buyers money

• Filing the homestead too early. Collin CAD takes applications from January 1 to April 30 for a home you owned and lived in on January 1. Close in October and your first window opens the following January; an early application isn't accepted.
• A Texas ID at the wrong address. Collin CAD requires the address on your Texas driver license or ID to match the home you're claiming, so an out-of-state license, or a Texas one still showing a rental, holds up the exemption.
• Trusting the ZIP for the county. Parts of 75024 and 75093 are in Denton County, which changes the appraisal district, the tax office that registers your car and, on some addresses, the electricity company: CoServ, a co-op with no plans to shop.

Before you leave: the moving to Texas checklist for choosing a Plano home

Settle the side of town before the price, because in Plano the two move together.

Choosing where to live in Plano

The cheapest Plano ZIP, 75074 at $362,198 (Zillow, September 2026), is the east side with the DART rail stations. The west-side ZIPs that hold Legacy's campuses cost the most, up to $738,271 in 75093. So a downtown Dallas job by train and a Legacy job by car point you to opposite ends of the city. Start with the overview of Plano neighborhoods, then compare ZIPs on our Plano ZIP code page.

Checking Plano school districts

Most Plano addresses are in Plano ISD, and parts of the city are in Frisco ISD and Lewisville ISD. The district follows the address, not the city name on the mail, so check each house with the district's own school finder. Our Plano school districts guide explains the districts and their grade structure.

Moving checklist for hiring a mover

Texas.gov points new residents to TxDMV to verify that a household goods mover is licensed. Check the company's number before you pay a deposit.

Budgeting for Texas property tax in Plano

At 2026 rates, Zillow's typical $497,714 Plano home in Plano ISD and Collin County carries a bill of about $8,476 a year without the homestead exemption and about $6,476 with it. The $2,000 gap is what the January filing is worth, so keep both numbers in view when you set a price ceiling. Run a specific house through the Plano property tax calculator before you set a price ceiling.

First two weeks: the moving to Texas checklist for Plano utilities

Start utilities from your old address: the city's form won't take a date more than 10 business days out, so it's a two-weeks-before job.

City of Plano water, sewer and trash

The start-service form asks for proof of residency and a photo ID, and the account it opens gives you a utility bill in your name, one of the residency proofs DPS takes later. A one-time service fee and a deposit land on the first bill. The standard 95-gallon trash and recycling cart costs $26.60 a month from October 1, 2026.

Oncor electricity and choosing a provider

Most of Plano is in Oncor's delivery area with retail choice: you pick a plan on the state's Power to Choose site, and Oncor keeps the lines running. Some far-west Plano addresses are served by the CoServ co-op instead, where there's no plan to shop. Our guide to Plano utilities covers both, plus trash days and internet.

Texas auto insurance

Get a Texas policy before the registration visit. TxDMV's minimums are $30,000 per injured person, $60,000 per accident and $25,000 for property damage, and the tax office wants to see the card.

The car: the 30-day deadline on your moving to Texas checklist

Texas.gov gives you 30 days from arrival to register your vehicle. In Plano that's two stops.

Collin County emissions test

Collin, Dallas and Denton are among 17 Texas counties that still require emissions testing. The annual safety inspection ended for non-commercial vehicles on January 1, 2025, replaced by a $7.50 fee paid at registration.

Registration at the Collin County tax office

Bring the passing test, the insurance card, your old title or registration and Form 130-U. State charges for one car come to $149.25 before county fees, most of it the $90 new resident tax. Offices, documents and the full fee table are on our Plano DMV guide.

Driver license and voter registration on the moving to Texas checklist

Texas driver license through DPS

You can drive on a valid out-of-state license for up to 90 days. Adults with a valid license (or one expired up to two years) skip the written and driving tests, pass a vision exam and pay $33 for a license valid eight years at ages 18 to 84. Bring proof of identity, residency, Social Security number, lawful presence if you're not a citizen, and your new Texas registration and insurance. Open the DPS scheduler the week you arrive to see the first open date at Plano's office and the next nearest ones; if it falls close to your 90th day, take a slot at another office, since any Texas DPS office can do the swap.

Registering to vote in Collin County

Voter registration in Texas is county-based, and the law requires you to register by the 30th day before Election Day. For the November 3, 2026 election that deadline was October 5, 2026. Register with the voter registrar in your county (Collin, or Denton for the far-west side) once you have a Plano address, through the Secretary of State's online application or by mail.

New Texas ID card

A household member who doesn't drive can get a Texas ID card at DPS: $16 at 59 and younger, $6 at 60 and older, valid six years.

From abroad: the moving to Texas checklist for an international move

A Plano move from abroad follows the same order, with two differences at the DPS counter and one at the tax office.

Foreign driver licenses and DPS

DPS can waive the knowledge and skills tests for holders of a valid, unexpired license from France, Germany, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates or Taiwan, under reciprocity agreements. Drivers from other countries should expect to take the tests. DPS also says a foreign license that isn't in English or Spanish has to be translated before you arrive, so arrange the translation while you still have time at home.

Lawful presence documents for a Texas license

Applicants who aren't U.S. citizens show proof of lawful presence along with identity, Texas residency and a Social Security number. Use DPS's REAL ID Document Check tool to build your personal list, since the combinations differ by visa and status, and bring originals.

Bringing a car to Plano from abroad

A car bought new in Texas that has never been registered anywhere pays a $16.75 inspection program fee covering its first two years, instead of the $7.50 yearly fee. If you import a vehicle, ask the Collin County tax office what it needs before the car ships.

New resident checklist for the first paycheck

Texas has no state income tax, so a Plano paycheck shows federal withholding only. Keep your closing statement or lease handy: it's your proof of Texas residency at DPS, and the same document starts your city utility account.

After you buy: the moving to Texas checklist for Plano homeowners

Buying adds the item on this list worth the most money, and it's the one with no reminder in the mail.

Homestead exemption filing in Collin County

File with the appraisal district between January 1 and April 30 of the first year you owned and lived in the home on January 1: Collin Central Appraisal District for most of Plano, Denton Central Appraisal District for the Denton County side. Put a reminder in your calendar on closing day, and have your Texas license showing the new address by then. The school exemption alone takes $140,000 off the taxable value for the school district's levy, and on the typical Plano home the exemptions together save about $2,000 a year, against roughly $182 in fixed state fees for registering one car and licensing one driver. Our step-by-step guide to the Texas homestead exemption covers who qualifies, the deadline and late filing.

Plano property tax bill due date

Texas property tax bills come once a year for the whole tax year and are due January 31. If you close late in the year, check the closing statement for how the year's tax was split with the seller. Rates by taxing unit and an example bill are on our Plano property tax page.

Closing costs when moving to Texas

Texas has no real estate transfer tax, and title insurance premiums follow rates set by the Texas Department of Insurance. Our Plano closing costs guide walks through the rest of the settlement statement.

What to know before moving to Texas from another state

Four differences change a Plano household budget the most. Each links to the page that covers it in full.

No state income tax in Texas

Your Plano paycheck carries federal withholding only, which means whatever state income tax you pay now stays in your paycheck. You pay it back in part at the register: sales tax in Plano is 8.25% on most purchases, the 6.25% state rate plus city and transit taxes. The full picture, including the vehicle tax for new residents, is on our Plano and Texas taxes overview.

Property tax as the trade-off for moving to Texas

The money Texas doesn't take from paychecks it collects through property tax, set each fall by the city, county, college district and school district. Compare the two together: set the typical Plano home's 2026 bill of about $6,476 with the homestead exemption against what your current state takes from your pay, and you'll know whether the move saves you money.

Commuting from Plano with DART and toll roads

Plano has DART rail on the Red and Orange lines and, since October 25, 2025, the Silver Line to DFW Airport. Most driving commutes use US-75, the Dallas North Tollway or the President George Bush Turnpike. Our guide to commuting from Plano by train and toll road has scheduled train times and the routes.

Moving to Texas with a job offer in Plano

If your job is at a Legacy-area campus, match the house to that drive before you match it to a price; our guide to Plano's major employers shows where the campuses are.

Linda can turn this list into dates for your move once you know your arrival week.