Moving to Arlington, VA: What to Know Before You Go

Arlington by Metro line

The Orange and Silver lines run under the corridor from Rosslyn to Ballston. Rosslyn is offices and towers at the river. Courthouse and Clarendon have the restaurants and nightlife. Virginia Square and Ballston are a little quieter, with newer apartment buildings.

The Blue and Yellow lines serve Pentagon City and Crystal City, part of the area now branded National Landing, where Amazon built its second headquarters. Housing here is mostly high-rise.

Shirlington and Columbia Pike have no Metro station and rely on buses, and rents are lower for it. Lyon Village, Cherrydale, and Westover are single-family neighborhoods.

Step 1: Find out where the truck will park

Ask your building or landlord where moving trucks go. If there is a loading dock or a driveway, you are set. If the truck has to park on the street, Arlington County issues a Moving Van/Container Permit for the curb space.

• Apply online in Permit Arlington at least five business days before your move date.
• A moving truck can be permitted for up to two days in a row.
• The application asks for the address, your dates, the truck's dimensions, a picture showing exactly where it will park, and the ID numbers of any parking meters in that space.
• The truck has to sit against the curb, at least 20 feet from the corner, clear of hydrants, stop signs, and neighbors' driveways.
• The truck has to be marked with reflective cones or tape while it is parked.
• The county will not issue a permit that conflicts with another permit or event at the same spot, so apply early for end-of-month dates.
• The approved permit arrives by email. Fees are listed on the county's fee schedule.

Step 2: Get your building's rules in writing

Arlington's apartment towers work like high-rises everywhere in the DMV. Call the management office when you sign the lease and ask for the move-in rules by email. Our high-rise guide has the full list of questions.

• The days and hours when moves are allowed
• How to reserve the freight elevator, and for how long
• Whether movers need a certificate of insurance, and the deadline
• The height limit at the loading dock

Step 3: Set up utilities (two weeks before)

Start each service the day before you move in.

• Electricity: Dominion Energy
• Natural gas: Washington Gas
• Water, sewer, trash, and recycling: Arlington County, for houses and townhomes. Apartment buildings handle these for you.
• Internet: Verizon Fios and Xfinity. Ask the building which are wired in before you order.

Step 4: Virginia and county deadlines

Virginia has two layers. You register with the state DMV and then with Arlington County, and the clocks start the day you move in.

• Within 30 days. Title and register your vehicle with the Virginia DMV and get Virginia plates.
• Within 30 days. Register the vehicle with Arlington County's Commissioner of Revenue. Do the DMV first.
• Within 60 days. Get a Virginia driver's license.
• Within 60 days. Your vehicle has to be listed for county personal property tax, or late filing penalties start. Registering with the county takes care of this.
• A car kept in Arlington on out-of-state plates is charged a $100 county license tax on top of the property tax.
• Virginia requires a safety inspection, and Northern Virginia requires an emissions inspection. Check dmv.virginia.gov for what your vehicle needs.

Budget for the car tax

The annual car tax surprises a lot of people who move from DC or Maryland. Arlington bills personal property tax on vehicles every year, based on the car's value. If you own a newer car, look up the current rate on the county's site before you move so the first bill is not a shock.

What an Arlington move costs

Our flat-rate ranges for the DMV apply in Arlington. A truck parked on the street without a permit is the thing most likely to slow an Arlington move, because the crew ends up carrying from wherever the truck could find space.

• Studio: $385 to $660
• 1-bedroom: $550 to $990
• 2-bedroom: $880 to $1,650
• 3-bedroom home: $1,540 to $3,080 and up

A four-week plan

Rules in this guide were last checked in October 2026 against arlingtonva.us and the Virginia DMV. Confirm before you rely on them.

• 4 weeks out. Get the building's move-in rules, reserve the elevator, and book your mover.
• 3 weeks out. Send the building's insurance requirements to your mover. Start packing.
• 2 weeks out. Apply for the moving van permit if the truck will park on the street. Schedule Dominion, gas, and internet.
• 1 week out. Confirm the elevator, the permit, and the insurance certificate. Finish packing.
• Move day. Be at the new place to direct furniture.
• First 30 days. Virginia DMV registration, then Arlington County registration.
• First 60 days. Virginia driver's license.