Moving to Silver Spring, MD

Silver Spring at a glance

A few facts that shape a move here.

• Silver Spring is an unincorporated part of Montgomery County, so the county runs roads, parking, and trash.
• The Red Line stops at Silver Spring and Forest Glen, and MARC's Brunswick Line stops downtown.
• The Purple Line light rail to Bethesda and College Park is under construction, with opening targeted for late 2027.
• Takoma Park, next door, is a separate city with its own rules.
• Public schools are part of Montgomery County Public Schools.

Where people live

Downtown Silver Spring and Fenton Village are apartment and condo buildings within a walk of Metro, with front desks, loading docks, and reserved elevators. Woodside, Woodside Park, and East Silver Spring are single-family streets close to downtown. Forest Glen and Four Corners are farther out, with more yard and easier parking.

Older buildings along Georgia Avenue and Fenton Street are often walk-ups with no elevator. Many of the houses are from the 1940s, with steep basement stairs and attics that have to be emptied first.

Step 1: Get your building's rules in writing

For a downtown building, email the management office as soon as you have a lease date and ask for the move-in rules. Expect a reserved freight elevator, a certificate of insurance from your mover, set move hours, and a height limit at the loading dock. Our high-rise guide lists the questions to ask.

Step 2: Work out where the truck parks

Downtown, the answer is the building's loading dock. Ask for its clearance height. Where there is no dock, most curb space is metered and run by the Montgomery County Division of Parking Management, which you can reach at 240-777-8740 to ask about reserving meters for a moving truck.

On residential streets, we have not found a county moving-truck permit that residents can apply for, as of October 2026. The truck uses a driveway or a legal space near your door. Streets in Woodside and Forest Glen are narrow, so the size of the truck matters. Tell us about tight turns, low branches, and where cars usually park.

What a Silver Spring move costs

Our flat-rate ranges for the DMV apply here. Because we are local, travel is a small part of the price, and stairs, elevator windows, and extra stops decide most of it.

• 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

Step 3: Set up utilities (two weeks before)

Start each service the day before you move in.

• Electricity: Pepco
• Natural gas: Washington Gas
• Water and sewer: WSSC Water. In apartments the building usually handles it.
• Trash and recycling: Montgomery County collects from single-family homes. Apartments and condos use the building's service.
• Internet: Verizon Fios and Xfinity cover most of the area. Ask your building which are wired in.

Step 4: Your first 60 days

If you are coming from DC, Virginia, or another state, Maryland gives you 60 days from move-in.

• Get a Maryland driver's license from the MVA.
• Title and register your vehicle. A Maryland safety inspection certificate is required, and titling within 60 days keeps your credit for tax paid to your previous state.
• License your pets. Montgomery County requires dogs and cats over four months old to wear current rabies and license tags.
• Register to vote at your new address.
• File a USPS change of address. It costs $1.25 online and is free at a post office.

A four-week plan

Rules in this guide were last checked in October 2026 against the Maryland MVA and Montgomery County. Confirm on their sites 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 insurance requirements to your mover. Start packing.
• 2 weeks out. Schedule Pepco, gas, and internet. File your change of address.
• 1 week out. Confirm the elevator and the insurance certificate. Finish packing.
• Move day. Be at the new place to direct furniture.
• First 60 days. License, title, registration, and pet licenses.