New to Jacksonville? JEA supplies power, water and sewer. Get a Florida license within 30 days and register cars within 10. Homestead deadline March 1.

Last checked Oct. 9, 2026. Each line links the official page it comes from. This page is a checklist; the details live in our own guides, linked below.

Jacksonville and Duval County have shared one consolidated government since 1968, so the city handles your trash, permits and police. JEA supplies power, water and sewer. Your driver’s license, car tag and pet tag all go through the Duval County Tax Collector. For anything else, call 630-CITY (904-630-2489).

Your first calls

  • Power, water and sewer: JEA, 904-665-6000 (jea.com)
  • Driver’s license and car tag: Duval County Tax Collector, 904-255-5700 (new residents)
  • Homestead exemption: Property Appraiser, 904-255-5900
  • Trash carts and city services: 630-CITY, 904-630-2489
  • Natural gas leak: leave, call 911, then TECO Peoples Gas at 877-832-6747

Our guides for new residents

Electricity, water and sewer

“JEA is the consolidated provider of electricity, water and sewer for Jacksonville,” the city’s Office of Economic Development says. Start, stop or move service through jea.com or by phone at 904-665-6000 or 800-683-5542, the numbers the city’s JaxReady site lists. (JEA’s site blocked our automated check on Oct. 9, so its own sign-up steps are not summarized here.)

Near the beaches: JaxReady also lists Beaches Energy Services and FPL as Duval County electric utilities. Beaches Energy serves Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach, Ponte Vedra and Palm Valley, its start service page says. Apply online or call 904-247-6241; bring the service address, your Social Security number and a driver’s license or state ID, and in some cases a lease or sales contract. Your closing documents or lease name your utility.

Natural gas

Where natural gas is available, it comes from TECO Peoples Gas, which lists Jacksonville among its service areas. Start, transfer or stop service online, or call customer care at 877-832-6747, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, according to its contact page. If you smell gas, leave, call 911 and then the same number.

Internet

Two providers publish Jacksonville service pages with sign-up links: AT&T Internet in Jacksonville and Xfinity in Jacksonville. Service varies by street, so check your exact address with each one. The FCC’s National Broadband Map lists every provider that reports service at an address.

Trash and recycling

There is nothing to sign up for. The city collects garbage and yard waste weekly and recycling every other week. Look up your days in the city’s Waste Wizard at MyJax, and call 630-CITY for a missing or damaged cart. Full rules: trash and recycling.

Driver’s license and car tag

The Duval County Tax Collector’s new resident page sets the clock:

  • Driver’s license: within 30 days of becoming a Florida resident. Applications are made in person at one of the Tax Collector’s nine branches. Bring the REAL ID documents on the state’s new resident page.
  • Title and registration: within 10 days of becoming a resident, for cars, boats, trailers and mobile homes. You need Florida auto insurance first.
  • Bring: the out-of-state title (or the current registration if a lender holds the title), proof of Florida insurance, your license or ID and a VIN verification (Section 8 of state Form 82040).

You become a resident, the Tax Collector says, when you start work in Florida, enroll children in public school, register to vote, file for homestead or live in the state more than six consecutive months. Branches open at 8:30 a.m. weekdays; the main office is at 231 E. Forsyth St. Book an appointment or join the virtual line. The new St. Johns Square branch is at 11160 Beach Blvd., Suite 121; the Kernan and Hogan branches have closed.

Homestead exemption

If you own and live in your home on Jan. 1, file with the Duval County Property Appraiser by March 1 for that year’s tax roll at homestead.coj.net. Moved in after Jan. 1, 2026? File now for 2027. The exemption also caps yearly increases in assessed value under Save Our Homes. See property taxes.

Schools

New students, kindergartners included, enroll online with Duval County Public Schools. Find your zoned school with the district’s locator on its enrollment page or call Enrollment Services at 904-390-2082. See schools.

Voter registration

You can register at any Tax Collector transaction once you have a Florida license or ID, or online at RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov. See voting.

Pet license

City ordinance requires every Jacksonville dog, cat and ferret to have a yearly rabies vaccination and a City of Jacksonville rabies tag, according to Animal Care and Protective Services. Your vet sells the tag or gives you the paperwork to buy it from the Tax Collector. License online through PetData. Pet-friendly hurricane shelters accept only licensed, vaccinated pets. Residents of Baldwin and the Beaches cities register with their own city.

Frequently asked questions

Who provides electricity and water in Jacksonville?

JEA is the consolidated provider of electricity, water and sewer for Jacksonville, according to the city. JaxReady lists JEA at 904-665-6000. Parts of Duval County near the beaches are served by Beaches Energy Services.

How long do I have to get a Florida driver’s license after moving to Jacksonville?

Thirty days from becoming a resident. Vehicles must be titled and registered within 10 days, according to the Duval County Tax Collector.

Where do I get a Florida driver’s license in Jacksonville?

At a Duval County Tax Collector branch. New license and ID applications must be made in person; the main office is at 231 E. Forsyth St., 904-255-5700.

When is the homestead exemption deadline in Duval County?

March 1. You must own and live in the home on Jan. 1 of the tax year. Apply through the Duval County Property Appraiser, 904-255-5900.

Do I have to license my dog or cat in Jacksonville?

Yes. City ordinance requires a yearly rabies vaccination and city rabies tag for dogs, cats and ferrets. You can license online through PetData or call 630-CITY.