Moving to Dallas: The First 30 Days Checklist (You Must Shop Your Own Electricity)
Dallas’s defining quirk: electricity is deregulated — no utility automatically serves you. You pick a retail provider (PowerToChoose.org is the state’s comparison site) and the wires company, Oncor, delivers regardless of whom you choose. Texas clocks: vehicle registration in 30 days, license in 90. Add the homestead exemption if you bought, and hail-country insurance literacy. Here’s the sequence.
The 30-Day Timeline
| When | Task | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Before Day 1 | Shop and start electricity | Compare on PowerToChoose.org (read the fine print — “free nights” plans have gotcha math); Oncor delivers for every provider. No choice made = default premium rates |
| Day 1 | Gas | Atmos Energy |
| Day 1 | Internet | AT&T Fiber, Spectrum, or Frontier by address |
| Week 1 | Water + trash | City of Dallas one account — sanitation (blue/gray carts) rides the water bill; suburbs (Plano/Frisco/Arlington) each run their own |
| Week 1–4 | Vehicle registration — 30 days | Dallas County requires an emissions test first (safety inspections ended statewide in 2025); then the county tax office with TX insurance |
| Within 90 days | Texas driver’s license | DPS appointment — book the slot early |
| Week 2 | Voter registration | Texas’s hard cutoff: 30 days before an election, no same-day — register at the DPS visit or by mail |
| At purchase / by April 30 | Homestead exemption (homebuyers) | File free with the county appraisal district (DCAD) — cuts taxable value, caps increases at 10%/year; Texas property taxes make this non-optional |
| Month 1 | Hail insurance literacy | DFW is America’s hail capital: read your policy’s wind/hail deductible (often 1–2% of dwelling) and RCV vs. ACV roof terms before the first spring storm |
Utilities Cheat Sheet
| Service | Provider | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Electric | Your chosen retail provider (Oncor delivers) | Re-shop at every contract end — loyalty is penalized in this market |
| Gas | Atmos Energy | — |
| Water/trash | City of Dallas (or your suburb) | Bulk/brush pickup is monthly by area — free, scheduled |
| Internet | AT&T Fiber / Spectrum / Frontier | Fiber footprint is strong in DFW |
The Dallas-Only Quirks Worth Knowing Early
- Electricity shopping is a recurring chore, not a one-time task: 12-month fixed-rate plans quietly roll to month-to-month premium rates — calendar the contract end date like a lease renewal
- Hail season (Mar–Jun) runs the local roofing economy: the post-hailstorm checklist and storm-chaser defense are required reading; Dallas roofing prices has the honest numbers, and deductible “waivers” are literally criminal in Texas
- Black gumbo clay moves houses: learn the foundation warning signs, water the foundation in August (really), and bookmark Dallas foundation pricing
- Texas licenses almost nothing — no GC/roofer license exists (the TX gap), so the 5-minute vetting routine is on you
- Summer is an AC endurance event — get the tune-up in April, not July (Dallas HVAC prices)
- Arriving by truck? Dallas moving rates
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I pick an electricity provider in Dallas? Use PowerToChoose.org (the PUC’s official comparison site), filter for fixed-rate 12-month plans, and read the Electricity Facts Label — average price at your usage level, not the teaser. Avoid “free nights/weekends” plans unless you’ve done the math. Oncor handles outages and wires no matter whom you pick.
What happens if I never choose a provider? You’ll land on a default/holdover arrangement at premium rates. Ten minutes of shopping typically saves $200–$500/year at DFW summer usage.
What’s the deadline for car registration vs. driver’s license in Texas? Vehicle: 30 days (emissions test first in Dallas County). License: 90 days at DPS. Most people batch them in weeks 2–4 — and register to vote at the DPS visit, since Texas’s 30-day cutoff has no same-day fallback.
Is the homestead exemption really that important in Dallas? Yes — Texas has no income tax and collects through property taxes instead. The exemption trims taxable value and caps annual assessment growth at 10%; filing is free with DCAD. Skipping it is donating money to the county.
How bad is hail in DFW, honestly? The DFW metroplex leads the nation in hail claims — it’s why impact-resistant shingles earn insurance discounts here and why every spring brings door-knocker waves. Read your wind/hail deductible now; it’s likely 1–2% of dwelling coverage, not a flat $1,000.
Last updated: June 11, 2026. Sources: TX DMV/DPS new-resident rules (30/90 days); PUC of Texas (PowerToChoose); Dallas County emissions requirements; DCAD homestead exemption; TX 30-day voter cutoff. Deadlines change — verify with official sites.