Welcome to Jacksonville, the nation’s largest city by land mass, where the sun shines an average of 270 days a year! We’re so glad you’re here. With 400 parks, Jacksonville boasts the nation’s largest urban park system, including two national parks and seven state parks. One Jax must-do for when you’re settled in and ready to see the sights of your new home: Take a scenic ride on the St. Johns River Ferry, connecting Mayport Village and Fort George Island.

---

Now, here are 10 things to do after moving to Jacksonville to make your new house feel like home :

1. Sign up for electric and water service

JEA  is the city-owned electric, water and sewer company. Sign up for service with an online application. You’ll need your Social Security number and address to get started. Otherwise, establish your account by visiting JEA and bringing two forms of identification which may include a driver’s license, passport or government-issued ID.

2.   Get connected

Here are some of the city’s main internet providers: AT&T Fiber, Earthlink Fiber,  IQ Fiber and Xfinity.

3. Get ready for trash and recycling 

If the previous homeowner or tenant didn’t leave them behind, call 630-CITY to request your recycling and garbage bins. (Note: Garbage cans will either be issued by the company servicing your neighborhood or you may need to provide your own, depending on your address). Learn your trash, recycling and yard waste pickup schedule so you can set calendar reminders for your pickup days. And, before you start filling up that yellow-lidded recycle bin, learn Duval County’s recycling rules and guidelines. (Like, rinse your recyclables; no bagging recyclables; no recycling plastic bags; and no recycling anything smaller than a credit card.) 

4. Update your driver’s license 

Whether you move to Jax from somewhere else in Florida or from another state, Florida law requires you to update your driver’s license or Florida ID card within 30 days.

If this is your first Florida license, you’ll need one form of primary identification like a U.S. birth certificate or passport, your Social Security card and two forms of proof of your residential address to get started. Visit a Duval County Tax Collector’s office to apply in person. 

Move from within Florida? You can request an updated license online from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles or by visiting the Duval County Tax Collector’s Office. Bring two forms of proof of your new address.

5. Update your car registration and tag 

If you’re new to Florida, you’ll also need to register your vehicle and apply for a tag within 30 days at a Duval County Tax Collector’s Office. Bring your Florida driver’s license or Florida ID, proof of insurance (including at least $10,000 in personal injury protection coverage and $10,000 in property damage liability) and proof of ownership — either a vehicle title or current registration if you’re making payments on it.

If you were previously a Florida resident, you can renew your registration and tag online with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles or make an appointment at a local service center.

6. Plan how to get around 

If you don’t have a car, the city’s public transit system, operated by the Jacksonville Transportation Authority, might work for you. JTA provides regular city bus routes; paratransit service for the elderly and disabled; the Skyway, a monorail connecting Downtown’s Northbank and Southbank; game day shuttles to EverBank Stadium; and the NAVI, an autonomous shuttle system on a limited route Downtown. (This one is still in somewhat of a pilot phase.) You may buy single-ride fares and 1-, 3-, 7- and 31-day passes with the MyJTAApp, a reloadable STAR Card, available online or at ticket vending machines, or with cash. Seniors and students ride JTA for free. 

7. Enroll your child in school

On top of private schools and privately operated but publicly funded charter schools, Florida offers many tuition-free school choices, including the school in your neighborhood, magnet schools that specialize in specific focus areas, and any public neighborhood school that has extra room. If you go with a district-operated school, the process begins with completing a new student application. Check out Jacksonville Today’s guide on enrolling your child in Duval County Public Schools or call the District Enrollment Services Team at (904) 390-2082 for help. 

8. Register to vote/Update your registration

Once you get a driver’s license or a Florida identification card, you can register to vote online or mail an application to the Duval County Supervisor of Elections Office. Registering at a public library is also an option. Once you register with your new address info, you can also request a mail ballot to be sent to your home for every election over the next couple of years. Then, bookmark Jacksonville Today’s voter guides page to make sure you read up on the local candidates and ballot initiatives before hitting the polls.

9. Get a Jacksonville Public Library card

With 21 branches, the Jacksonville Public Library offers more than just books (though it is a wonderful place to get those too). With a card, you have access to DVDs, CDs, e-books, audiobooks, streaming movies and TV shows through Kanopy, on-demand courses and research databases — all free of charge. Classes for ESOL, U.S. citizenship and GED test prep are also available. Apply for a card online or in person at any branch.

10. Subscribe to Jax Today

Finally, after moving to Jacksonville, make sure you stay on top of the latest news, politics and cultural insights by signing up for the free Monday-Saturday Jax Today email newsletter. 

---

Bonus: Some fun facts about Jacksonville:

• In the early 20th century Jacksonville was known as the Winter Film Capital of the World, home to 30 silent film studios before the industry moved to Hollywood.

• We take college football seriously. Don’t be surprised if you’re asked if you’re a Gator, a Seminole, or a Bulldog.

• On that note, Jacksonville hosts the annual Georgia-Florida game (also known as the world’s largest outdoor cocktail party) every Halloween weekend. 

• Jacksonville makes up most of Duval County, but there are also four other independent municipalities with their own separate governments: Baldwin and, from north to south, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach and  Jacksonville Beach.