Anne Arundel County Local Guide

Your Guide to Settling In

View Your Guide to Settling Into Anne Arundel County (PDF) ↗ (opens in a new tab)A helpful, print friendly checklist for your move by LizyTylerCo · www.lizytylerco.com

• Request USPS mail forwarding online or at a Post Office, and confirm the start date.
• Update your address with important accounts and contacts, including banks, insurers, your employer and relevant agencies.
• Update applicable Maryland license or ID and vehicle addresses. Moving from another state? Follow the new resident process.
• If eligible, register or update your voter address and confirm the change.
• Confirm your electric and water or sewer providers and arrange needed transfers. Check internet availability for your exact address.
• Confirm trash and recycling collection with the county, city, property manager or private hauler. Save your collection schedule and special item rules.
• Join Alert Anne Arundel, or update your saved address, phone number and preferred contact methods.

Use the steps that apply to your move. Confirm your address’s jurisdiction, provider coverage and any landlord or community arrangements. Check official sources for current requirements.

Settling in sources reviewed 10/17/2026

Find the Right Office

Confirm whether the property is in unincorporated Anne Arundel County, the City of Annapolis or the Town of Highland Beach. A postal address does not establish municipal boundaries.

Annapolis maintains municipal permit and public works services within the county. For Highland Beach, check town zoning approval as well as applicable county requirements. Ask which office handles the specific service rather than assuming every address uses the same process.

• Anne Arundel Permits
• Annapolis Licenses and Permits
• Highland Beach Applications and Zoning Approval

Set Up Utilities and Care for Septic Systems

Confirm electricity and any gas service from the property’s existing accounts and the provider’s address check. BGE’s service page provides account transfer options for addresses it serves. Do not assume every property has natural gas or the same utility arrangements.

Confirm water and sewer independently. County service, Annapolis municipal service and private well or septic facilities require different contacts. Ask about account transfer, connection status and charges before moving.

For private systems, request available well and septic records from the county Department of Health. Ask about testing, maintenance and reviews before adding bedrooms, expanding a building or repairing a system.

• BGE Service Transfers
• County Water and Sewer
• Annapolis Public Works
• Well and Septic Records and Guidance

Internet Access

Ask providers to confirm service at the exact street address and unit, including installation timing, equipment, upload speeds and the full recurring cost. Nearby service or a coverage map does not guarantee an immediate connection.

The county’s cable regulation page identifies franchise contacts and complaint resources. For temporary access, Anne Arundel County Public Library lists public computers and wireless access by branch.

• County Cable Provider Contacts
• Library Locations and Internet Access

Recycling and Household Waste

Confirm whether county curbside collection serves your address, or whether a city, property manager or private hauler provides service. Save the actual collection schedule and holiday changes for your home.

County guidance separates recycling, yard waste, household trash and materials needing special handling. Check bulky item arrangements and facility rules before placing items outside or driving to a drop off site. Annapolis residents should use city Public Works for municipal arrangements.

• County Curbside Collection
• County Waste Facilities and Public Works
• Annapolis Public Works

Find Property Records and Tax Bills

Use Maryland SDAT to locate the property record and save its account identifier. Assessment information, recorded deeds, permit records and tax bills are different records, so check the source appropriate to your question.

Anne Arundel’s real property tax page explains county billing. Annapolis and Highland Beach municipal property taxes appear as separate lines on the county bill. Review all charges and confirm any mortgage escrow payments rather than assuming an assessment record shows the balance due.

• Maryland Real Property Search
• Anne Arundel Real Property Taxes
• Maryland Land Records Guide

Find Tax Information and Relief

Maryland’s Homestead Property Tax Credit and Homeowners’ Property Tax Credit are different programs. Homestead concerns qualifying assessment increases on a principal residence. The Homeowners’ credit depends on income and requires an application under current program rules.

Review county credits separately and ask the administering office about eligibility, applications and deadlines. County credits do not necessarily reduce other charges shown on the tax bill. Confirm an approved adjustment on your bill before relying on it.

• Maryland Homestead Credit
• Maryland Homeowners’ Credit
• County Tax Credits and Exemptions

Plan a Renovation

Write down the full scope of work and gather your survey or plat, existing approvals and utility information. Ask the appropriate permit office about zoning, setbacks, historic district requirements and environmental reviews before finalizing a design.

Waterfront sites, private wells and septic systems can require additional review. Check condominium or HOA approval separately, and confirm who will obtain permits and arrange inspections in the written contractor scope.

• County Project and Permit Starting Point
• Annapolis Project and Permit Starting Point

Put your goals, priorities, questions and next steps in one place.View Home Project Planning Sheet (PDF) ↗ (opens in a new tab)To keep completed entries, save a copy with your changes using the PDF viewer’s controls.

Understand Permits and Inspections

Anne Arundel’s permit directory separates building, trade and other permit types. Use it to identify the right application and ask Inspections and Permits which approvals apply to the complete project.

For a property inside Annapolis, start with the city’s permit office instead. Highland Beach owners should confirm town zoning approval too. Keep inspection results and final approvals with your property records.

• County Permit Types
• Annapolis Permit Requirements
• Highland Beach Zoning Forms

Repair and Housing Assistance

Arundel Community Development Services offers homeowner resources for repairs, rehabilitation, accessibility changes and foreclosure prevention. Ask about current eligibility, funding and repayment terms before planning work around an award.

The rehabilitation application route differs for Annapolis properties. Use the city’s program information or the Annapolis route identified by ACDS. Assistance is not automatic, and a pending application does not suspend mortgage or other payment obligations.

• ACDS Homeowner Resources
• Property Rehabilitation
• Annapolis Housing Rehabilitation

Check a Contractor

Use the Maryland Home Improvement Commission’s official resources to verify a home improvement contractor’s current license and business identity. Confirm any separate trade licensing and permit responsibilities with the relevant office.

Ask for a clear written scope, payment schedule, insurance information and responsibility for changes. Keep agreements, receipts and final inspection approvals together. A license number on an advertisement is not a substitute for checking its status.

• Maryland Home Improvement Commission

Keep useful questions and conversation notes together as you compare your options.View Questions Before Hiring a Contractor (PDF) ↗ (opens in a new tab)