Charles County Local Guide

Your Guide to Settling In

View Your Guide to Settling Into Charles 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 electric and water or sewer providers and arrange needed transfers. Check internet availability for your address.
• Confirm trash collection with your town, community manager or private hauler. Check whether county curbside recycling serves your address and save collection details.
• Join Charles County CNS, or update your saved addresses and contact methods for your new home.

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

Before applying for a permit or setting up service, confirm whether your property is within the incorporated limits of La Plata or Indian Head. Ask the relevant office to verify your address. Do not rely on the mailing city alone.

• County questions: Charles County Planning and Growth Management (opens in a new tab) is the starting point for county planning, zoning, permits, and inspections. Call 301-645-0692.
• Inside La Plata: Town Planning (opens in a new tab) handles town planning, zoning, building permits, and inspections. Its parcel map can help you research a property. Call Town Hall at 301-934-8421.
• Inside Indian Head: Start with the town’s permit resources (opens in a new tab). The town publishes building applications and directs electrical and plumbing permit applicants to PlanChek. Confirm the current process with Town Hall at 301-743-5511.

Ask which building, zoning, trade, utility, or environmental approvals your specific project needs before work begins.

Set Up Utilities and Care for Septic Systems

Electric service: Moving into an existing home served by SMECO? Use SMECO Connect Service (opens in a new tab) with your exact address and requested start date. Confirm the provider for your property first. Availability depends on the address. New construction follows a separate process linked from that page.

Public water or sewer: Start with the provider shown on your bill. The Charles County payment page (opens in a new tab) specifically states that it is not for Town of La Plata or Town of Indian Head payments.

• County system questions: Charles County Public Works (opens in a new tab)
• La Plata: Town water information (opens in a new tab), including billing tools and emergency contact instructions
• Indian Head: Town Public Works (opens in a new tab) for town water and sewer infrastructure questions

Private well or septic: Charles County Environmental Health (opens in a new tab) reviews well and onsite sewage plans and offers water sampling and sanitary surveys by request. Call 301-609-6751 to ask about your property and the appropriate next step.

Before scheduling septic work, review the county’s septic reimbursement programs (opens in a new tab), including current approved hauler requirements, documentation, and application timing. For septic upgrades or potential sewer connection assistance, see the Health Department’s Bay Restoration Fund information (opens in a new tab). Confirm eligibility and available funding before committing to work.

Internet Access

Internet options vary across Charles County, sometimes from one property to the next. These are general starting points, not a guarantee of service. Confirm availability, connection type, speeds, pricing, equipment, and installation timing for the exact address before choosing a provider or relying on service for a move.

• Cable: Xfinity / Comcast (opens in a new tab) serves parts of the county. Use its address check to see which wired plans are available at your home.
• Fiber: Check Verizon Fios (opens in a new tab) and IQ Fiber’s Charles County service page (opens in a new tab). Fiber coverage is address specific. A nearby network or announced expansion does not confirm that a home is ready for installation.
• Fixed wireless / 5G home internet: T-Mobile Home Internet (opens in a new tab) and Verizon’s home internet checker are additional options to investigate. Qualification depends on the address and network capacity. Mobile phone coverage alone does not establish home internet availability. Confirm whether the offered service is wireless or fiber.
• Satellite: Starlink Residential (opens in a new tab) is another option to check, particularly where wired choices are limited. Confirm address eligibility, a suitable unobstructed installation location, equipment costs, and the current service terms.

Compare the address, then confirm directly. Search the FCC National Broadband Map (opens in a new tab) for provider reported options, technologies, and advertised speeds at the property. The map is a research starting point, not an installation or performance guarantee. Ask each provider for its current broadband label and compare upload as well as download speeds, total monthly cost, installation charges, data limits, and any promotional or cancellation terms.

No wired service available? The Charles County Internet Service Questionnaire (opens in a new tab) is for properties without high speed service from the county’s listed local providers. Use the county’s rural broadband resources (opens in a new tab) to investigate expansion efforts. A questionnaire or planned buildout is not a service order or a promised connection date.

Recycling and Household Waste

Use the county’s Recycle Right guide (opens in a new tab) to find disposal options for everyday recyclables, electronics, bulky items, chemicals, and batteries. Lithium and rechargeable batteries need special handling. Check the guide before putting unfamiliar items in a cart.

For county curbside service, use the recycling information page (opens in a new tab) to check your address and collection information. Confirm current hours, accepted materials, and holiday changes before a drop off trip. Recycling guidance does not establish who collects your household trash.

La Plata residents can check Town Services (opens in a new tab) for town trash and recycling. Indian Head residents should start with Town Services (opens in a new tab). Otherwise, confirm household and bulky trash arrangements with your current hauler or community manager.

Find Property Records and Tax Bills

Research the property. Use Maryland’s real property information resources (opens in a new tab) to reach SDAT’s property search and review assessment information. SDAT handles assessments. Charles County Treasury handles county real property tax accounts.

Check the bill. Charles County’s tax page (opens in a new tab) links to account inquiries, payments, mailing address changes, and tax credit applications. Have your property account number available. For billing questions, call Treasury at 301-645-0685. If your mortgage servicer pays through escrow, check that payment was actually made.

Find a deed. The Maryland Courts land records guide (opens in a new tab) explains how to locate recorded deeds and use the state’s online records. For ownership, easement, boundary, or title questions that require interpretation, consult an appropriate professional rather than relying on a tax record alone.

Find Tax Information and Relief

These two programs serve different purposes:

• Homestead Property Tax Credit (opens in a new tab): limits certain taxable assessment increases for an eligible principal residence. Check your application status in SDAT’s property search before applying again.
• Homeowners’ Property Tax Credit (opens in a new tab): income related property tax relief with its own application and eligibility requirements.

Review the current state instructions for application timing and qualifications. The county tax page also lists other credits and exemptions. A program listing does not establish your eligibility or guarantee a reduction.

Plan a Renovation

Before hiring or ordering materials, describe the proposed work to the office responsible for your address. Ask about permits, zoning, setbacks, inspections, and any environmental review.

The county’s planning and permitting FAQs (opens in a new tab) cover common projects, including decks, additions, sheds, pools, fences, and HVAC work. A project that does not require a building permit may still need zoning approval. The county also identifies HOA or design review documentation requirements for certain properties.

For a town property, use La Plata’s application directory (opens in a new tab) or Indian Head’s permit page (opens in a new tab) and confirm the requirements directly.

Keep a project folder with the approved scope, contracts, permits, inspection results, and warranties. Check your community’s approval process as well as public requirements.

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

For property under county jurisdiction, begin with the Charles County Permit Guide (opens in a new tab). Identify the application type, required plans, supporting documents, and approvals for your project before submitting.

The county’s Citizen Self-Service portal (opens in a new tab) provides online permitting tools. An account may be required. Keep your permit number and application records together, and wait for the required approvals before beginning work.

Review the inspections listed with your issued permit, then use the county’s Schedule an Inspection page (opens in a new tab) to find the correct agency and scheduling method for each inspection type. For La Plata and Indian Head properties, confirm the town process using the contacts above.

Repair and Housing Assistance

The Charles County Housing Authority (opens in a new tab) lists indoor plumbing assistance and special loan programs for improving basic home livability. Contact the office about current options, funding, and qualifications before starting repairs. Some assistance is limited by household circumstances, location, project type, or available funds.

For septic related assistance, use the county and Health Department resources above. For tax relief, start with SDAT’s programs rather than assuming a housing assistance application covers taxes.

Check a Contractor

Use the MHIC License Lookup (opens in a new tab) to check a contractor’s license status. For complaint resources and homeowner protections, visit MHIC Consumer Information (opens in a new tab). Confirm that the license belongs to the business you are hiring and that the relevant licensing requirements fit the work.

Maryland’s homeowner hiring guidance (opens in a new tab) recommends checking current insurance, contacting references, comparing bids, and using a written contract. Agree on scope, materials, payment terms, and responsibility for permits. Save contracts, payment records, and project communications.

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