Living Here

From getting settled to caring for your home, find the right starting point for the task in front of you.

Settling In

A practical start for renters and homeowners. Work through the short checklist, then find more detail about the services at your address.

Your Guide to Settling In

View Your Guide to Settling Into Somerset 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 providers and transfer dates for your actual address, including water and sewer. Check electric, fuel and internet availability separately.
Confirm trash and recycling arrangements with your municipality, landlord, community manager or hauler. Check disposal permits and facility rules before moving bulky items.
Use Somerset’s Everbridge Emergency Alerts to sign up for local emergency alerts or update your existing address and contact preferences.

Use the steps that apply to your move. Confirm address specific services, eligibility and current requirements with the responsible providers and agencies.

Settling in sources reviewed 10/17/2026

Find the Right Office

Use the actual property location to identify the responsible office. County Technical and Community Services handles county building and land use questions. Princess Anne and Crisfield have their own municipal permitting processes, so a town mailing address alone is not enough to choose the right application.

Confirm utilities and waste arrangements separately. The county Sanitary District and City of Crisfield do not serve identical areas, and transfer station access is a different service from household pickup.

Set Up Utilities and Care for Septic Systems

Confirm water and sewer separately from the service address and existing bills. Somerset County Sanitary District serves designated communities, including Princess Anne, the Crisfield peripheral area, Westover, Fairmount and Smith Island. City of Crisfield utility accounts are separate.

The Sanitary District currently warns that it does not offer online payments. Contact it directly about billing or account changes rather than using a third party payment site. For a private well or septic system, use the Health Department for records, testing and project guidance. Check electric, fuel and internet providers independently.

Internet Access

Use the FCC National Broadband Map to identify reported providers for the exact address, then confirm availability directly with each provider. The map is a research starting point, not a promise that installation can happen on a particular date.

Compare upload and download speeds, equipment, installation lead time, total charges and any contract commitment. County library branches provide another place to access online resources while home service is being arranged.

Recycling and Household Waste

Confirm household pickup through your municipality, landlord, community manager or private hauler. County transfer stations and the Westover landfill provide disposal options, with vehicle permits and material restrictions that should be checked before a trip.

Transfer station and landfill stickers are handled through Tax Collections and must be attached to the vehicle. Appliances, brush, tires and other specified bulky materials must go to the Westover landfill rather than a transfer station. Check current recycling rules and holiday closures.

Waste and Recycling Rules

Owning & Improving a Home

Keep these resources close when you need property information, help caring for your home or a starting point for a project.

Find Property Records and Tax Bills

Use Maryland SDAT’s Real Property Data Search to find the parcel, ownership and assessment record. Check the county tax record separately for the current bill and payment history, including applicable municipal charges. An assessment record is not a substitute for the tax bill.

Keep deeds, plats, closing documents and permit approvals together. If a mortgage servicer pays taxes from escrow, reconcile those payments with the county record. Ask a qualified professional about boundary or easement questions rather than relying on a tax map.

Find Tax Information and Relief

Maryland’s Homestead Property Tax Credit and Homeowners’ Property Tax Credit are different programs. Homestead limits qualifying assessment increases for an eligible principal residence. The Homeowners’ credit is based on income and requires an application under the current annual rules.

Check your application status, current deadlines and county credit options directly with the administering agency. Do not assume a pending application changes what you owe. Review the actual bill and ask about any adjustment that has not appeared.

Plan a Renovation

Ask the responsible county or municipal office about zoning, setbacks, floodplain requirements and any Chesapeake Bay Critical Area restrictions before finalizing plans. Keep the plat, prior approvals and utility information with your project records.

County applications call for construction plans and a site plan, with energy documentation or an elevation certificate when applicable. Even a small shed can require zoning approval. Confirm requirements before buying a structure or arranging delivery.

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

Apply through the jurisdiction responsible for the property and ask which building, electrical, plumbing and other approvals apply. Obtain required approvals before work begins and arrange inspections at the stages specified by the permitting office.

For private wells or septic systems, Somerset County Health Department Environmental Health handles evaluations, permits and related inspections. Confirm that the proposed work will not interfere with the existing system or its approved area.

Repair and Housing Assistance

Somerset’s Special Loan Program is a starting point for eligible owners seeking rehabilitation, home replacement or lead abatement assistance. The county describes both grant and loan options, which have different obligations.

Ask the housing specialist about current funding, household and property eligibility, and approval before hiring a contractor or beginning work. The county’s FAQ states that it no longer provides rental assistance, so do not assume this repair program also covers rent.

Housing Rehabilitation Assistance

Check a Contractor

Check a home improvement contractor’s current Maryland Home Improvement Commission license and use the state’s consumer guidance before signing. Confirm insurance, references, the written scope, payment stages and responsibility for permits.

Electrical, plumbing and other specialized work may involve separate credentials and approvals. Ask the appropriate permitting office which licenses apply. Keep contracts, change orders, receipts and final inspections together.

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

General information to help you find the right starting point. Requirements, eligibility, service areas, and application processes can change. Confirm details with the office or provider serving your exact address. Official links open in a new tab. Found a broken link or a changed office? Contact LizyTylerCo and include “Somerset County Guide,” the link name, and what happened. Return to All Resources.