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 Washington 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, gas and water or sewer providers, including municipal utilities where applicable. Arrange transfers and verify internet at the address.
Confirm municipal, property manager or private hauler trash and recycling arrangements and any drop off permit requirements.
Sign up for WashCoMD Alerts and keep your location and contact preferences current.

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 your property is inside an incorporated municipality before choosing a permit office or arranging services. A Hagerstown mailing address does not by itself establish that a property is within the city.

Hagerstown has its own permit services. In other towns, municipal zoning approval and county permit review may both apply. Ask the town and county to confirm the correct sequence for the exact property and work.

Set Up Utilities and Care for Septic Systems

Confirm each utility at the property rather than assuming one countywide provider. Hagerstown Utilities serves water and wastewater customers both inside and outside the city and also has an electric division. County Water Quality operates separate systems, while other towns and private systems have their own arrangements.

For a private well or septic system, collect records and consult the Washington County Health Department about testing, repairs and proposed changes. Public utility billing and private system approvals are different responsibilities.

Internet Access

Check availability directly with providers using the exact address. Ask about installation dates, equipment, upload speeds and the price after any introductory offer. Coverage can vary between nearby rural properties.

Washington County Free Library offers public computer and internet resources. Check branch access and computer policies if you need a connection while arranging home service.

Recycling and Household Waste

Washington County provides disposal and recycling drop off facilities rather than universal county curbside collection. Confirm whether your home uses municipal collection, a property manager or a private hauler.

Review accepted materials and current permit requirements before using a county recycling site. Municipal collection rules can differ from county facility 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 to review the property account, ownership and assessment. Save the account identifier with closing papers, deeds, plats and utility records.

The county Treasurer provides county and state tax information, but does not collect taxes for the county’s nine municipal taxing jurisdictions. If your home is within a town or Hagerstown, obtain that municipality’s bill separately.

Find Tax Information and Relief

Check Maryland’s Homestead Property Tax Credit and income based Homeowners’ Property Tax Credit separately. Review current eligibility and application status with SDAT rather than relying on an older local summary.

Ask the Treasurer about county tax credits and contact your municipality about its own taxes. Verify escrow payments against the correct accounts, especially after a move or refinance.

Plan a Renovation

Gather the survey, prior approvals and any well or septic records before deciding on an addition or exterior project. Check zoning, historic property restrictions, floodplain constraints and access to the road.

Confirm municipal review as well as county requirements where applicable. Association covenants and contractor agreements are separate from government approvals.

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

Use the current county permit page for application links, inspection scheduling and adopted codes. Do not rely on older brochures for office locations, fees or submission methods.

Ask which building, trade and site approvals your full project needs. Establish who obtains permits and schedules inspections before work starts, and keep final approvals with the property records.

Repair and Housing Assistance

Maryland’s Housing Rehabilitation Program offers financing for eligible homeowners addressing health, safety and code issues. Ask the state program or its local administering office about eligibility, approval and repayment before committing to work.

Hagerstown offers separate rehabilitation and emergency repair resources subject to city program rules and funding. Do not assume a city program covers homes elsewhere in the county, or that assistance is an automatic grant.

Check a Contractor

Verify an active Maryland license appropriate to the work, and check separate trade credentials when applicable. Request insurance information, references and a written scope.

Spell out payments, permits and inspections before signing. Licensing does not replace project approval by the correct county or municipal office.

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 “Washington County Guide,” the link name, and what happened. Return to All Resources.