Confirm the home is ready, get services running, arrange your care and school transitions, and gather the paperwork for Indiana BMV. Your saved checklist works without an account. The official contacts below help turn each task into an actual next step.
0 of 11 complete.
Loading saved progress…
We use an essential browser cookie to retrieve your checklist from our server. It is not linked to an account. Clearing the cookie loses access to saved progress.
Start with the essentials
Check water, sewer, power, gas where applicable, and internet. Details ↗
Locate shutoffs, breaker panel, alarms, and emergency exits. Details ↗
Confirm bins, recycling, bulky items, and building-specific rules. Details ↗
Paperwork and continuity
Qualifying out-of-state drivers generally have 60 days; verify your situation. Details ↗
Use the official packet and confirm which documents you need. Details ↗
Employer, accounts, insurance, subscriptions, and official records. Details ↗
Check plan coverage and the specific provider and facility. Details ↗
Confirm assignment, registration, availability, and transport. Details ↗
Make it feel like home
Check card eligibility, your practical branch, and the calendar. Details ↗
Check current access and the connection from your home. Details ↗
A regular class, volunteer shift, or local event can be a useful start. Details ↗
Keep this useful.
Save a copy for this browser, or create a link anyone can open. Budget, commute destination and moving date are excluded from saved, shared and emailed copies.
Email me a copy
Today: make the home usable
Find the keys, shutoffs, breaker panel and emergency exits. Check that water and power work. Photograph the condition before the rooms fill with boxes, and keep the images privately with your move records.
Confirm your internet appointment and test mobile reception at home. Ask the property manager or service provider about trash bins and the first collection day. Apartment waste arrangements can differ from city curbside collection.
Official sources: Fort Wayne City Utilities
This week: restore the ordinary routine
Choose a grocery stop, a pharmacy that works with your coverage, and the care contacts your household needs. Transfer records through the provider’s secure process. If school or childcare is part of the move, confirm enrollment and transportation directly.
Start the BMV document list now rather than waiting until the deadline. Eligible drivers with a valid out-of-state license are instructed to obtain an Indiana license within 60 days of becoming a resident; title and registration are separate tasks.
Official sources: Indiana BMV — new Indiana residents · Indiana BMV — vehicle registrations · Allen County Public Library
Fort Wayne vs. Allen County: who handles what?
Fort Wayne is a city in Allen County, Indiana. Huntertown, Leo-Cedarville and New Haven have their own municipal governments. Roanoke is in Huntington County. A mailing address does not establish which government provides a service.
Start with the property’s jurisdiction for trash, permits and local rules; confirm utilities separately. County offices handle county records and services, and road responsibility can belong to the city, county or state. School corporations have their own boundaries.
Official sources: City of Fort Wayne · Allen County government · City of Fort Wayne — interactive maps
One small step toward feeling at home
Apply for a library card, walk a park route and choose one activity to return to. A manageable weekly routine is a better first-week goal than seeing every attraction. Save this guide or print it for the fridge.
Official sources: Allen County Public Library · Fort Wayne Parks & Recreation · Fort Wayne Trails
Save these.
Time zone: State of Indiana. For county offices visit Allen County; for visitor information use Visit Fort Wayne.
Fort Wayne Police Department
For emergencies, call 911. The Police Desk handles non-emergency requests.
City of Fort Wayne · 1 E. Main Street, Suite 108, Fort Wayne, IN 46802
260-427-1222
Check the official source →Verified 2026-09-08Fort Wayne 311
Use 311 for city service questions and requests. The full phone number also works outside Allen County.
311 / 260-427-8311
Check the official source →Verified 2026-09-08Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control
Animal control officer assistance: 260-427-1244. After 8 p.m., weekends and holidays, use 260-449-3000.
Dogs and cats living within city limits must be registered by five months of age. The official page links registration and current requirements.
City of Fort Wayne · 3020 Hillegas Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46808
260-427-1244
Check the official source →Verified 2026-09-08Allen County emergency preparedness
Learn the local warning system and review the county travel advisory system. If outdoor emergency sirens sound, the county directs residents to seek shelter and check local media for information.
Check the official source →Verified 2026-09-08National Weather Service Northern Indiana
Check the local forecast, radar, watches, warnings and hazardous weather outlook. The office's site links current Fort Wayne climate reports and weather alert guidance.
Check the official source →Verified 2026-09-08Fort Wayne City Utilities
Start or stop water and sewer service through Customer Support or the linked online service form. Schedule ahead; service turn-ons depend on appointments. English, Spanish and Burmese-speaking representatives are available.
Confirm provider at your address · 200 E. Berry Street, Suite 130, Fort Wayne, IN 46802
260-427-1234
Check the official source →Verified 2026-09-08Indiana Michigan Power
Report emergencies and safety hazards using its 24-hour number. Its contact page links outage reporting, the outage map and service requests for a move.
800-311-4634
Check the official source →Verified 2026-09-08NIPSCO gas emergencies
For suspected gas leaks or other gas emergencies, NIPSCO says to go outside and call 911, then its emergency number.
800-634-3524
Check the official source →Verified 2026-09-08Your library card is a good first move.
Start with the branch you can use regularly. Keep the Main Library in mind for its wider facilities and genealogy resources; check the relevant department’s current services before a special trip.
The Main Library in downtown Fort Wayne. Branches and digital services can make the library part of your everyday routine.
Photographed 2016-09-24 · Photo: Carol M. Highsmith / Library of Congress, Carol M. Highsmith Archive · Public domain (PD-Highsmith); LOC: no known restrictions on publication · Credit & changesAllen County Public Library card
Allen County residents can apply online. The library emails account details; materials can be checked out with photo ID after that email arrives. Nonresident options have separate eligibility rules.
Allen County · 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, IN 46802
Check the official source →Verified 2026-09-08Allen County Public Library services
Use the library for books, children's programs, digital reading and media, and its branch network. The official site links current programs, locations and the digital library.
Main Library downtown and county branches · 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, IN 46802
260-421-1200
Check the official source →Verified 2026-09-08ACPL meeting and work spaces
Main Library offers reservable meeting and event rooms and free Wi-Fi. Availability, group eligibility and possible fees depend on the room and use; reserve through the library.
Main Library / branches · 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, IN 46802
Check the official source →Verified 2026-09-08ACPL Genealogy Center
Explore family history through specialist librarian assistance, research collections, guides and the Periodical Source Index (PERSI).
Main Library downtown · 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, IN 46802
260-421-1225
Check the official source →Verified 2026-09-08I just need…
Sources & verification
- City of Fort Wayne ↗Municipal services and department information. Checked September 8, 2026.
- Allen County government ↗County offices, property information, and services. Checked September 8, 2026.
- City of Fort Wayne — interactive maps ↗Address-level city information; boundaries and layers vary. Checked September 8, 2026.
- Fort Wayne City Utilities ↗Official new-service and transfer-service entry point. Confirm service at the property address. Checked September 8, 2026.
- Indiana BMV — new Indiana residents ↗Current credential instructions; qualifying out-of-state drivers generally have 60 days after moving. Checked September 8, 2026.
- Indiana BMV — vehicle registrations ↗Existing owned vehicles must generally be registered within 60 days of becoming an Indiana resident; check applicable exceptions. Checked September 8, 2026.
- Allen County Public Library ↗Branch, event, and library-card information. Checked September 8, 2026.
- Fort Wayne Parks & Recreation ↗Official park information, programs, and registration. Checked September 8, 2026.
- Fort Wayne Trails ↗Use current maps and notices to check trail connections and closures. Checked September 8, 2026.