Before all the unpacking is finished, new residents are faced with making sure they have properly registered their cars, hooked up their cable television, signed up for phone service, registered to vote … the list goes on and on.
Here is a quick reference guide on what should be done within the first 30-60 days of moving to Loudoun County.
<lst>_ Register a car or truck. All new residents must obtain a driver’s license and new automobile registrations within 30 days of becoming a resident of the county. The county's Commissioner of Revenue offers selected Department of Motor Vehicle services such as titles, vehicle registration and change of address for driver's licenses or identification cards. Local DMV offices are locate at 945 Edwards Ferry Road, Leesburg or 100 Free Court, Sterling. For more information about the DMV call 1-866-368-5463 or visit www.dmv.state.va.us. The Commissioner of Revenue offices are located at 1 Harrison St., S.E., first floor, Leesburg or 21641 Ridgetop Circle, Suite 100, Sterling. For more information, call 703-777-0260 or visit www.loudoun.gov/cor/home.htm.
_ Get a vehicle decal. All county residents must file a personal property return on all motor vehicles, trailers, campers, mobile homes, boats and airplanes with "situs" with the Commissioner of Revenue within 60 days of purchasing the vehicle or moving to the county. The tax rate is $4.20 per $100 of assessed value. After which the resident needs to contact the Loudoun County Treasurer to obtain a vehicle decal. The cost of the decal is $25. See the above car registration item for information about the Commissioner of Revenue's offices. The Treasurer's Offices are located at Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison St., S.E., first floor, Leesburg or 21641 Ridgetop Circle, Suite 104, Sterling. Call 703-777-0280 or visit www.loudoun.gov/treas/home.htm.
_ Pay taxes. Real estate taxes are $1.245 per $100 of the assessed value of the property; and are collected twice a year — June 5 and Dec. 5 — through the Treasurer's Office. The Board of Supervisors sets the tax rate each year. Residents can request an assessment review through the Office of the County Assessors, 1 Harrison St., S.E., fifth floor, Leesburg. Call 703-777-0267 or visit www.loudoun.gov/assessor/index.htm. Contact information for the Treasurer's Office is available in the above section on vehicle decals.
_ Obtain a dog license. All dogs that are 4 months old or older or required to be licensed annually. The licenses expire Dec. 31 each year. Costs: $10 and a valid rabies certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian is required. The Loudoun County Department of Animal Care and Control, 39820 Charles Town Pike, Waterford, issue licenses. Call 703-777-0406 or visit www.loudoun.gov/animals/index.htm. Or through the Treasurer's Office, see vehicle decal above for contact information.
_ Enroll a child in school. Students should be registered at the school, which serves that home address. To find out what attendance zone the child lives in contact the Loudoun County Public Schools Planning Department at 571-252-1050 or use the Loudoun Attendance Boundary E-Listing (LABEL) at http://inter1.loudoun.gov/lcps/Lcps_Locate/finder.aspx. Specific documents such as original birth certificate or certified copy, proof of legal guardianship or legal custody if not the parent of the student, social security number, proof of residency and complete immunization record signed by a licensed physician or local health department employee are required. For more information including a complete list of required immunizations, contact your local school or visit the LCPS Web site, www.loudoun.k12.va.us.
_ Sign up for water service. The Loudoun County Sanitation Authority provides public water and sewer service for county residents who live outside incorporated towns. The authority is located at 880 Harrison St., S.E., Leesburg; and can be reached at 571-291-7880 or visit the Web site www.lcsa.org.
_ Notify electric company. Loudoun County is served by Dominion Virginia Power or the Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC). The customer service number for Dominion Virginia Power is 1-888-667-3000. NOVEC has an office in Leesburg, 349 East Market St. or call customer service at 703-335-0500.
_ Contact the gas company. Washington Gas services the Washington, D.C.-metropolitan area. Customer service is available at 703-750-1000.
_ Get cable service. Loudoun County has two cable television providers: Comcast and Verizon, each of which holds a nonexclusive franchise with the county. Comcast has offices in Leesburg at 208 South King St. and in Ashburn at 21730 Red Rum Road. Comcast can be reached by calling toll free 1-800-COMCAST (1-800-266-2278). The local public access telephone number is 571-223-1355. The customer service number for Verizon's FiOS cable television service is 1-888-881-8161. OpenBand has a franchise to provide OVS service in Lansdowne and part of Broadlands. OpenBand's customer service telephone number is 866-673-6226 or 703-961-1110.
_ Arrange for trash pick up. Curbside refuse and recycling collection services are provided by incorporated towns, some homeowners associations and by one of the many private waste collection companies operating in the county. A list of the HOAs and their contact information is available at www.loudoun.gov/oswm/curb.htm. A list of private companies is available at www.loudoun.gov/oswm/collectors.htm or call the Loudoun County Office of Solid Waste Management, 703-777-0187.
Additional information for new residents can be found on the county's Web site at www.loudoun.gov/general/newres.htm.