Your move may be described as “Richmond” even when the home is in a surrounding county. Before you book appointments or open accounts, establish which local government serves the exact street address. That one check makes the rest of the move easier to organize.
Start with one address record
Use the official mapping resources linked below for Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield and Hanover. Save the street address, locality and parcel reference together. If the result is unclear, ask the relevant mapping office to resolve it; a ZIP code or a familiar community name is not a substitute for the parcel record.
In Hanover, the County also supplies an Ashland address-checking tool. That distinction matters when you need to know whether an address is within the incorporated town. Our Ashland guide explains how to organize the town and county resources.
Make a services checklist before moving day
Ask the owner or property manager which services are included and which accounts you must arrange. Make separate entries for water, wastewater, electricity, gas where relevant, internet, trash and recycling. Record a start date and confirmation number for each. Do not assume that the arrangement at a previous home also applies at the new one.
If school enrollment is part of the move, begin with the responsible school division and the exact address. Confirm its current enrollment process directly. A nearby school or a listing description does not establish an assignment.
Plan for the arrival, not just the journey
Before hiring a moving vehicle, confirm where it can stop, whether a loading reservation is necessary and how furniture reaches the front door. Ask about elevators, stairs, access codes and the hours when a building accepts deliveries. For a city address, use our Richmond parking guide before treating an empty curb as a loading space.
Keep keys, identity documents, essential medicines, chargers and the first night’s supplies accessible. Take your own condition photographs at handover and keep the relevant lease, inventory or inspection documents together.
Put the official deadlines in your calendar
Virginia DMV maintains a dedicated new-resident checklist covering licensing and vehicle requirements. Read it for your circumstances before scheduling a visit, and gather the documents it specifies. Use the live agency checklist for deadlines and exceptions.
For the first week, aim to complete a short list: confirm the locality, activate the necessary accounts, check transport and parking, establish any school contacts, and organize the official requirements. Then explore the region one place at a time.