Moving house checklist

Moving house comes with a long list of jobs, and the ones that cost money are the easiest to forget. This moving house checklist takes you from 8 weeks out to your first week in the new place, then lists everyone who needs your new address, with the licence and rego deadlines for each state. For guides to costs, switching energy and internet, and insurance at your new address, visit our moving house hub.

Moving house checklist: what to do and when

6 to 8 weeks before you move

• Lock in your moving date. If you're renting, check your lease end date and how much notice you need to give. If you're buying a home or selling, check your settlement date.
• Get at least 3 quotes from removalists, or price up a DIY truck. Book early if you're moving at the end of a month or in summer. Our guide to how much removalists cost shows typical prices by city and home size.
• Declutter. Sell, donate or throw out anything you don't want to pay to move.
• Start a list of every account that has your address on it, using the change of address checklist below.
• If you have kids, organise school or childcare enrolment for the new area.

4 weeks before you move

• Compare electricity, gas and internet plans for your new address. Moving is the easiest time to switch, because you're setting up an account anyway. Check which NBN plans are available at the new address.
• Contact your internet provider to arrange the connection at your new address. nbn suggests doing this more than 4 weeks before you move, because the time it takes depends on the connection type at the new place. In a brand-new estate, ask the developer whether nbn is installed yet.
• Check whether your contents insurance covers your belongings while they're being moved. If it doesn't, look at transit insurance. Our guide to moving insurance compares how insurers cover a move.
• Make sure your insurance covers both homes on moving day, with no gap between the old policy ending and the new one starting.
• Start packing things you won't need before the move: books, out-of-season clothes and spare linen.
• If either home is in an apartment building, tell the strata manager or owners corporation and book the lift or loading dock.
• Ask your council whether the truck needs a parking permit on moving day.
• Measure doorways, stairs and rooms at the new place so you know your big furniture will fit.
• Collect boxes and packing supplies.
• Book time off work for moving day.

2 weeks before you move

• Book your electricity and gas connections at the new place, and a final meter read at the old one for the day you move out, or you could keep being billed after you leave. Retailers need at least a few days' notice, and getting power and gas switched on at a brand-new home can take a few months. Our moving house utilities guide covers connection times and fees in each state.
• Set up mail redirection with Australia Post. Apply at least 3 business days before you want it to start.
• Confirm your removalist or truck booking.
• Use up the food in your freezer and pantry.
• Arrange care for kids and pets on moving day.

Moving week

• Pack an essentials box: phone chargers, medication, toiletries, a change of clothes, important documents, basic kitchen items, toilet paper and a few tools.
• Defrost and clean the fridge if it's coming with you.
• If you're renting, book the end-of-lease clean, and check your entry condition report so you know what the property manager will look at.
• Confirm parking or lift bookings for the truck at both addresses.

Moving day

• Take meter readings and photos at the old place before you leave.
• Check nothing's left in cupboards, the garage or the shed.
• At the new place, check the power, water, gas and hot water are working.
• Take meter readings and photos of the condition of the new place.
• Check your belongings against the removalist's inventory before they leave.

Day after moving day

• Have the end-of-lease clean completed, or clean the property yourself. Do a final walk-through with your property manager so you can sort out any issues straight away.
• Hand the keys over to the agent or drop them to their office.
• Focus on unpacking high-priority rooms like the kitchen and bathroom.

First week in your new home

• Work through the change of address checklist below. myGov only accepts an address change dated today or earlier, so update it once you've moved in.
• Check your old electricity and gas accounts are closed and the final bills match your meter readings.
• Update your car insurance. Your premium is partly based on where you park, so the price could change.
• Update your home and contents or renters insurance to the new address.
• Test the smoke alarms, and find the safety switch, the main water tap and the gas shut-off valve.
• If you've bought the home, change the locks, since you don't know who still has keys.
• Find a local GP, dentist and vet.
• If you were renting, follow up on your bond claim (see moving out of a rental below).

A checklist helps with the parts people find hardest. According to Finder's Household Report 2026, Australians who've moved in the last 3 years say the physical move itself is the most stressful part, followed by the cost of it all and updating their address everywhere.

Download the printable checklist (PDF)

Moving out of a rental: notice, condition report and bond

To move out of a rental, give your landlord written notice, leave the property in the condition shown on your entry condition report (apart from fair wear and tear), hand back every key and claim your bond through your state's bond authority.

• Give written notice. How much notice you need depends on your state and your type of lease, so check with your state's tenancy authority before you lock in a moving date.
• Check the property against your entry condition report. The condition report is the main evidence if there's a dispute over your bond, so clean and fix anything that's changed beyond fair wear and tear.
• Take dated photos or video of every room on the day you leave.
• Hand back all keys, remotes and access cards, and get written confirmation that you've returned them.
• Claim your bond. Your bond is held by your state's bond authority, not your landlord. In NSW, claim it through Rental Bonds Online. In Victoria, the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority repays it once everyone listed on the bond agrees how it should be paid out. In Queensland, claim it through the Residential Tenancies Authority.

Who to tell when you move house: change of address checklist

Use this list to make sure nobody's still sending letters, bills or renewal notices to your old address.

Government

• myGov: Update your contact details in myGov and choose which linked services get your new address: the ATO, Centrelink, Medicare, the State Revenue Office Victoria and Workforce Australia. You need the ATO, Centrelink or Medicare linked to your account to do this. Services Australia asks you to update your address within 14 days of moving, even if you don't get a payment.
• Child Support: Updating your myGov profile doesn't update Child Support. Change your address in your Child Support online account, which you access through myGov.
• Electoral roll: Once you've lived at your new address for a month, update your enrolment with the Australian Electoral Commission. It's compulsory. You can do it online with your driver's licence, passport, Medicare card or citizenship number.
• Driver's licence and car registration: See the table below for your state's deadline.
• Your council: Update your rates (if you own) and pet registration.
• Toll accounts: Update your e-tag account so notices go to the right place.

Money

• Banks and credit card providers
• Superannuation funds
• Home loan, personal loan and car loan lenders
• Share trading, investment and crypto accounts
• Buy now, pay later accounts

Insurance

• Home and contents, or renters insurance
• Car insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance and income protection
• Pet insurance

Utilities and home

• Electricity and gas
• Internet
• Mobile phone
• Water (if you own the home)

Health

• GP, dentist and any specialists
• Pharmacy (for repeat scripts)
• Vet
• Pet microchip registry: Up-to-date details mean your pet can be returned if it gets lost. In NSW, update the NSW Pet Registry online, or tell your council within 14 days. In Queensland, you must update your pet's microchip registry within 7 days.

Everyday

• Your employer's payroll
• Schools, childcare and universities
• Gym and sports clubs
• Streaming and other subscriptions
• Loyalty programs, including Finder Rewards
• Online shopping accounts and your saved delivery addresses
• Friends and family

Driver's licence and rego deadlines by state

When you move within your state, you need to update the address on your licence, and usually your registration, within a set number of days. If you move interstate, you also need to transfer your licence and rego to the new state. Deadlines checked in 2026.

Australia Post mail redirection

Even after you've updated everyone, some mail will still go to your old address. Australia Post's mail redirection catches it. You can apply online with proof of identity. Apply at least 3 business days before you want redirection to start. If you're between homes, Australia Post can hold your mail instead. Prices below are for redirection within Australia, from 1 July 2026.

Packing tips and moving with kids, pets or a car

1. Pack one room at a time and label each box with the room and what's inside.
2. Put heavy things in small boxes and light things in big boxes.
3. Use towels, linen and clothes as padding instead of buying bubble wrap.
4. Photograph how your TV and computer are wired before you unplug them.
5. Keep screws and fittings in a labelled zip-lock bag taped to the furniture they belong to.
6. Keep your essentials box with you, not on the truck.
7. Number your boxes and keep a list, so you'll know if one goes missing.
8. Don't overfill boxes. If you can't lift one comfortably, it's too heavy.

Kids: Sort out school or childcare enrolment early, since some schools have catchment zones and waiting lists. Let kids pack a box of their favourite things to open first at the new place.

Pets: Keep pets in a quiet room or with a friend on moving day so they don't get stressed or slip out an open door. Update their microchip and council registration, and keep them inside for the first few days while they get used to the new place.

Cars: Update your licence and rego within your state's deadline, and tell your car insurer your new address. If you're moving interstate, transfer your licence and registration to the new state.

Once you've got the checklist sorted, our moving house hub has everything else you need for the move, from what it costs to comparing energy, NBN and insurance for your new place.

Frequently asked questions

• How far ahead should I start planning a move?

  Start 6 to 8 weeks out if you can. That gives you time to get removalist quotes, declutter, and compare energy and internet plans for your new address before moving day.

• How much does it cost to move house?

  It depends mostly on how far you're moving, how much you're taking and whether you hire removalists. For a local move, most removalists charge an hourly rate for 2 movers and a truck, plus a call-out fee. Our guide to removalist costs has typical prices by city, home size and interstate route.

• What's the best day to move house?

  A weekday is usually easiest. Weekends and the summer months are removalists' busiest times, so moving midweek can mean more choice of dates.

• How long do I have to update my driver's licence after moving?

  In most states and territories you have 14 days to update the address on your licence, or 21 days in WA. If you move interstate, you usually have 3 months to transfer your licence to the new state, or 6 months in Victoria and Tasmania.

• Does updating my address in myGov update everything?

  No. myGov can update the ATO, Centrelink, Medicare, the State Revenue Office Victoria and Workforce Australia. You need to update your electoral enrolment, driver's licence, car rego, bank, insurers and Child Support separately.

• When should I set up mail redirection?

  About 2 weeks before you move. Apply at least 3 business days before you want redirection to start, and setting it up early means nothing slips through in the first week.

• When should I connect electricity and internet at my new place?

  Contact your internet provider more than 4 weeks before you move, and book electricity and gas at least 2 weeks out. Energy retailers need at least a few days' notice, and connecting a brand-new home can take a few months, so start earlier if you've built.