What Should You Do in Your First 90 Days After Moving From California to Frisco, Texas?

What should you do in your first 90 days after moving from California to Frisco, Texas? Start with the two clocks that run first: register your vehicle within 30 days and get your Texas driver license within 90 days. Then file your homestead exemption so your property tax bill reflects your new home.

I'm Omega Mejia, a real estate agent with Simply Great Real Estate Group. I moved from California to Texas myself, and I help California movers settle in Frisco, Texas without losing a week to paperwork. Here is the order that works, with the deadlines in front.

Register your vehicle. Texas gives you 30 days from the time you move to register a vehicle in the state. You register at the county tax assessor-collector office, and you bring your insurance card and proof of ownership, such as your previous state's registration or title. First-time Texas registrants complete the Application for Texas Title and/or Registration, Form 130-U.

Collin County is an emissions county, so a passing emissions inspection comes before registration. Build that into your first week so it does not hold up the rest.

As of November 8, 2026, the base state registration fee is $50.75 plus $1 for TexasSure, which totals $51.75, and counties may add fees. A sales-tax-related fee can be $90 or the difference between your previous state's sales tax and the Texas sales tax.

Within 90 days of moving to Texas. New residents get their Texas license from the Texas Department of Public Safety, and offices serve customers by appointment. A Texas driver license is valid for up to eight years for Texas residents.

Book the appointment early, because the license does more than let you drive. When you file for your homestead exemption, the address on your Texas license or state ID has to match the address of the home. The sooner your new address is on a Texas license, the sooner every other step falls into place.

The City of Frisco bills water, sewer, solid waste and stormwater on one account. The Environmental Services department handles residential recycling and trash, and a missed pickup goes through the myFRISCO app or the myFRISCO web portal, or by calling the city at 972-292-5900.

When you visit a city facility, bring your driver license and a current Frisco water bill with a matching address. That bill becomes useful paperwork well beyond trash day, so keep a copy where you can find it.

My closing day page shows the order of events when you receive the keys, and the utility account is one of the first things to set up after.

Texas law requires eligible voters to register by the 30th day before Election Day. Registration is handled county by county, and you can start the application online through the Texas Secretary of State.

Do it in the first weeks while your address paperwork is fresh. It takes a few minutes, and it puts one more piece of your new life in your new county.

A residence homestead exemption lowers the taxable value of your home. In Collin County, the filing window runs from January 1 to April 30, and early applications are not accepted. The exemption is available to a homeowner who owns and lives in the home on January 1. A buyer who acquires the home after January 1 may receive the exemption for the part of the tax year that applies.

The application is free. It needs a copy of your Texas driver license or state ID, with an address that matches the home, and you can file by mail, in person, in the drop box or through the appraisal district's online taxpayer portal. Emailed applications are not accepted.

The application also asks you to state that you claim no other homestead in or outside Texas. That statement matters for a California mover who still owns a home back home. My post on how a homestead exemption works for Frisco homeowners covers the rest.

Texas works differently from California. The state has no state property tax. The local taxing units that serve your address set the bills that arrive, and the appraisal district sets the value. My post on who sets your property tax bill in Frisco and my post on how Texas property taxes work in Collin County walk through the pieces so the first bill is not a surprise.

That is why the homestead filing belongs in the first 90 days. It is the one step on this list that protects your wallet every year.

In Texas the appraisal district sets the value of your home, the local taxing units set the rates, and the exemptions you file for shape the bill you pay. Learning that on day one beats learning it from the first statement.

Buying a home sets the dates for your homestead filing. The exemption goes to an owner who owns and lives in the home on January 1, and the filing window runs from January 1 to April 30. A buyer who closes after January 1 may still receive the exemption for the part of the tax year that applies, so a closing in the middle of the year does not cost you the whole year.

If you are still renting while you look, none of the 30-day and 90-day clocks wait for the purchase. The vehicle and the license come first, and the homestead comes after the keys. That is the reason I like movers to settle the license early: the address on it needs to match the home when the day comes.

If you are earlier in the process than that, my buying process page shows the path from first call to closing, and my buying a home page shows how I work with out-of-state buyers.

Here is the sequence I give California movers:

• Pass the emissions inspection. Collin County requires it before you register.
• Register your vehicle within 30 days. Bring your insurance card and your previous registration or title.
• Book your Texas license appointment. You have 90 days, and appointments fill up.
• Set up your Frisco water, trash and recycling account. Keep a copy of your first bill.
• Register to vote. The deadline is the 30th day before Election Day.
• File your homestead exemption. Your Texas license address has to match the home.

If you are moving from California to Frisco, Texas, start with my relocating from California page and my relocation page. You can read the short answers on my FAQ page. When you want a local guide for your own move, contact me.

Source: Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Secretary of State, City of Frisco, Collin Central Appraisal District. This is general information, not legal, tax, financial or insurance advice.