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What I wish I'd known · Paying for the move

What do people forget to do after moving to a new state?

Get the new driver's license on time. New Jersey and Virginia both give new residents 60 days, and New Jersey wants the registration moved within 60 days too.

Leaving Virginia: surrender the plates before you cancel Virginia car insurance, and tell the local Commissioner of the Revenue so the car tax stops.

Mail forwarding lasts 12 months, and only 60 days for magazines. It may not update the IRS: file Form 8822 or use the new address on your next return.

Register to vote in the new state; deadlines differ, so check vote.gov. Get a new car and home insurance quote, because rates depend on where you live.

Expect two part-year state tax returns for the year you move, one for each state.

Source: NJ Motor Vehicle Commission; Virginia DMV; USPS; IRS address change; USA.gov voter registration; NAIC; Virginia Tax residency; NJ Division of Taxation GIT-6 · Checked November 2026

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