Closing on a home or signing a lease is the exciting part of moving to Orlando. Getting the lights, water, and internet turned on is the unglamorous part that actually makes the place livable. The metro is served by a patchwork of utility providers that depends entirely on which city or county you land in, and figuring out who to call is not always obvious to a newcomer. This guide walks through the services you need to set up, who generally provides them around the region, and the order in which to tackle them so you are not sitting in a dark house on moving day.
Electricity depends on where you live
Your electric provider in the Orlando area is determined by your address. Inside the city of Orlando and parts of the surrounding area, power comes from the Orlando Utilities Commission, the municipal utility known as OUC. Much of the rest of Central Florida, including many of the outer suburbs, is served by Duke Energy. There are also smaller municipal utilities in places like Kissimmee. The practical takeaway is to confirm your provider before you move rather than assuming, since guessing wrong wastes time. Set up service to start the day you take possession, and ask whether a deposit is required, because that varies by provider and by your account history.
Water, sewer, and trash
Water and sewer service usually run through your city or county rather than a private company. If you are inside Orlando city limits, the city handles water alongside OUC in many cases. In the unincorporated parts of the metro, Orange County Utilities or the equivalent county department provides it, and Seminole, Osceola, and Lake counties each run their own. Garbage and recycling pickup is typically arranged through the same local government, often bundled with your water bill or billed separately on a set schedule. When you set up water, ask about the trash and recycling collection days for your specific street so you are not missing pickups your first few weeks.
- Electricity: OUC or Duke Energy depending on your address.
- Water and sewer: your city or county utility department.
- Trash and recycling: usually the same local government, sometimes a contracted hauler.
- Natural gas: not every home has it, so check before assuming you need an account.
Internet and television
Home internet in the region is generally split between a cable provider and the phone-company fiber and DSL networks, with availability that changes block by block. Some newer communities have fiber service that older neighborhoods do not, so the fastest option at one address may not exist a mile away. Before you commit, check exactly which providers and speeds serve your specific address rather than relying on a general coverage map. If you work from home or stream heavily, confirm the upload speeds and any data caps, not just the headline download number. Many providers will let you schedule installation in advance, which is wise during busy moving seasons.
Set things up in the right order
Timing matters more than people expect. Electricity and water should be active the day you move in, so arrange those first and a week or so ahead if you can. Internet installation often has the longest lead time because it may require a technician visit, so book it as early as possible, sometimes before you even have the keys. Mail forwarding through the postal service and updating your address with banks and the state for your driver license and vehicle registration round out the list. Florida has deadlines for new residents to update a license and register a vehicle, so do not let those slip while you focus on the house.
Home services to line up
Beyond the core utilities, a few services make Florida living smoother and are worth arranging early. Pest control is close to a necessity here, since the warm, humid climate keeps insects active year-round. Lawn care or irrigation service matters if your home has a yard, because grass grows fast in the heat and many neighborhoods have watering schedules to follow. Air conditioning maintenance is the one nobody should skip: the AC runs nearly nonstop for much of the year, and a service check before peak summer can prevent a miserable breakdown when you need it most. Lining these up shortly after you arrive saves headaches later.
Getting set up in Orlando is mostly a matter of knowing who provides what for your particular address and starting early. Confirm your electric and water providers, book internet installation ahead of time, and update your license and registration within the state's deadlines. Handle the essentials in the right sequence, add pest control and AC service to the list, and your new place will feel like home from the first night.