Living Here

From getting settled to caring for your home, find the right starting point for the task in front of you.

Settling In

A practical start for renters and homeowners. Work through the short checklist, then find more detail about the services at your address.

Your Guide to Settling In

View Your Guide to Settling Into Kent County (PDF) (opens in a new tab)A helpful, print friendly checklist for your move by LizyTylerCo · www.lizytylerco.com

Request USPS mail forwarding online or at a Post Office, and confirm the start date.
Update your address with important accounts and contacts, including banks, insurers, your employer and relevant agencies.
Update applicable Maryland license or ID and vehicle addresses. Moving from another state? Follow the new resident process.
If eligible, register or update your voter address and confirm the change.
Confirm electric, fuel and water or sewer providers for the actual address. Arrange transfers and verify internet installation.
Confirm town, property manager or private collection and review county disposal rules for any drop off permits and coupons.
Sign up for Kent County Everbridge alerts or update your address, contact details and notification preferences.

Use the steps that apply to your move. Confirm your address’s jurisdiction, provider coverage and any landlord or community arrangements. Check official sources for current requirements.

Settling in sources reviewed 10/17/2026

Find the Right Office

Start with county Planning, Housing and Zoning to identify the parcel and applicable county approvals. Confirm whether the home is inside an incorporated town rather than relying on its mailing address.

Chestertown and Rock Hall have municipal planning or permit responsibilities. Ask both the town and county which reviews apply before treating a county application as the only approval required.

Set Up Utilities and Care for Septic Systems

County water and sewer service is limited to specific systems. Some communities receive county sewer but not county water. Chestertown and Rock Hall have municipal utility responsibilities, so verify each provider for the actual address.

For a private well or septic system, obtain Environmental Health records and advice before changing the home or system. Arrange electric, fuel and internet service separately with the appropriate providers.

Internet Access

Confirm service availability and installation directly with providers using the full address. A coverage area or nearby connection does not guarantee that a particular home is ready for service.

Kent County Public Library offers public internet resources and lends hotspots under its borrowing rules. Hotspot coverage and availability vary, so ask staff before relying on one.

Recycling and Household Waste

Determine whether town collection, a property manager or a private hauler serves the home. County disposal sites are not a universal curbside collection service.

Residential trash drop off requires the appropriate county permit and coupons. Recycling alone is exempt from the vehicle sticker requirement. Confirm accepted materials and the correct site before loading a vehicle.

Owning & Improving a Home

Keep these resources close when you need property information, help caring for your home or a starting point for a project.

Find Property Records and Tax Bills

Use Maryland SDAT to identify the property account, assessment and ownership information. Keep the parcel number, deed, plat and existing approvals together.

County Finance provides property tax and utility account resources. For a home in a town, confirm any municipal charges separately and check that escrow payments reach the correct accounts.

Find Tax Information and Relief

Maryland’s Homestead Property Tax Credit and income based Homeowners’ Property Tax Credit are separate programs. Review current eligibility and deadlines rather than assuming a credit transfers with a home purchase.

Contact Finance about county bills and the town about any municipal account. Ask the issuing office about unfamiliar charges.

Plan a Renovation

Gather the parcel, boundary, utility and existing approval records before designing work. Ask about zoning, floodplain, shoreline buffers and Critical Area requirements, as well as any town historic district review.

Check well or septic records with Environmental Health. Do not assume that a waterfront view permits vegetation clearing or that an existing building can automatically be expanded.

Put your goals, priorities, questions and next steps in one place.View Home Project Planning Sheet (PDF) (opens in a new tab)To keep completed entries, save a copy with your changes using the PDF viewer’s controls.

Understand Permits and Inspections

Use the county’s current project checklists for building, demolition, additions, decks, pools or shoreline work. The required plans and agency reviews depend on the project.

Confirm municipal approvals, inspection responsibilities and final documentation before construction. Keep permits and inspection records with the property file.

Repair and Housing Assistance

Ask county Planning, Housing and Zoning for housing program guidance and referrals. Do not assume that a locally advertised program is accepting applications or has funds available.

Maryland offers repair and rehabilitation financing for eligible homeowners. Review household, property, work and repayment requirements before contracting for repairs. Assistance is not automatically a grant.

Check a Contractor

Check the Maryland license appropriate to the work and any separate trade credentials. Request insurance information, references and a written scope.

Agree on materials, payment stages, permits and inspection responsibilities. A contractor’s license does not replace project approval.

Keep useful questions and conversation notes together as you compare your options.View Questions Before Hiring a Contractor (PDF) (opens in a new tab)

General information to help you find the right starting point. Requirements, eligibility, service areas, and application processes can change. Confirm details with the office or provider serving your exact address. Official links open in a new tab. Found a broken link or a changed office? Contact LizyTylerCo and include “Kent County Guide,” the link name, and what happened. Return to All Resources.