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Moving from NYC to the Hamptons: the checklist

A dated sequence of tasks, each linked to the page with the official steps, fees and contacts.

Published by Liberty Design Studio Checked October 2026

A move from the city to the East End takes about eighteen tasks, and they have an order. Each line below links to the page that holds the official steps. If you do not yet have a place, search year-round rentals on Hamptons Key first, then come back.

Before you sign

  1. Decide on the term. A winter rental runs from the week after Labor Day to Memorial Day weekend; a year-round lease runs the year. Winter rental season.
  2. Check the home is legally rentable. Ask for the rental permit or registry number. Rental permits.
  3. Read the lease against state law. Deposit capped at one month, credit check at $20, written notice to end a lease. Lease basics.
  4. Settle who pays for heat. Heat, power and water in a rental.
  5. Understand your tax residency. If you will keep a city home, the day counts matter. Residency basics.

Before move-in day

  1. Start electric service. PSEG Long Island takes new-customer requests online and sends account details within three business days of activation. Electricity.
  2. Start water service if the home is on the Suffolk County Water Authority: $30 initiation fee and a $50 tenant deposit are listed. Water.
  3. Arrange heat. Fuel oil, propane or gas, and the first delivery. Heating.
  4. Order internet after checking which providers serve the address. Internet.

In the first ten days

  1. Report your address to the DMV within 10 days if the move is permanent. Address, license and voter registration.
  2. Set up trash. Southampton Town uses green bags; East Hampton Town sells an annual permit; Shelter Island uses Town bags. Trash and permits.
  3. Enroll children. Proof of residency lists differ by district. Enrolling a student.

In the first month

  1. Update your voter registration, at least 15 days before an election for it to apply. Voter registration.
  2. Find your hospital and urgent care. The East End has emergency departments in Southampton and East Hampton. Healthcare.
  3. Get a library card. Each library sets its own rules for residents and renters. Libraries.
  4. Sign up for emergency alerts. Alerts.

Before the first cold snap

  1. Run the winter checklist, from the fuel tank to the storm kit. First winter.
  2. Learn the calendar. The almanac lists what repeats each month.

Sources

  1. New York Attorney General, Residential Tenants' Rights Guide
  2. PSEG Long Island, Start New Residential Service
  3. Suffolk County Water Authority, Start or Stop Service
  4. NYS DMV, Address Change form MV-232
  5. NYS Board of Elections, Voter Registration Process

Checked October 2026. Rules, fees and hours change; confirm with the office or operator before you act.

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