New to Alexandria? Start power with Dominion, water with Virginia American Water and gas with Washington Gas, register your car with the city within 30 days.
Last checked Oct. 19, 2026. This page links to each provider’s own start-service page and to our other guides. Facts come from Dominion Energy, Virginia American Water, Washington Gas, the Virginia DMV’s New to Virginia page, the City of Alexandria’s car tax page and broadband page, and the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria’s licensing page.
Welcome to Alexandria. It is an independent city, so the City of Alexandria does the jobs a county would elsewhere: there is no county government, county tax bill or county school system above it. Most city questions start at Alex311, 311 or 703-746-4311. Power, water and gas come from private utilities, and you sign up with each one yourself.
First calls
- Electricity: Dominion Energy, start service
- Water: Virginia American Water, 800-452-6863
- Natural gas: Washington Gas, 844-927-4427
- Everything city: Alex311, 311 or 703-746-4311
Utilities
| Service | Provider | How to start |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity | Dominion Energy | Online on Dominion’s start service page. New customers, or those without a good payment history in the last 12 months, may pay a security deposit. |
| Water | Virginia American Water | Through its online account or by calling 800-452-6863, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. See the turn service on or off page. For a home that has never had water service, the company installs a meter; someone should be home. |
| Natural gas | Washington Gas | Call 844-927-4427 or apply online at least two business days before you need service. There is a service initiation fee, a deposit may be required, and someone must let the technician in. |
| Sewer | City sewers and AlexRenew | The city’s pipes and AlexRenew’s sewers and treatment plant carry and clean the city’s wastewater. |
| Trash and recycling | City of Alexandria | Houses, duplexes and small townhouse groups get city pickup automatically, paid through a refuse fee on the real estate tax bill. Apartments and condos use the building’s hauler. See our trash guide. |
Internet
Two providers have agreements with the city to use its streets for their networks and publish service pages for Alexandria:
- Xfinity (Comcast) provides cable service under a city franchise. Check your address on Xfinity’s Alexandria page.
- Ting Internet received a city broadband franchise in 2022 to build fiber across Alexandria and said the network would reach more than 90,000 addresses. Check your address on Ting’s Alexandria page.
Availability varies by building; check your exact address with each provider.
Your car
- Driver’s license: you have 60 days after moving to Virginia to get a Virginia license, the DMV says (30 days for a commercial license).
- Safety inspection: vehicles must pass Virginia’s annual safety inspection, done at many repair shops.
- Title and register with the DMV within 30 days. Alexandria is one of the Northern Virginia localities where a car must pass an emissions inspection before it is registered, unless it has a valid emissions certificate from the last 12 months. The nearest DMV customer service center is at 2681 Mill Road.
- Register with the city within 30 days, too. Registering with the DMV does not register the car with Alexandria. Every vehicle kept in the city, including one with out-of-state plates, must be registered for the city’s personal property tax on its vehicle registration form. Vehicles not registered within 120 days of becoming taxable draw a late filing penalty. The city no longer issues windshield decals. Active-duty military members here on orders and domiciled in another state are exempt on vehicles they own.
Car tax details are in our property taxes guide.
Your pets
Alexandria city code requires all dogs and cats over 4 months old to be licensed, within 30 days of moving them into the city. License online through PetData, the city’s processor; the documents you need are listed on its required documents page. Dog parks require licensed, vaccinated dogs; see our parks guide.
Property taxes and tax relief
Homeowners pay one real estate tax bill, to the city, in two halves due June 15 and Nov. 15. The city’s property tax breaks for homeowners are its relief and deferral program for residents 65 and older or permanently disabled, and full exemptions for veterans rated 100% permanently and totally disabled and for surviving spouses of service members killed in the line of duty. Details and deadlines are in our property taxes guide.
Schools, voting and city services
- Schools: Alexandria City Public Schools; find your zoned school on the attendance zone locator. Schools guide.
- Voting: register or update your address with the Virginia Department of Elections; Virginia voters do not register by party. Voting guide.
- Building or remodeling: permits go through the city’s APEX portal. Permits guide.
- Power outages: what to do and who to call.
- Every city phone number: who to call at City Hall.
- Getting around: roads, Metro, DASH and parking.
What this means for you
- In the first 30 days: title, register and inspect your car with the DMV, register it with the city, and license your dog or cat.
- Within 60 days: get your Virginia driver’s license.
- Give Washington Gas two business days’ notice before move-in.
Related guides: Alexandria home prices, Alexandria population and growth and trash and recycling pickup.
Frequently asked questions
How do I start electricity service in Alexandria, Virginia?
Electricity comes from Dominion Energy. Start service on Dominion’s start service page; new customers without a good 12-month payment history may have to pay a security deposit.
Who do I call to start water service in Alexandria?
Virginia American Water. Request service through its online account or call 800-452-6863 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. weekdays.
How long do I have to get a Virginia driver’s license after moving to Alexandria?
60 days, the Virginia DMV says. You must title and register your vehicle with the DMV within 30 days, and register it with the City of Alexandria within 30 days as well.
Do I have to license my dog or cat in Alexandria?
Yes. City code requires every dog and cat over 4 months old to be licensed within 30 days of moving into the city. License online through the city’s processor, PetData.
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