Moving to Lakeland: utilities, schools, trash, permits, taxes

Last checked Oct. 9, 2026. This page is an index for new residents: it links our detailed guides and adds the start-up steps they do not cover. Sources: Lakeland Electric, the City of Lakeland’s Utility Services Hub, the Polk County Tax Collector and Florida Statutes 322.031 and 320.38.

Welcome to Lakeland. The first thing to know: a Lakeland mailing address does not always mean the City of Lakeland. Check your address in the city’s Address Lookup tool; the city’s Utility Service Search Map, linked from its Utility Services Hub, shows whether Lakeland Electric, city water, wastewater and city trash reach your home.

Who to call

• Lakeland Electric customer service (power and water accounts): 863-834-9535, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays; toll-free 800-929-4876
• Polk County Tax Collector (tags, titles, licenses): 863-534-4700; Lakeland Service Center, 916 N. Massachusetts Ave.
• Polk County Property Appraiser (homestead): 863-534-4777; Lakeland office, 930 E. Parker St., Suite 272
• City Hall: 863-834-6000

Your first-week checklist

Power, water and sewer

Lakeland Electric, a city department, handles electric service and city water accounts. From its start, stop and move page:

• New residential customers must be 18 or older with two forms of ID. Call 863-834-9535 between 7:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. weekdays; call before 4 p.m. to guarantee same-day service.
• Returning customers can restart service in My Account under Start Your Service.
• A deposit may be required depending on credit history. Customers who provide full credit information may have it waived, and the Pay As You Go prepaid plan has no credit check.
• Moving within Lakeland: use Move Your Service in My Account; the account must have no past-due balance.

Water emergencies go to 863-834-4248 (24 hours) and wastewater emergencies to 863-834-8277.

Watering rules: a Phase III water shortage is in effect from April 3, 2026, through March 31, 2027. Most properties may water lawns only one day a week, whatever the water source, the city’s irrigation page says; it lists your day.

Natural gas

The city’s utility services do not include natural gas. To see whether natural gas reaches your street, use Peoples Gas’s availability check, and start service through its start, transfer or stop page.

Internet and TV

Check which providers serve your exact address on the FCC’s National Broadband Map. Two providers publish service in Lakeland:

• Frontier publishes a Lakeland fiber page with an address availability checker; it says fiber is available in select areas.
• Spectrum carries the city’s government channel on channel 643, the city says; check service at spectrum.com. FiOS channel 43 also carries city meetings.

Car tag and driver’s license

Florida law sets two deadlines once you take a job here or enroll children in public school:

• Register your vehicles within 10 days (Florida Statute 320.38).
• Get a Florida driver’s license within 30 days (Florida Statute 322.031).

In Polk County both are handled by the Tax Collector. The Lakeland Service Center is at 916 N. Massachusetts Ave., 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays; appointments are required for driver’s licenses and ID cards (book here). Bring your current out-of-state license and the documents on the Tax Collector’s new Florida resident list, including proof of legal status, your Social Security number and two proofs of address. Private tag agencies in Lakeland, at 4130 S. Florida Ave. and 4933 U.S. 98 North, also handle titles and registrations for an added fee.

Homestead exemption

If you own and live in your home on Jan. 1, file for homestead with the Polk County Property Appraiser by March 1 of that tax year. The office asks you to update your driver’s license to the new address first, and accepts Florida voter registration or vehicle registration as proof of residency. File online. Details on rates and bills are in our property tax guide.

Pets

The city does not list a separate pet license. Polk County Animal Control, run by the Sheriff’s Office, sells rabies tags; see its animal services page. The city has four dog parks.

What this means for you

• Confirm you are inside city limits before you assume city trash or city utilities.
• Book a Tax Collector appointment early; license transactions are by appointment only.
• Homestead by March 1 can lower next year’s tax bill.

Related: population and growth, home prices and getting around Lakeland.

Frequently asked questions

How do I set up electric and water service in Lakeland?

Call Lakeland Electric customer service at 863-834-9535, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, with two forms of ID; call before 4 p.m. for same-day service. Returning customers can use My Account. City trash service starts with electric and water.

How long do I have to get a Florida driver’s license after moving to Lakeland?

Thirty days after starting a job or enrolling children in public school, under Florida law. Vehicles must be registered in Florida within 10 days of starting work or school.

Where is the DMV in Lakeland?

The Polk County Tax Collector’s Lakeland Service Center is at 916 N. Massachusetts Ave. Driver’s license transactions need an appointment; book at appointments.polktaxes.com.

When is the homestead exemption deadline in Polk County?

March 1 for the tax year. You must own and live in the home on Jan. 1, and update your driver’s license address first.

Is my address in the City of Lakeland?

Many Lakeland mailing addresses are outside city limits. The city’s Address Lookup tool and its Utility Service Search Map show which city services reach your address.