Your first 30 days in Forsyth County, in the order the county needs them

Moving to Forsyth County, Georgia, comes with a short list of state and county deadlines, and several steps depend on the one before. A Georgia license unlocks the car tag. The tag and voter registration make you a legal county resident. A license showing your new address unlocks the homestead exemption. This is the order that works, from the state and county pages we checked on Oct. 19, 2026.

Why does the order matter?

Because the state and the county link the steps. You need a Georgia driver’s license or ID card before you can title and register a car, per the Georgia Department of Revenue. For the homestead exemption, Forsyth County defines a legal resident as someone registered to vote and/or registering their vehicles in the county. And the homestead application asks for a Georgia license or state ID that shows the property address, per the Board of Assessors.

Step 1: How do I get a Georgia driver’s license?

Apply within 30 days of becoming a Georgia resident, Georgia DDS says. Any DDS Customer Service Center can transfer an out-of-state license. If yours is valid, or expired less than two years, you surrender it and pass a vision exam. There is no written knowledge test and no road test.

Bring proof of identity, proof of your Social Security number if asked, and two documents showing your Georgia home address, such as a utility bill from the last six months, per the DDS transfer page. Fill out the DDS License/ID/Permit Form online before you go; it stays on file for 60 days. If a water or power account is already in your name, its first bill can be one of the two address documents.

Step 2: Does my car need an emissions test?

Yes. Forsyth is one of 13 metro Atlanta counties where vehicles need an emissions inspection before they can be registered. The others include Cherokee, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett. The Department of Revenue points drivers to Georgia’s Clean Air Force for testing locations and requirements.

Step 3: Where do I get my tag, and what is TAVT?

Vehicles must be titled and registered in Georgia within 30 days of moving to the state. Bring a completed MV-1 Title/Tag Application, your out-of-state title (or Form T-17 if a lender or leasing company holds it), proof of Georgia liability insurance and the emissions inspection.

New residents pay a one-time Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT) of 3% of the vehicle’s fair market value, plus an $18 title fee and a $20 annual registration fee. The state’s online TAVT estimator shows the likely amount before you go.

In Forsyth County, the Tax Commissioner handles tags at two offices: 1092 Tribble Gap Road, Cumming, GA 30040, and the Sharon Springs office at 1950 Sharon Road, Cumming, GA 30041. Both are open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, and the motor vehicle line is (770) 781-2112, per the Tax Commissioner.

Step 4: How do I start water service?

First find out who serves the address. Some homes get water and sewer from the county’s Department of Water & Sewer and some from the City of Cumming’s utility, Cumming Utilities, which publishes a Water and Sewer Service Area map and is reached at (770) 781-2020, per Cumming Utilities. Ask the seller or landlord which one bills the home.

For county water, submit a New Service Request with a copy of your driver’s license and a signed lease or purchase agreement, no more than two weeks before move-in. Then call (770) 781-2160 to schedule the connection and pay the deposit. Connections happen Monday through Friday only, the county says, so do not count on a Saturday turn-on. Our utilities page covers both water providers.

Step 5: Who do I call for power and gas?

Electricity comes from either Sawnee EMC or Georgia Power, depending on the address, per the county. To check whether an address is in Sawnee’s territory, email customerservice@sawnee.coop or call Sawnee customer service at (770) 887-2363.

Natural gas works differently than in many states. On the Atlanta Gas Light system, AGL owns the pipes but no longer sells gas. You buy gas from a state-certified marketer of your choice, and the Public Service Commission still regulates AGL’s delivery rates, per the PSC. SCANA Energy is the PSC-approved Regulated Provider for low-income customers and for customers who cannot get service from other marketers.

Step 6: Who picks up the trash?

Not the county. Forsyth County government does not provide curbside pickup. Outside the City of Cumming, you hire a private hauler (the county posts a list but endorses none) or use a county convenience center. City of Cumming residents should call the City at (770) 781-2019, per the county. An HOA may require a specific hauler, so check its rules first.

The three convenience centers are Tolbert Street, Old Atlanta and Coal Mountain, open 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Bagged trash costs $0.50 a bag if you also bring recycling, or $1 a bag otherwise, cash only, with a five-bag daily limit.

Step 7: How do I register to vote?

Online through the Georgia Secretary of State, using your Georgia driver’s license or ID, per the county elections office. You can also register when you get your license, at any Forsyth County library, or at the Voter Registrations & Elections office, 1201 Sawnee Drive, Cumming. You must be registered 30 days before an election.

For the Nov. 3, 2026 General Election, the registration deadline was Oct. 5, the county says. If you register now, it counts toward later elections.

Step 8: When can I file for the homestead exemption?

Once your license shows the new address. A standard application needs a Georgia driver’s license or state ID showing the property address and the last four digits of your Social Security number. You must own the home, live in it and be a legal Forsyth County resident as of Jan. 1 of the tax year, and apply by April 1.

So a home you live in on Jan. 1, 2027 can get the exemption for tax year 2027 if you file by April 1, 2027. The county’s online portal opens Dec. 21, 2026 for 2027 applications. You can also file by mail with a notarized form or in person at 426 Canton Hwy. Once granted, the exemption renews automatically unless ownership or eligibility changes. Our property tax page shows what it is worth.

What else belongs on the list?

• School registration. Forsyth County Schools registers new students centrally, not at each school. Complete the online pre-registration form, then book an appointment at the Student Registration Building, 1140 Dahlonega Highway, Cumming. New slots are posted on the 15th of each month, per the district. Our schools page has the zone lookup.
• The non-emergency number, (770) 781-3087. Call 911 for emergencies.
• Your real jurisdiction. A Cumming, Alpharetta or Suwanee mailing address does not tell you whether a home is in the City of Cumming, and that affects trash and city utilities.

Where can I see this as a checklist?

Our move-in checklist builds this list for your situation, with each step’s source. The moving guide has the longer version.

• New Georgia residents must apply for a Georgia driver's license within 30 days of becoming a resident. Any Georgia DDS Customer Service Center can transfer an out-of-state license. Georgia Department of Driver Services: New Georgia Residents and Out-of-State License Transfers
• Vehicles must be registered in Georgia within 30 days of moving to the state. You need a Georgia driver's license or ID card before you can title and register them at the county tag office. Georgia Department of Revenue: New to Georgia?
• Forsyth is one of 13 metro Atlanta counties where vehicles need an emissions inspection before they can be registered. Georgia Department of Revenue: New to Georgia? (Emissions Inspection)
• For a standard homestead application, bring a Georgia driver's license or state ID showing the property address and the last four digits of your Social Security number. Income-based exemptions need extra income records. Forsyth County Board of Assessors: Homestead & Other Exemptions

Questions

Written by the Forsyth County Living Editorial Team. AI tools help us draft; people check every fact before it publishes.

Dates, rules and hours can change. The organizers have the final word: Forsyth County Government