This moving checklist Ontario residents can follow starts with the short answer: begin about eight weeks before your move, give notice and book movers first, arrange utilities and mail forwarding about four weeks out, and update your Ontario and federal addresses right after you move. Only a few tasks have hard deadlines, so those go on your calendar first.

 

Short on time? Do these five first:

  1. Confirm your move date and, if you rent, give written notice.
  2. Book movers, and an elevator or loading time if you live in an apartment or condo.
  3. Ask Hydro Ottawa (or your local utility) to move your service at least 10 business days ahead.
  4. Buy mail forwarding from Canada Post.
  5. Update your driver’s licence and vehicle permit within 6 days of moving, and your health card within 30 days.

Moving Checklist Ontario Timeline: How Early to Start

Start about eight weeks before your move. That gives you time to book your preferred date, pack steadily and meet notice periods that cannot be rushed. A move on two or three weeks’ notice is possible, but with fewer choices of dates and crews.

When Focus Official deadline
8 weeks out Budget, tenant notice, quotes, declutter Tenants: 60 days’ notice (Form N9)
6 weeks out Book movers, packing help, storage None
4 weeks out Start packing, arrange utilities, update records Hydro Ottawa: 10 business days ahead
2 weeks out Mail forwarding, final packing, parking and elevator Canada Post forwarding starts 5 days after purchase
Moving week First-night box, confirm times, defrost the fridge None
Moving day Walk-through, supervise loading, final checks None
After the move Address changes, unpacking Licence and vehicle permit: 6 days. Health card: 30 days

What to Do Before You Move

8 Weeks Before: Plan and Book

  1. Set the date and budget. Include movers or a truck, packing materials, storage, cleaning and utility set-up fees.
  2. Declutter first. Whatever you sell, donate or recycle is something you do not pay to move.
  3. Collect comparable quotes. Give each company the same details: addresses, floors, stairs or elevators, heavy items, packing help and storage.
  4. Keep a moving folder for quotes, receipts, notices and account numbers.

If you rent: In Ontario, a tenant ends a tenancy with a Tenant’s Notice to End the Tenancy (Form N9). The Landlord and Tenant Board says a fixed-term lease needs at least 60 days’ notice before the end of the term, and a month-to-month tenancy needs at least 60 days’ notice ending on the last day of a rental period. Notice is needed even if you leave on the lease end date, and mailed notice adds days. That board guide is dated 2018, so confirm current rules with Tribunals Ontario.

If you own: Line up possession dates with your lawyer. The City of Ottawa says an owner or lawyer can request a Water Utility Certificate to check for outstanding water charges at closing.

30 Days Before Moving

  1. Confirm your mover and date in writing, including the arrival window and what the quote assumes about stairs, parking and large items.
  2. Start packing rooms you rarely use, or arrange packing service help if time is short. Label boxes by destination room.
  3. Arrange utilities. Hydro Ottawa asks for a move request at least 10 business days before moving day, through MyAccount for existing customers or an online form for new ones. Two calendar weeks is the safe minimum.
  4. Book internet, phone and TV installation once you know your move-in date.
  5. Call your home insurer. Give the new address, and ask when coverage starts there and whether belongings are covered in transit or storage.
  6. Reserve the building. For an apartment or condo, ask about elevator or loading-dock bookings, move-in hours and deposits.
  7. Book storage if your dates do not line up. A short stay in storage service can bridge the gap.

The Final Two Weeks

  1. Buy mail forwarding. Canada Post’s Mail Forwarding redirects mail for 4 or 12 months, and residential service can start 5 days after you buy it online. It does not forward parcels, so give senders your new address directly. Check current prices.
  2. Finish packing room by room, kitchen last.
  3. Warn the movers about heavy or awkward items, such as pianos, safes and large appliances.
  4. Sort parking and access at both addresses.
  5. Keep essentials with you: passports, health cards, medication, laptops, keys and important papers.
  6. Empty and defrost the fridge a day ahead, and pack a first-night box with a kettle, basic dishes, toiletries, bedding, tools, chargers and pet supplies.

What to Do on Moving Day

On moving day, be ready when the crew arrives, walk through both homes with the lead mover, supervise loading, check nothing is left behind, and confirm the condition of your belongings before the crew leaves.

  1. Start early, eat and keep your phone charged. Moving days run long.
  2. Walk through with the lead mover and point out fragile items and anything staying behind.
  3. Photograph the utility meters and each empty room. It helps if a question comes up later with a landlord or buyer.
  4. Check closets, cupboards, the garage and lockers after the last load.
  5. Hand over keys as your lease or sale requires.
  6. At the new home, direct the unloading room by room, inspect large items before the crew leaves and note any damage in writing the same day.
  7. Open the first-night box and make the beds before anything else.

Which Services and Accounts to Update in Ontario

An Ontario moving checklist has to include official address changes, because only some have hard deadlines and the Ontario ones are the strictest.

What to update Timing How
Driver’s licence and vehicle permit Within 6 days Online with a ServiceOntario account, or in person. Free. Licence mailed in 4 to 6 weeks; permit picked up in person
Health card Within 30 days Online, in person or by mailed form. Free. Photo cards that print an address must be updated in person
Provincial Offences Court records Not updated by ServiceOntario Contact the court directly
Canada Revenue Agency As soon as possible My Account, phone, or Form RC325. Not possible through NETFILE
Hydro Ottawa 10 business days before moving MyAccount or online form. Final bill about three weeks after move-out
City of Ottawa water and property bills When you move My ServiceOttawa, email to revenue@ottawa.ca, or mail

Sources: Ontario.ca, CRA, Hydro Ottawa, City of Ottawa. Checked on 17 October 2026; fees and deadlines change, so confirm on the official page. The federal list covers Service Canada, Elections Canada, IRCC and passports. Also tell your banks, insurers, employer, doctors, schools and subscriptions.

Common Moving Mistakes to Avoid

  • Missing the tenant notice date. Without proper notice the tenancy continues, and you may owe rent until the unit is re-rented or the earliest valid termination date.
  • Asking for utilities late. Under 10 business days leaves no margin.
  • Assuming mail forwarding covers parcels. It does not.
  • Assuming ServiceOntario updates court records. It does not.
  • Assuming moving costs are deductible. One CRA condition is that your new home is at least 40 kilometres closer to your new work location. Check the CRA’s moving expenses page and Form T1-M.
  • Packing everything the last night. Pack one room a day from four weeks out.

When Hiring Movers Makes Sense

A small move can be done with a rented truck and friends. Professional help starts to make sense with a full household, stairs or elevators, heavy items, a tight timeline, a long distance or a gap between move-out and move-in dates.

Black Star Moving is an Ottawa company offering residential moving, long-distance moving, packing service and storage service. We are a moving company, so we have a stake in you hiring help; the checklist works just as well if you do it yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should a moving checklist in Ontario include?

A moving checklist Ontario residents can rely on should cover your timeline, tenant notice or sale paperwork, a mover or truck booking, packing, utilities and mail, official address changes, and a moving-day plan.

How long do I have to change my driver’s licence address in Ontario?

Within 6 days of moving, according to Ontario.ca. The update is free.

Do I have to change my health card address?

Yes, within 30 days. It is free, and no new card is issued because the card does not show an address.

Does Canada Post forward parcels?

No. Mail Forwarding covers mail, not parcels.

How do renters set up electricity in Ottawa?

Submit Hydro Ottawa’s online form at least 10 business days ahead, with photo ID and your landlord’s contact details.

Conclusion

Whatever moving checklist Ontario residents follow, put the hard deadlines on your calendar first: tenant notice, the 10-business-day utility request, mail forwarding, and the 6-day and 30-day Ontario updates. Everything else is packing and planning around those dates.

Get Your Free Moving Quote

Planning a move in Ottawa or the surrounding area? Tell us your dates and we will price your move.

This checklist is general information, not legal or tax advice. Fees and deadlines change, so check the linked official pages before you act.