Your First 30 Days in Laguna Beach

The first month has a few deadlines, and the rest is routine. Start with the utilities, because the provider depends on your address, and then handle the DMV, which sets deadlines of 10 and 20 days. The remaining tasks fit into the following weeks. The moving checklist covers the work before and during the move.

Utilities by area

The city’s utility page lists the provider for each service. Central and North Laguna share providers, and South Laguna has its own electricity, water and sewer providers.

Service	Central and North Laguna	South Laguna
Electricity	Southern California Edison (SCE)	San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E)
Natural gas	SoCalGas	SoCalGas
Water	Laguna Beach County Water District	South Coast Water District
Sewer	City Water Quality Department	South Coast Water District
Cable and internet	Cox Communications	Cox Communications
Telephone	Frontier Communications	Frontier Communications

Notes on starting service:

• SCE: Open the Move Center on sce.com. Have your driver’s license or ID and your Social Security number ready.
• Laguna Beach County Water District: Call 949-494-1041, Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The district asks for proof of identity, and it requires a deposit if you cannot show 12 months of service in your name from a previous water provider. Property owners must authorize a tenant account. The district bills against a property-specific water budget for each two-month billing period.
• South Coast Water District: Start service online or call 949.342.1140. The main office is at 31592 West Street, open Monday to Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Emerald Bay: The community sits outside city limits in unincorporated Orange County. The Laguna Beach County Water District supplies its water. The city’s utility page covers addresses inside the city, so confirm the other providers with the seller or the association.

More detail: the utilities guide.

DMV deadlines

The DMV sets the clock when you become a California resident. It lists voting in a California election and filing for a homeowner’s property tax exemption among the ways residency is established.

1. Driver license: 10 days. Residents who move to California must get a California driver license within 10 days.
2. Vehicle registration: 20 days. A vehicle registered in another state must be registered in California within 20 days of becoming a resident or entering the state.
3. Address change: 10 days. If you already hold a California license, California law requires you to notify the DMV within 10 days of changing your address. You can file online through MyDMV, by mail or in person with form DMV 14. The same form updates the address on a vehicle registration.

A MyDMV account handles most DMV business online.

Voter registration

Register online at registertovote.ca.gov if you are eligible. You need a California driver license or ID number, the last four digits of your Social Security number and your date of birth. The Orange County Registrar of Voters says online applications take at least 48 hours to process, and the same form updates an address, name or party. If you register less than 15 days before an election, the Secretary of State says you must use same-day registration at your county elections office or a polling location.

More detail: city government and voting.

Resident parking permits

The city issues three resident permits, and which one applies depends on where you live:

• Shopper Permit: For residents inside city limits. It allows parking in city lots 1 through 9 and Lot 22, and at city meters for the posted time without extra payment. Each household can hold up to four.
• Residential Permit: For select downtown addresses and addresses beside Coast Highway. It allows up to 24 hours at a city meter within one block of your home, with lot access like the Shopper Permit.
• School District Permit: For people who live outside the city but inside the Laguna Beach Unified School District, such as Emerald Bay.

All three ask for proof of residency: a current utility bill (gas, water or electric), a pre-printed check, a car registration or a lease in your name. Permits start August 1 and end July 31, after one year for the Residential Permit and two years for the Shopper and School District permits. The permits cover Lots 10 and 11 only from the day after Labor Day to late June. Enforcement runs from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and meters and pay stations take cards. The parking guide covers permit types, lots and costs in detail.

Trash, recycling and organics

Laguna Beach residents get three carts from CR&R: blue for recyclables, green for food scraps, food-soiled paper and yard waste, and black for trash.

• Skip regular plastic bags in the green cart. Newspaper, paper bags and approved compostable bags work as liners. Palm branches, ice plant and animal waste do not belong in it.
• Carts go to the curb no earlier than 7 p.m. the day before collection and come back by 6 a.m. the day after.
• Residents get four free bulky-item collections a year, up to ten items each time. Schedule one online or call CR&R at (949) 662-3819.
• CR&R collects holiday greenery between December 26 and January 16.
• A valet service retrieves and returns carts for a monthly fee, and it is free for customers who document a disability.

The city’s recycling page lists pickup days street by street.

More detail: the trash and recycling guide.

City alerts and the newsletter

Text 92651 to 888-777 to receive the city’s citywide emergency alerts and its weekly Community Newsletter by text. For traffic alerts, text LBTRAFFIC to 888-777. The city’s free Resident Newsletter is delivered every Sunday with public meetings, community events, beach, parking and transportation updates, and safety notices.

Two more sign-ups matter for specific areas:

• Red Flag parking alerts: Text LBREDFLAG to 888777. The city restricts parking in Bluebird Canyon, Canyon Acres and Diamond/Crestview when the National Weather Service issues a Red Flag Warning.
• Your evacuation zone: The city divides Laguna Beach into 22 evacuation management zones and recommends you download and print the map for yours.

The Laguna Beach Fire Department also offers a free in-home wildfire consultation, where staff advise on preparing the structure and landscape.

More detail: emergency alerts and wildfire.

Library card

The Laguna Beach Library, an OC Public Libraries branch, is at 363 Glenneyre Street. The OC Public Libraries site takes applications for a library card and an eCard.

More detail: the library guide.

Dog license

Dogs in Laguna Beach must be licensed. Licenses last one, two or three years, and you need proof of rabies vaccination. Animal Services answers questions at (949) 497-0701, and the Laguna Beach Animal Shelter is at 20612 Laguna Canyon Road. Summer adds a beach rule: no dogs on city beaches from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., June 15 to September 10.

More detail: dogs and pet licenses.

Homeowners’ Exemption

The Orange County Assessor’s Homeowners’ Exemption removes $7,000 of your property’s value from taxation. You may qualify if you own the property, it was your principal residence on January 1 at 12:01 a.m., and you do not hold the exemption on another property. The Assessor sends every new homeowner a pre-filled application. Filing by February 15 at 5 p.m. earns the full exemption, and qualified applicants filing by December 10 receive 80 percent. If you are leaving a home that carries the exemption, notify the Assessor; a termination notice filed by December 10 ends it without penalty. The property tax guide on realatrends.com explains each layer of the Orange County bill, and the cost of living guide covers the supplemental bill after closing.

School enrollment

The Laguna Beach Unified School District enrolls students online through its Aeries system. It requires an address inside the district boundaries, and its boundaries page lets you check an address. The application asks for a Residency Verification Affidavit with two proofs of residency, such as a mortgage statement, lease or utility bill. It also asks for a birth certificate, immunization records and the names of prior schools. The schools guide lists the district’s schools and their locations.

Getting around

The city runs a free Coastal Route trolley and Laguna Local, a free on-demand shared ride between residential neighborhoods and major activity centers. The Laguna Beach Trolley app tracks the trolley, and the Laguna Beach Transit app books Laguna Local rides. The getting around guide has the routes and hours.

A 30-day order

1. Days 1 to 3: Start any utility that is not yet running. Confirm internet.
2. Days 1 to 10: Handle the DMV driver license or address change.
3. Days 5 to 10: Register to vote and set up the city’s text alerts.
4. Days 7 to 14: Gather proof of residency and apply for the parking permit that fits your address.
5. Days 10 to 20: Register any out-of-state vehicle, license your dog and enroll students if that applies to you.
6. Days 15 to 30: Get the library card, locate your evacuation zone, book the wildfire consultation and file the Homeowners’ Exemption if you bought the home.