What do I need to know when I move from California to Florida?

For 2025, California's rates run from 1 percent on the first $11,079 of a single filer's taxable income to 12.3 percent above $742,953, or above $1,485,906 for a married couple filing jointly. The Behavioral Health Services Tax, called the Mental Health Services Tax before 2025, adds 1 percent on the part of taxable income over $1,000,000. The Franchise Tax Board says residents are taxed on all income, from any source, but California does not tax Social Security benefits.

The board also says California does not tax retirement income, including pensions and IRA distributions, that a nonresident receives after December 31, 1995.

For the year of the move, a part-year resident with a filing requirement files Form 540NR. California taxes all worldwide income you receive while a resident, and only income from California sources after that.

The Franchise Tax Board answers at 800-852-5711.

If you own a California home, Proposition 13 limits the tax rate to 1 percent plus voter-approved bonds, generally lets the assessed value rise no more than 2 percent a year, and resets it to market value only on a change in ownership or new construction, the State Board of Equalization says. Florida's yearly cap on a homestead is 3 percent or the change in the consumer price index, whichever is lower, which the Florida Department of Revenue puts at 2.7 percent for 2026.

The California DMV asks you to report your new address within 10 days of moving. If a renewal notice still arrives, write on the back of the stub the date the vehicle left California and the name of the new state, and mail it to the DMV. If you paid registration before it was due and then moved, you can request a refund online. The DMV's number is 800-777-0133.

Interstate 10 runs 2,460 miles from Los Angeles to Jacksonville, the Federal Highway Administration says. The National Weather Service's normals, the averages for 1991 to 2020, give downtown Los Angeles 0.02 inches of rain in July, 0.00 in August and 14.25 inches in a year, with an average July high of 82 degrees. For the same years, Orlando averages 7.46 inches of rain in July, with an average July high of 92 degrees.

Florida's driver license, car registration, homestead exemption and declaration of domicile are answered on their own pages.

Where to go from here.