Orlando movers for downtown towers, lakeside bungalows, and brand-new neighborhoods.
Orlando is a renter’s city: most homes here are rented, and about one in five residents moved in the past year. That means elevator bookings, curb permits, gate codes, and month-end deadlines. Black Swan Moving plans around all of it, along with the one question that decides your trash day and your utility bills: are you in the City of Orlando, or just an Orlando address?
The first question for every Orlando move.
The City of Orlando puts it plainly: an address that says Orlando may be in unincorporated Orange County or another nearby city. The answer changes who picks up your trash, when, and how you pay for it.
Inside City of Orlando limits
Downtown, College Park, Baldwin Park, Lake Nona, and many other neighborhoods.
- Collection
- Garbage, recycling, and yard waste once a week each, at the curb by 6 a.m.
- Cart times
- Out after 5 p.m. the night before. A cart left out the next morning can cost $25.
- Large items
- Two hand-loadable items free on yard waste day, with no appointment.
- Billing
- On your monthly OUC utility bill.
Unincorporated Orange County
Many addresses with an Orlando mailing address, such as Dr. Phillips and Pine Hills.
- Collection
- Garbage and large items on one day; recycling and yard waste on another. Set out by 6 a.m.
- Cart times
- Out no earlier than 6 p.m. the night before; carts put away the same day.
- Large items
- Up to three cubic yards a week on garbage day. No refrigerators or freezers at the curb.
- Billing
- On your property tax bill.
OUC first, then everything else.
Orlando Utilities Commission provides electric and water service to most of the city, and in the City of Orlando, it also carries the trash bill.
Electric & water
Start service with a myOUC account or by calling 407-423-9018. A $25 connection charge goes on the first bill, and a deposit may be required after a credit check. If the home has no active service, a weekday request before 4 p.m. may be done the same day.
Garbage & recycling
City collection accounts are billed on the monthly OUC bill, so the OUC account also covers your city collection. Solid Waste (407-246-2314) handles carts, missed pickups, and large items.
Check the map
OUC publishes a service area map. Some Orlando-address homes get electric from Duke Energy and water from Orange County Utilities, so confirm your providers before the closing or the lease start.
The truck needs a legal spot before moving day.
Downtown towers and mid-rises around Lake Eola, Thornton Park, and Creative Village rarely have room for a box truck out front. The City of Orlando rents metered on-street spaces for moves, and we plan the reservation with you.
- Find the space number tagged on the curb, or look it up at the Parking Division, 53 W. Central Blvd.
- Apply and pay at least one business day ahead: $22 per space per day, plus tax.
- Weekend move? Payment is due by noon on Friday.
- On the day, the city blocks off the space. If someone parks in it, call 407-246-2450 during business hours.
Freight zones, marked with a sign and an orange curb, allow 30 minutes and need a freight permit, so we don’t plan a full move around one. Inside the building, ask management for the elevator reservation, the loading entrance, move hours, and any insurance certificate they need. See apartment and condo moving.
What to do with the things you aren’t taking.
Many Orlando moves end with a pile at the curb. Here is how to get it picked up, depending on where you live.
| Item | City of Orlando | Unincorporated Orange County |
|---|---|---|
| Sofa, chair, dresser, mattress | Up to two hand-loadable items free on yard waste day; no appointment needed. | On garbage day, up to three cubic yards a week, set out after 6 p.m. the night before. |
| Washer, dryer, dishwasher | Counts as one of your two free items if it can be loaded by hand. | Collected as a large item on garbage day. |
| Refrigerator or freezer | Free if hand-loadable; remove the doors first, by city rule. | Not collected at the curb (Freon). Call the county hotline, 407-836-6601. |
| A whole garage or apartment’s worth | Too big for the crew to lift? The city schedules a claw truck for a fee (407-246-2314), or you can request a dumpster or dumpster bag. | Spread it over several weeks or arrange a private haul. |
| Moving boxes | Flatten them for the recycling cart. | Flattened corrugated boxes go in the blue-lid recycling cart, loose, not bagged. |
Five kinds of Orlando moves.
The crew, the truck, and the timing change from one part of the city to the next.
Downtown & Lake Eola
What it’s like: High-rise and mid-rise living around Lake Eola, Thornton Park, and the Central Business District, with garages, loading docks, and busy streets.
How we plan: Elevator booking, an on-street space reserved a business day ahead, and carts for long hallways.
College Park, Audubon Park & the brick streets
What it’s like: Bungalows and older homes on lakes and narrow, tree-lined streets, often with tight driveways and steep front steps.
How we plan: A measured walk from the truck to the door, doorway pads, and a smaller truck when the street calls for it.
Baldwin Park
What it’s like: A walkable neighborhood built on the former Naval Training Center main base, with townhomes, apartments over shops, and alley-loaded homes.
How we plan: We check whether the home loads from the alley or the street, and we ask the HOA about truck rules.
Lake Nona
What it’s like: Newer homes and apartments inside city limits near Lake Nona’s medical campuses, many in HOA communities.
How we plan: Gate access and HOA move hours collected ahead of time, and an early start for the drive on SR 417.
Dr. Phillips, Pine Hills & beyond
What it’s like: Large unincorporated areas with Orlando mailing addresses, from lakefront homes to apartment complexes.
How we plan: County trash days, county utilities where they apply, and a check of the parcel record before move week.
How an Orlando apartment move gets out the door.
Our own photos from real jobs: staged at the entrance, rolled down the hall, loaded tight.
Roads that shape the day
I-4
Runs through the middle of the city, with downtown exits at SR 408 (exit 82), South Street and Anderson Street (83), and Colonial Drive (84). We avoid the morning and evening rush when we can.
SR 408 (East-West Expressway)
The toll road across downtown, from the west side toward UCF and East Orlando.
SR 417 & SR 528
Toll routes to Lake Nona and Orlando International Airport, and our usual way to the southeast side.
Orlando moves we handle every month.
Apartments & condos
Month-end lease moves, elevator bookings, gate codes, and long carries. Apartment moving →
Houses
Bungalows, lake homes, and new builds, with furniture padded and beds taken apart and reassembled. Residential moving →
Offices
Downtown and suburban offices moved after hours or on a Saturday to cut downtime. Commercial moving →
Packing
The whole home, or just the kitchen, glassware, and framed art. Packing services →
Pianos & heavy pieces
Uprights and grands, on their own or with the rest of the house. Piano moving →
Moving within Florida
Longer moves to Tampa, Jacksonville, South Florida, and other Florida cities, with the same crew loading and unloading. Long-distance moving →
Five Orlando errands and outings.
- Day one
Look up your neighborhood
The city’s My Neighborhood tool shows your garbage days, parks, and City Commissioner for any address inside city limits.
- First week
Ride SunRail
Orlando has several SunRail stations, including Church Street, LYNX Central, AdventHealth, Orlando Health/Amtrak, and Sand Lake Road.
- First weekend
Walk around Lake Eola
According to city history, the soldier Orlando Reeves is said to be buried on the lake’s south side. It is one of the stories behind the city’s name.
- Before June
Make a hurricane plan
Orange County Emergency Information has shelter, sandbag, and alert details. Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30.
- By March 1
File for homestead
Bought a home? File your homestead exemption with the Orange County Property Appraiser by March 1.
A bit of history: Orlando grew from a settlement called Jernigan near Fort Gatlin, built in 1838 during the Seminole Wars. The community took the name Orlando in the 1850s, and the Town of Orlando was incorporated in 1875 with 85 inhabitants, 22 of them qualified voters.
Fifteen links for new Orlando residents.
Official sites, checked October 2026. Links open in a new tab.
City of Orlando
Check your address ↗Find out whether you are inside Orlando city limits.City trash, recycling & yard waste ↗Collection rules, cart times, and fees.Get large items picked up ↗Free curbside pickup for two items on yard waste day.On-street space rental ↗Reserve curb space for a moving truck.Downtown parking guide ↗Garages, meters, and parking downtown.Orange County
Orange County curbside collection ↗Trash, recycling, and large items outside city limits.Orange County Property Appraiser ↗Check your parcel and file for homestead.OCPS Find My School ↗Look up zoned Orange County public schools.Orange County Supervisor of Elections ↗Update your voter registration address.Orange County Emergency Information ↗Hurricane season prep and local alerts.Utilities, transit & mail
OUC: start, stop, or move ↗Electric and water service in OUC's area.Duke Energy ↗Start, stop, or move electric service outside OUC's area.SunRail ↗Commuter rail stations across Orlando.FEMA Flood Map Service Center ↗Check the flood zone for your new address.USPS change of address ↗Forward your mail online.The short Orlando version.
Eight steps, in order. Our full Florida checklist covers everything else.
- Check city or countyUse the city’s address map or the property appraiser record for both homes.
- Book the moveSend us building rules, gate codes, and elevator details.
- Reserve the elevatorAnd ask about the loading entrance, move hours, and insurance certificate.
- Rent the curbDowntown? On-street space, paid at least one business day ahead.
- Start OUCOr Duke Energy and Orange County Utilities outside OUC’s area.
- Plan the leave-behindCity: two free items on yard waste day. County: garbage day, up to three cubic yards.
- Moving dayCarts back off the curb, hallways clear, keys and fobs in hand.
- After the moveUpdate your license and voter registration, and file for homestead by March 1.
5.0 stars from 127 Google reviews.
Quoted exactly as customers wrote them. Read more reviews →
As a Realtor I know there are a lot of option out there when it comes to movers, I chose Black Swan for my person move and could not have been more pleased. Customer service was great over the phone. I will say you may call and not get an answer but leave a message and they will call you back asap. The guys who came to assist with ny move were Bryant and Jerry. They let ne know when they were on their way and arrived within the time promosed tk start. When they arrived they introduced themselve, both were very friendly as well as efficient and quick. Bryant wrapped and banded blankets around anything unboxed in record time. It was obvious it was not his first rodeo.. lol I say rodeo because it reminded me of the hog tying competitions. Everything arrived at the new house safe and sound and Bryant reassembled my furniture better than it was before from orginal store delivery people. Took the time to do it right. I was orginally in a 4th floor apt so there was a lot of effort to move it from the apt so the fact there was nothing damaged was impressive but had there been they do provide some insurance with an option to add additional should you feel a need to. I will be recommending them to clients in the future with confidence. They literally roll out the red carpet for you! Be sure to tip these guys they work hard!
This moving company is amazing. Ten stars to them. Amber is a great consultant and gets you everything you need. And the movers are totally great. I could believe how friendly, fast and courteous they were. And the were very upfront about everything and very honest. I will be spreading the word to anyone who needs to move. Thanks guys for a excellent job.
Black Swan Moving did an outstanding job with my recent move. From start to finish, the entire team was professional, punctual, and incredibly efficient. They handled everything with great care and attention to detail, making what could have been a stressful day feel smooth and well-organized.The crew worked seamlessly together, clearly experienced and respectful of both my belongings and my home. Nothing was rushed or overlooked—they took the time to do things right, and it showed in the final result.I truly appreciated their positive attitude and strong work ethic. I would absolutely recommend Black Swan Moving.
Our services and Orlando’s neighbors.
We work across Orange, Seminole, Volusia, and Lake counties every week.
Services
Orlando moving questions.
Is my Orlando address inside Orlando city limits?
Not always. The City of Orlando warns that an address that says Orlando may be in unincorporated Orange County or another nearby city. Check the city's Check Your Address map or the Orange County Property Appraiser parcel record before you set up trash service, because the city and the county run different collection programs.
How do I start electric and water service with OUC?
Create a myOUC account and submit a Start Service request with the new address and date, or call OUC at 407-423-9018. OUC adds a $25 connection charge to the first bill and may require a deposit based on a credit check. If the address has no active service, a weekday request made before 4 p.m. may be completed the same day; otherwise plan on the next business day.
Can the moving truck park on the street in downtown Orlando?
Metered on-street spaces can be rented for a move. The City of Orlando charges $22 per space per day, plus tax. Apply and pay at least one business day before the move, and for a weekend move pay by noon on Friday. The city blocks off the space for you. Freight zones with orange curbs have a 30-minute limit and require a freight permit.
How do I get rid of furniture I'm not taking?
Inside city limits, the City of Orlando picks up two hand-loadable large items for free on your yard waste day, with no appointment. Larger loads need a claw truck pickup for a fee; call Solid Waste at 407-246-2314. In unincorporated Orange County, large items go out on garbage day, up to three cubic yards a week, and refrigerators and freezers are not collected at the curb.
Who handles trash billing in the City of Orlando?
OUC. City garbage, recycling, and yard waste accounts are billed on the monthly OUC utility bill, so starting your OUC account also starts city collection. In unincorporated Orange County, curbside service is billed on the property tax bill instead.
Do you move high-rise and condo residents downtown?
Yes. Before moving day we ask the building for its elevator reservation, loading dock or entrance, move hours, and any insurance certificate it requires, and we bring carts and floor protection for long hallways. Send us the building's move rules with your quote request.
Do you do long-distance moves from Orlando?
Yes, within Florida. We handle local Orlando moves and longer moves to other Florida cities, such as Tampa, Jacksonville, and South Florida, with the same crew loading and unloading your home.
How far ahead should I book an Orlando move?
Two to four weeks is a good target, and earlier for month-end dates, when many leases turn over. Downtown moves also need time to reserve the elevator and, if needed, an on-street space, which must be paid at least one business day ahead.
Moving to, from, or within Orlando?
Tell us about both homes: the building or the street, elevator and parking rules, gate codes, what is staying behind, and your date. We will plan the crew and the truck around them. Prefer to talk it through? Call us or use the contact page.
Mon–Sat: 8:00 AM–5:00 PM · Sunday: Closed · USDOT 3397054