New to Alpharetta? Water is Fulton County's, power is Georgia Power or Sawnee EMC, gas is a marketer you pick. License and tag within 30 days.

Last checked 2026-10-04. Each line links the official page it comes from. This page is a checklist; the details live in our own guides, linked below.

Alpharetta is in Fulton County. The city runs trash pickup, permits and its own police, but water and sewer come from Fulton County, power from Georgia Power or Sawnee EMC, and natural gas from a marketer you choose. City Hall: 2 Park Plaza, 678-297-6000.

Your first calls

  • Water and sewer account: Fulton County, start your water service; billing 404-612-6830
  • Trash service: city customer service, 678-297-6060 (option 0)
  • Power: Georgia Power or Sawnee EMC (770-887-2363), depending on your address
  • Car tag: Fulton County Tax Commissioner, 404-613-6100
  • Gas leak or smell: Atlanta Gas Light, 877-427-4321, day or night

Our guides for new residents

Electricity

The city does not sell power. Your home is served by Georgia Power or by Sawnee EMC, a member-owned cooperative whose service area includes part of Fulton County. Ask the seller or landlord which one serves the address.

  • Georgia Power: start, stop or move service online.
  • Sawnee EMC: start or stop service. The co-op needs 24 hours’ notice; requests made by 6 p.m. are scheduled for the next business day. For same-day service, call 770-887-2363 during business hours.

Water and sewer

Fulton County’s Water and Sewer Billing and Collections Division handles accounts for the City of Alpharetta, the county’s start your water service page says. Send the new service application (PDF) with the documents it lists to New.Service@fultoncountyga.gov, or drop them off at 11575 Maxwell Road in Alpharetta.

  • Owners need the first page of the settlement statement (or a recorded deed) and a photo ID.
  • Tenants need the first and signature pages of the lease and a photo ID. The owner or management company must already have an account.

Natural gas

Georgia’s gas market is deregulated. Atlanta Gas Light owns and maintains the pipes but “we don’t sell natural gas to customers,” its about page says: to start service, you sign up with a certified marketer. The Georgia Public Service Commission keeps the list of certified marketers and explains natural gas competition in Georgia. Gas emergencies still go to Atlanta Gas Light, 877-427-4321.

Internet

Two providers publish Alpharetta service pages with sign-up links: AT&T Internet in Alpharetta and Xfinity in Alpharetta. Service varies by street, so check your exact address with each provider. The FCC’s National Broadband Map lists the providers that report service at an address.

Trash

Republic Services collects trash, recycling and yard waste under a city contract. New residents set up service with the city’s Establish/Terminate Trash Service Form on its trash and recycling page, or through city customer service, 678-297-6060 (option 0). Pickup days and rules are in our trash guide.

Driver’s license and car tag

  • License: apply for a Georgia license within 30 days of becoming a resident, says the Department of Driver Services. Every DDS customer service center can transfer an out-of-state license.
  • Tag and title: register your vehicle within 30 days of moving, says the Department of Revenue. You need your Georgia license first, a completed MV-1 form, your title, proof of Georgia insurance and, in Fulton County, an emissions inspection.
  • Where: the Fulton County Tax Commissioner’s Customer Service Center at Maxwell Road, 11575 Maxwell Road, Alpharetta, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays, 404-613-6100.

Homestead exemption

If you buy a home and live in it, file for the homestead exemption. You must own and occupy it as your permanent residence on Jan. 1. Applications are taken all year, but those received by April 1 count for that year, the city’s homestead exemptions page says. File the basic exemption with the Fulton County Board of Assessors, 11575 Maxwell Road; the city’s senior exemption goes to the city Finance Department, 2 Park Plaza. Details are in our property tax guide.

Pets

Fulton County’s animal ordinance requires owners to license their dogs and cats, the county’s pet registration page says. License online through PetData, by mail, or in person at Fulton County Animal Services, 1251 Fulton Industrial Blvd. NW, Atlanta, with a copy of the rabies certificate. Questions: 404-613-0358.

Voting and schools

Register to vote at your new address. For the Nov. 3 election, the registration deadline is Monday, Oct. 5; our voting guide has the steps. Public schools are run by Fulton County Schools, not the city; enrollment is in our schools guide.

Frequently asked questions

How do I set up water service in Alpharetta? Fulton County, not the city, runs water and sewer accounts in Alpharetta. Email the county’s new service application and documents to New.Service@fultoncountyga.gov or drop them off at 11575 Maxwell Road.

Who provides natural gas in Alpharetta? Atlanta Gas Light owns the pipes but does not sell gas. You start service with a certified natural gas marketer from the Georgia Public Service Commission’s list.

How long do I have to get a Georgia driver’s license after moving? Thirty days. The Georgia Department of Driver Services says new residents must apply within 30 days, and the Department of Revenue says vehicles must be registered within 30 days of moving.

When is the homestead exemption deadline in Alpharetta? April 1. Applications are taken all year, but those received by April 1 count for the current year, and you must own and live in the home on Jan. 1.

Do I need to register my dog or cat in Alpharetta? Yes. Fulton County’s animal ordinance requires owners to license dogs and cats, online through PetData, by mail or in person. Fulton County Animal Services: 404-613-0358.

What this means for you

  • Week one: water (Fulton County), power (check which utility), gas (pick a marketer), trash (city form).
  • Within 30 days: Georgia driver’s license, then your tag at Maxwell Road.
  • Bought a home? Homestead exemption by April 1.
  • License your dog or cat with Fulton County.