Moving from Reno to Seattle

Seattle is the one big West Coast destination where the tax picture looks familiar to a Nevada household: no income tax on wages. Almost everything else is different, from the rain to the housing market to the way the state handles the license and plates. This page covers the Seattle end of the move.

Washington's 30-day rule

The Washington Department of Licensing says you have 30 days after moving to Washington to get your Washington driver license, and the same 30 days to register your vehicle. It also notes that a Washington license is required before vehicles can be registered, so the license visit comes first.

The state sales tax is 6.5 percent, and cities and counties add a local portion, so the posted rate at a Seattle checkout is higher than the state number. The Department of Revenue lists rates by location.

Taxes: wages stay untaxed, other items change

Washington does not currently have an individual income tax on wages, and Nevada does not either, so a paycheck keeps its familiar shape. The Department of Revenue does list a separate capital gains excise tax on certain long-term gains, and it publishes a new tax on adjusted gross income above $1 million that is scheduled to begin in 2028, with a repeal initiative certified for the ballot. A tax professional can tell you whether either applies to you.

What the Seattle climate does to a move

NOAA's normals for the Seattle Boeing Field station show a January high of 48.6 degrees with a low of 36.8, a July high of 77.3 and a low of 57.5, and about 36.5 inches of precipitation a year. Reno is far drier, so rain is the main adjustment.

Wet weather matters on delivery day, so ask the estimator how the crew handles a rainy unloading and plan covered parking for the truck where the building allows it.

Seattle housing, from the Census

The city of Seattle has 754,195 residents in the ACS. Median gross rent is $2,030, median household income is $123,860 and 56.3 percent of households rent. The metro's median home value is $717,500, below the city figure of $938,600, which is why many arrivals look at the suburbs.

How the move works with O'Brien's

You book the move with O'Brien's in Sparks. The free in-home estimate is itemized and in writing, and it comes with 10 free heavy-duty boxes that are yours to keep. We coordinate the move from your Reno or Sparks home through the Bekins Van Lines network, and your written estimate sets the delivery window. The route north uses US 97 and I-5 for much of the way, and the full steps are on how an interstate move works. If your Seattle lease starts later than your move-out, vault storage in our warehouse starts from $40 per month.