Moving to Pleasant Hill?
Water, utilities, school boundaries, garbage service, vehicle paperwork, snow rules and the practical stuff worth knowing when you're getting settled in Pleasant Hill, Iowa.
Your first-week checklist.
Pleasant Hill is fairly straightforward once you know the two things most likely to trip up a new resident: the school district is address-dependent, and several city services can appear together through the water bill.
Local help for your move.
A growing network of businesses that can make the before, during and after parts of moving a little easier.
Local resources are independently owned businesses. PackBetter does not charge businesses to be featured.
Utilities & Home Services
Water setup is unusually central here because Des Moines Water Works billing can also carry several Pleasant Hill city-service charges.
Des Moines Water Works
Pleasant Hill is a DMWW full-service customer community. Residents open water service through DMWW, and the monthly bill can incorporate water, sewer, solid waste, recycling and stormwater-related charges.
DES MOINES WATER WORKS →MidAmerican Energy
Pleasant Hill's current utility resource identifies MidAmerican for gas and electric matters. Use MidAmerican's current start/transfer process and verify the exact service address.
START / TRANSFER SERVICE →Check Your Address
The City currently lists CenturyLink, Mediacom, Metronet and Mi-Fiber as options, but that is not a promise that every provider reaches every property. Check the exact address, especially for fiber.
CITY INTERNET INFO →Trash, Recycling & Getting Rid of Stuff
Metro Waste Authority provides residential collection, but the billing appears through Des Moines Water Works. One bill, multiple services, because somebody accidentally made part of moving simpler.
For an existing home, garbage and recycling generally follow water-service setup. The City specifically directs new-construction residents, or residents changing cart size, to Metro Waste Authority at 515-244-0021.
MWA provides Pleasant Hill's residential collection. Recycling is currently every other Wednesday, but use the live calendar because alternating schedules and holidays move around.
METRO WASTE AUTHORITY →Pleasant Hill participates in an annual spring-cleanup program. Check the current City calendar for dates and accepted materials rather than relying on an old year's schedule.
CITY OF PLEASANT HILL →Furniture, appliances, electronics and extra trash do not all use the same disposal method. MWA publishes material-specific large-item procedures.
LARGE-ITEM OPTIONS →The City points residents to Metro Hazardous Waste Drop-Off in Bondurant for qualifying household hazardous waste. Check accepted materials before making the trip.
DISPOSAL GUIDE →License, Voting & Vehicles
Pleasant Hill is in Polk County, so county paperwork is mercifully less adventurous than Clive or Grimes.
Iowa DOT
A practical state-run location is the Ankeny DMV at 6310 SE Convenience Boulevard. Appointments are recommended and walk-ins are accepted.
ANKENY DMV →Polk County Treasurer
Pleasant Hill residents use Polk County for vehicle title and registration. Title-transfer appointments are required, and new Iowa residents generally have 30 days to title/register.
POLK COUNTY VEHICLES →Polk County Elections
Polk County administers local voter registration and election services. Iowa also provides statewide registration and polling-place lookup tools.
POLK COUNTY ELECTIONS →For the November 3, 2026 General Election, the researched statewide schedule lists October 14 as the start of in-person absentee voting and October 19 at 5 p.m. as the preregistration and mailed-ballot-request deadline.
Schools, Library & Around Town
The big local trap is school assignment: a Pleasant Hill mailing address alone does not establish Southeast Polk enrollment.
Two Public Districts
Pleasant Hill is served by Southeast Polk Community School District and Des Moines Public Schools. Verify the exact address before enrollment. Southeast Polk's 2026–27 enrollment process requires proof of residency, proof of age and health documentation.
SOUTHEAST POLK ENROLLMENT →Pleasant Hill Public Library
The library issues cards to Iowa residents age five and older subject to identification/current-address requirements. Some digital services can have narrower residency eligibility.
CITY + LIBRARY INFO →Parks & Recreation
Pleasant Hill Parks & Recreation manages local programs and facilities. The Gay Lea Wilson Trail is also a useful everyday regional trail connection.
PARKS + RECREATION →Moving With Pets
Pleasant Hill requires annual licenses for dogs and cats over six months old. The current 2026 fee schedule varies by whether the animal is altered and when during the year the license is purchased.
Current published 2026 fees are $5 altered / $10 unaltered January–June and $7.50 altered / $15 unaltered July–December. Licenses are handled through City Hall; verify the current schedule before payment because municipal fees can change.
A little planning goes a long way.
Ordinary street parking already has a time limit here. Snow can make the rules considerably less negotiable.
Pleasant Hill prohibits leaving a vehicle continuously parked for 24 hours or more. No special residential moving-truck/container permit was verified, so contact the City before intentionally obstructing public right-of-way.
During a declared snow emergency, parking is prohibited on City streets, alleys and City parking areas. The restriction can continue through the event and for 48 hours after snowfall ends unless the street is fully opened or the City changes the restriction.
Medications, chargers, toiletries, clothes, paperwork and anything you'll want before the rest is unpacked. The toothbrush does not need to participate in a citywide scavenger hunt.
Totes handle what you can pack.
Move+ helps with what you can't.
Add extra moving equipment for the bigger, awkward parts of the move: mattress protection, lifting straps, extra blankets, furniture sliders, corner protection, stretch wrap, doorstops and organization pouches, plus the extra tote it all comes in.
Getting settled in Pleasant Hill.
A few reliable starting points for City services, water, waste collection and school enrollment.
Explore another local guide.
Pack better.
Move easier.
PackBetter delivers complete moving kits throughout our service area, then picks everything back up when you're done. Check your ZIP to confirm delivery for your Pleasant Hill address.