State Residency Question?

Many full-timers I know own a lot, some in RV communities, some just a lot where they can park the RV while visiting family, friends and doctors. Not a single one of them has that lot as their primary mailing address. All use a mailing service as their primary address and domicile/ residency.

Sounds like you are wanting to buy a lot as a winter base. Fine.

However, buying an RV lot often has nothing to do with state residency / domicile.

Since you indicated that you plan to keep a base in Kentucky, you need to talk to a Kentucky lawyer to determine if your plans will allow you to give up that state as your domicile.

Florida is an easy state to establish a domicile, but your bigger concern is complying with Kentucky laws to give up your domicile in that state.

Likely, and this like all the posts above is a guess, not an actual legal opinion, you will have to register all the vehicles in Florida, get Florida drivers licenses, move voter registration to Florida. You will not be able to retain a 'residence ' in Kentucky. You may have to move your banking out of Kentucky. The key factor will likely be what form your Kentucky 'base' takes. A spot in an RV park should be no problem, a piece of land you own might be a problem.

Florida is friendly to full timers.
Many full times use mail forwarding services as their address, as do we. Our vehicles are register with this addy. We register to vote in that jurisdiction. It is an easy way to go. The top addy line on our DL is our RV licence plate number, the city and zip are those of our mail service. It has worked out fine.

You do not need to buy a lot to keep your FL residency if you get a mailing service. If you want to own a lot, ask before buying to find out about using it as a home addy and figure out how you will handle mail.

Whether you buy a lot or not, if you want to be a Floridian, be sure you do not give any other State cause to claim you as a resident. Relative brief stays or even seasonal stays at campgrounds typically won't trigger any state to try to claim you. But taking a job, staying long term, registering to vote, buying/leasing a property in white to live, etc might give another state a reason to claim and tax you.

IANAL, but to determine state residency, you should look at:
- How many days do you live in each state? Generally there's a 183 day limit.
- Where are you registered to vote?
- Which state issued your driver's license?
- Which state are your vehicles registered and insured through?

Get a Florida mail forwarding address. Then you wouldn't need to buy a lot to use Florida as a residence.

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I have been Full time 7 months a year in FL. for over 18 years and don't own any land. Only have a FL. mailing address for drivers license, Insurance, plates for MH & Toad.
All banking & bills done online.

Ask a Florida tax attorney or CPA.

We would have a base in Kentucky and a RV lot in Florida. We will split the year between the 2 locations using each as a base for traveling with our fifth wheel.

Is the RV lot in another state? Will it be a permanent base or just seasonal? You can have many residences but only one domicile.

Mail forward service.

Search it out on the internet.

So what happens when the DMV mails your renewal notice to the RV lot or your new tags? Or the IRS mails your refund check there, or if it's a letter for a tax audit and you then never see it? What happens when your electrical co-op mails out a capital credits refund check to the RV lot?

I think you need to give it some more thought.

Bill