Does your driver's license match your vehicle registration?

[Wandering6]

As we are getting ready to begin our full time journey & struggling with the ever fun job of choosing our domicile, we are wondering how many people have their driver's license in the same state as they have their vehicles registered.

We are leaning towards SD as our domicile but will not be able to get to the state for at least 6 months after leaving our current "home" state.

Would this be an issue? Anyone have experience with this?

Thanks in advance for any assistance!
Wandering6

[avan]

When I 'moved' my domicile to SD about 15 yrs ago, I did so from a computer in VA where we were at the time. Then having my address etc. I changed my vehicle insurance to SD with that garaging address. With my cert of ins., I mailed that to my mail service together with vehicle titles and a check for the fees to my mail forwarding service. They walked it all over to the DMV and a week or so later I got my new plates, registration etc in the mail from my mail forwarder. I still had my DL from my previous state. SD's request, and it was a request, was that I obtain my SD DL within 6 months of 'moving'. When the next summer arrived and we traveled through SD, we went to the SD DL bureau, took their test, turned in our old DL and in 10 min left with our SD DLs. Nothing complicated about it. Same process that we would have used if we weren't FTers.

Don't believe the SD requirements have changed. Daughter went FT a year ago and handled everything from FL (rather than VA as we did) and got her DL months later when she drove through SD. Cops don't care should you be stopped. DL and vehicle plate state often don't match (You rent a car at the airport of another state - do you get all worked up if your rental car doesn't have plates that match your DL state? Ditto if you drive a friend or relative's car or a company car.) Ins companies are interested in the garaging address for rating purposes, not state of registration. In fact many ins companies with home offices located in X state actually are domiciled in Delaware for tax and ease of corporate filing purposes.) The only party that has an interest in your new domicile is your old state because they are losing a census count/taxes. If your ties are cut with them (you are gone etc.) there's not much they can do if they're p.o'd. Most of us aren't important enough and don't have a billion dollars such that our old state gives a cr.p about us and where we "live".

This "problem" I call Full timer paranoia created by the fact that we have a somewhat unconventional lifestyle and we think the so called normal people care.

Cop

[Jim-Linda]

rdmike wrote:
What I see as advantages of SD

1. No vehicle inspection

2. No proof of insurance to register a vehicle

3. Renew your registration online each year, mailed to you regardless of address

We do have insurance, and SD requires you have it, but not for registration purposes.

SD, TX and FL have similar laws on domicile meaning they accept a PO BOX as a legal address.

We didn't like the annual inspection in TX, meaning we would have to go there each year just for this, and the registration renewal process. Everyone is different.

You do NOT have to return to TX yearly for inspection... when you register online there is a line item to check if you are out of state. When and if you return to the state, you need to get inspected within a couple of days.

Jim

[rdmike]

What I see as advantages of SD

1. No vehicle inspection

2. No proof of insurance to register a vehicle

3. Renew your registration online each year, mailed to you regardless of address

We do have insurance, and SD requires you have it, but not for registration purposes.

SD, TX and FL have similar laws on domicile meaning they accept a PO BOX as a legal address.

We didn't like the annual inspection in TX, meaning we would have to go there each year just for this, and the registration renewal process. Everyone is different.

[Community Alumni]

gatorcq wrote:
domicile - South Dakota
mail address - IL
Insurance - Az
Tags Jeep and Rv - MT

What's wrong, we are homeless, unemployed and live in our vehicle.

D

How do you have AZ insurance if the vehicles are tagged in MT?
When I call about insurance the insurance companies want to know what state the vehicles are registered in and then transfer me to someone who is licenced to sell in that state. For me that is SD and CA. just asking.

JimR

[phillyg]

While gatorcq and wanderingnob have a rather cavalier attitude, if that works for them who am I to criticise them. It is, however, advisable to maintain as many ties to your true domicile as possible to minimize trouble, especially when it comes to tax collection.

[DownTheAvenue]

gatorcq wrote:
domicile - South Dakota
mail address - IL
Insurance - Az
Tags Jeep and Rv - MT

What's wrong, we are homeless, unemployed and live in our vehicle.

This may not be the best plan!

[wanderingbob]

I do not believe drivers licence has any thing to do with domicile ! Many jobs will require you to have a D.L. for the state the job is located in . Domicile is the place that you say is " home ". I have domiciled in Florida for over seventy some years and have spent over twenty years with out setting foot in Florida . I think that you worry to much !
I am always confused with the love affair with So. Dakota ?

[gatorcq]

domicile - South Dakota
mail address - IL
Insurance - Az
Tags Jeep and Rv - MT

What's wrong, we are homeless, unemployed and live in our vehicle.

[Ivylog]

Welcome, No, and this recent Post may help. FL seems to have better medical coverage and no special drivers license for a RV over 26K lbs.

[Old-Biscuit]

PRIOR to even leaving we set up our 'mail forwarding address' and began 'change of address' notifications and going paperless as much as possible.

AFTER we left CA we slowly made our way to SD to establish our 'domicile' by getting Drivers Licenses, vehicles registered, registering to vote and getting our CCWs.

[Second_Chance]

When authorities look at different elements to determine domicile, they look at everything from drivers' licenses to vehicle registration to the permanent addresses on those and your insurance, etc. Many states (Texas included) require that you do things like register your vehicles there before you can get a driver's license. With a mail service such as that provided by the Escapees RV Club, timing can be pretty flexible. We established a mail service address in Texas before we hit the road (from South Carolina) and it was several months before we showed up in Livingston to register the vehicles and get drivers' licenses. We made sure that the new Texas domicile address was what our bank and insurance company (all-in-one at USAA) had and were using, of course. As retired Army, we don't have to worry about healthcare, but that is an important consideration mentioned above when you're deciding on domicile. There's a lot of good information on the topic over on the Escapees web site (you may have to join Escapees to get to the good stuff, but it's not expensive and well worth it).

Rob

[Wandering6]

Thanks!

Yes, I understand that the license needs to be in the state to establish domicile.

However, we will be leaving our current "home" state in April. We have obligations elsewhere until mid-October & will not be able to enter SD until after that obligation is met.

To avoid changing our vehicle information & mailing address twice in 6 months, we were hoping to get most of that changed to SD when we leave our "home" state & then take care of licensing when we are able in October.

We realize we would still need to pay taxes in our current "home" state & wouldn't have true domicile until our licenses were from SD as well.

Anyone have suggestions for a better option?

Thanks!
W6

[doxiemom11]

You usually need your drivers license as part of establishing your residency. Why you would register your vehicles elsewhere? You should be doing as much of your business as possible in your residency state in case there is ever a question of where your residence is. Yes, our drivers licenses, registration, insurance is all in our domicile/residency state. SD does allow you to register your vehicles prior to getting a drivers license. We established our mail service, changed our address on everything. Mail service helped us register our vehicles and then a month later we made the trip to the state to establish residency and get our drivers licenses. Any of the mail forwarding services can help you and all have a lot of information, sometimes the necessary forms on their websites.

[aslakson]

Your mail handing company ought to be able to point you in the right direction, but generally speaking, having a SD drivers license is one of the ways you prove your domicile state. We use America's Mailbox, and they are very knowledgeable.

al

[donn0128]

Look at medical coverage available before you make a decision. SD seems to not have many choices. Most folks are trending to TX or FL for better health care options.