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newsomer
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Apr 06, 2018

South Dakota Motorhome License Fees

We are seriously considering full-timing within a year or two. I am researching domiciling potentials since if we sell our house I assume we'll have to use one of the common domicile states (TX, SD, or FL). If I could I'd stick with Georgia but I'm not sure how that would work. I am leaning toward South Dakota but I don't know if I'm reading it right but it looks as if for my 24,000 lb coach they charge over $400 registration fee annually! I'm about to pay my Georgia tags and it'll only be $20.

Am I getting the wrong info on South Dakota?
  • In South Dakota, my '02 Winnebago Journey Class A at 30,000 lbs would be $32/mo for the tags, $10 for the title. So nearly $400 as you said. You add in the other stuff you need to make SD your residence and you're looking at around $600/yr I guess. Most of that over the registration would be for the mail collection service.

    One thing I've found is that wherever you happen to be, just google "Mail services near me" and usually something pops up. So if you really like a certain spot, you can make that your domicile, if they have that service. Right now, I'm using the US post office box as my domicile in Burns, Oregon since they don't have a mail service with a street address there yet. (I don't fit inside the PO box so I choose to live in my RV). One thing that's changed recently, is that the VA now allows us medical services recipients to use a PO Box instead of a fixed address. So that's what I'm doing in what to me is a more desirable location. You don't have to make SD or TX your home base if you'd rather not.

    Note that not all areas have mail services like what you're thinking of...they're kind of spotty right now but the industry will grow with all the boomers retiring and going out RVing for months at a time.
  • I can understand your concern , but also check with your insurer. SD at least for me saved a couple hundred compared to TX and even more compared to Fl.
    You are gonna get had, on some aspect of the deal no matter where you go, check all factors and then make a total price comparasion.

    Tags
    inspections
    insurance vehicle
    insurance health
    income tax
    property tax
  • Mandalay Parr wrote:
    I kept my AZ Residence and just used a local mail service.
    Call me if you wish.
    I'm beginning to see that keeping our low cost property in Georgia may still yet be an option.
  • When you first registerd that coach in Georgia, you paid many many thouands of dollars for a "title tax." That is why your annual licensing is so low, you prepaid it!!!! If you are over 65, most, if not all, of your income will not be taxed by Georgia, so the no income tax states of South Dakota, Florida, or Texas are not appealing at least on that issue.
  • Like someone else stated. Keep GA as your resident state and just use any mail forwarding service to get your mail. Using the mail forwarding does NOT make you a resident of that state.