States for Full Timing

[RIA]

A couple years ago I was getting ready to hit the road. Since then family issues came up & things got delayed. At that time, I had asked about vehicle registration, insurance, etc. A list of full time friendly states were given, Texas being one of them.
With the commotion going on in the house, I never thought to save any info except that Texas was RV friendly. Now, I jumped ship & left New York, w/my son not far behind. I am in Texas, w/a UPS box for mail. He is heading to Fla. to a waiting job.
My Question is, now that I am here what do I do next to take care of legalities before I wander west to enjoy MY life(family be damned)?

[Clay_L]

carlysdad wrote:
A new requirement in TX (as of March 1) is an annual state vehicle inspection that is tied to your registration. Before you could register vehicles online and just get your inspection and sticker whenever you entered the state. Now you need the inspection to register. Also, inspections are now required on trailers as well.

I believe that has been taken care of some time back and full timers can get their registration without the inspection. The Escapees were active in getting it fixed and a search on their web site will yield the tread discussing it.

[BarbaraOK]

Geocritter wrote:
I liked southeast Arizona so much I'm thinking of making it my go-to home for the winter from now on. With that said I wonder, with all the retirees living there, why isn't Arizona on the list of RV friendly "home" states? I'm just asking because the new Texas registration/inspection laws are already giving me a headache and to paraphrase fellow RVer Executive, I'm ready to "turn the key" on Texas.

Arizona registration fees are based upon the value of the rig. So for many of the big rigs it is several thousands a yr to register. That value does decline over time, but it is still a pretty good chunk of change.

No reason why the new registration/inspection law should be a problem. In fact it is just the same as it was before except that you don't have the second sticker on the windshield. Why do you think it is a problem?

Barb

[BarbaraOK]

carlysdad wrote:
A new requirement in TX (as of March 1) is an annual state vehicle inspection that is tied to your registration. Before you could register vehicles online and just get your inspection and sticker whenever you entered the state. Now you need the inspection to register. Also, inspections are now required on trailers as well.

I am afraid that you don't have it quite right. If you are out-of-state you just self-certify that you are out-of-state and then register. Then, when you get back into the state, you have 3 days to get the inspection done. Lots of people will go years & years without having their rigs inspected. Inspection stickers were always required on trailers - just that the place where the sticker went wasn't easy to see so that really wasn't enforced.

Bar

[Geocritter]

I liked southeast Arizona so much I'm thinking of making it my go-to home for the winter from now on. With that said I wonder, with all the retirees living there, why isn't Arizona on the list of RV friendly "home" states? I'm just asking because the new Texas registration/inspection laws are already giving me a headache and to paraphrase fellow RVer Executive, I'm ready to "turn the key" on Texas.

[carlysdad]

A new requirement in TX (as of March 1) is an annual state vehicle inspection that is tied to your registration. Before you could register vehicles online and just get your inspection and sticker whenever you entered the state. Now you need the inspection to register. Also, inspections are now required on trailers as well.

[RIA]

I am a legal Texan! Thank you Escapees for all your help & patience. I want to thank all of you guys for you direction to them. I am now fulltiming to northern California to visit friends & I can now do it w/ no legal issues. I have gone paperless w/my bank & will w/ insurance. Less mail to pay to have shipped. Once again thank you. I have my dream.

[DianneOK]

At the time, we chose SD over TX because Texas would not insure our Freightliner as a private vehicle. Therefore SD was the obvious choice. Also, our health insurance was not an issue.

[BarbaraOK]

SD is not good for those who need individual health insurance plans. SD is cheaper if you are buying a rig - the sales tax is only 3%.

Texas has a lot of health plans (as does Florida) for those needing individual policies.

There really aren't that much differences between the 3 states - mostly comes down to preference. For us Texas was a no-brainer because we were already living in TX when we retired and started fulltiming, and Escapees is such a great outfit to work with, it is always our first recommendation.

Barb

[carl2591]

if there a thread on the difference between setting up domain in either South Dakota, Florida or Texas..

I have read stuff here and there but have not found a post that sorta explains the differences..

I think florida has a good benefit in no vehicle inspection, drivers license are good for 7? or so years and can be renewed after the first term remotely so you only have to get back once every 14 yrs.

Not sure what the bennies for texas and SD rank.. some are better on vechile tax and worse on insurance but I know that changes every month it seems.

[RIA]

I don't have a problem w/taxes. I joined Escapees last week & will be heading back east to El Paso for registration, inspection & DL. I can't wait to get back on the road. The fun part of full timing is that If one place doesn't suit you pick up & move on!

[4X4Dodger]

DianneOK wrote:
4X4 dodger....yes, you missed something....I was born, raised and spent my life until retirement as a resident of Kalifornia. Therefore, until I left and became a resident of South Dakota, I was a registered, legal resident of that state. If you had read my profile, you would have known.

When we left, we did EVERYTHING by the book, including voter registration. Every year, thereafter I received jury duty notices from Ca, which i sent back, explaining I was no longer a resident. Finally, the fourth year of this, I told them the next call would be from my lawyer. SD was a great help in getting this straightened out. SD DMV sent a copy of my DL to them....they would not accept my copy.......

With all due respect Dianne I didnt miss it as much as you didnt state this fact and your ID says Idaho...I think I may be forgiven for making this assumption.

In any case unless they have issued a warrant for arrest (which is virtually unheard of) you should be just fine to return to California.

But it sounds from your post that you may have other gripes about CA that play into this.

My best wishes for a happy solution and a eventual return to Calif.

[DianneOK]

4X4 dodger....yes, you missed something....I was born, raised and spent my life until retirement as a resident of Kalifornia. Therefore, until I left and became a resident of South Dakota, I was a registered, legal resident of that state. If you had read my profile, you would have known.

When we left, we did EVERYTHING by the book, including voter registration. Every year, thereafter I received jury duty notices from Ca, which i sent back, explaining I was no longer a resident. Finally, the fourth year of this, I told them the next call would be from my lawyer. SD was a great help in getting this straightened out. SD DMV sent a copy of my DL to them....they would not accept my copy.......

[4X4Dodger]

DianneOK wrote:

In talking to many full-timers over the years, I never met anyone who had a 'horror' story about being called for jury duty while they were on the road and not being able to get it postponed/ exempted

You didn't talk to me.....CA threatened me with jail time if I didn't get there to serve. If I didn't go, they would arrest me the next time I entered the state.....AND.....I wasn't even a resident!

It took the SD DMV to convince them I was not a CA resident. I STILL hate to go to CA......

Am I missing something here? Before you get put on California's Jury system you must be a REGISTERED VOTER in California. This means that you had to be a RESIDENT. If you dont register to vote NO jury Duty.

And I have never heard of anyplace that did not have reasonable exemptions including travel. What if you had been overseas?

I am sorry and at the risk of angering the MODERATOR...I just dont get it. It doesnt make any sense to me.

[revump]

Where ever you put it in park. When you get bored, turn on the ignition.