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Full-time RVing proof of residence?

OregonMan
Explorer
Explorer
Hi guys so I moved out of my apartment in Portland Oregon in June of this year. Now I'm doing the full-time RV life and enjoying it but need to make a correction to my driver's license. Problem is I do not have a street address for a place of residence now. I do own a parcel of land in Oregon but it does not have a street address technically, it's listed as Block 13, Lot 5 and it's part of a HOA and the land is zoned residential and it's buildable. Is it possible to use my parcel of land as the residential address on my driver's license?

If not, I've heard of another option that full-time RVers can use but forget the term for it... something about establishing a permanent residency in the state of Oregon but still being a full-time RVer?

Really appreciate any info on this, there must be a way to do this without having to rent out another apartment or house... right? I sure hope so because I'm planning on traveling for the rest of the year. Thanks for any help here.
16 REPLIES 16

LMHS
Explorer II
Explorer II
Grit dog wrote:

A bit of good cautionary experience here....but hard to read between the off topic and Barbara Streisand to be of any use, especially to the OP who probably has no ties to either NM or TN.


So sorry. I'll try to delete my post.

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
LMHS wrote:
I currently use SBI out of FL. I'm in NM. The FL address makes my bank (Schwab) and the Feds happy. When it came time to renew my TN drivers license (it expired and I didn't realize it), I got stuck with a NM driver's license because I was working at Home Depot. One of my lovely co-workers had a city cop for a son and she told him so I got pulled over 3 times at 3:30AM on my way to work (initially because I only had two lights in my 3rd brake light when I "should" have three lights - I now leave the cover off my third brake light so I can point out that I only have two lights). I used my RV park address as my residence. I also had to provide an inch stack of papers to prove my identity and my husband's (because I used my marriage certificate as proof of identity. Took 3 days to get a license in my current town. My daughter called TN to get a new driver's license. At that time we thought we were going to make it back to TN in a few months (took years).

Most states will want you to show up in person periodically to update your photo.

We have found that working in NM, who has income taxes, with an out-of-state driver's license, means my daughter ends up paying taxes as "out-of-state" (aka double the rate of "in-state"). NM requires a driver's license number to be used as "proof of residence" when filing a return.

My NM driver's license is using the address of the current RV park I live in. All our vehicles that my daughter (TN DL) and I (NM DL) have, are tagged in NM with both names on the title as co-owners. I have NM driver's license so they can be tagged/titled in NM.

After the Patriot Act went into effect, things changed a lot. Some folks got lucky and could continue what they were doing because they never changed anything. I got hung up because my first mail forwarding company in TN went out of business while we were in TX (and never told us) and had to get a new mail forwarding company (NOT Escapees!)

Be careful where you choose for a "residence". They will likely want to have you show up in person at some point. A lot of the info found on forums is no longer valid.


A bit of good cautionary experience here....but hard to read between the off topic and Barbara Streisand to be of any use, especially to the OP who probably has no ties to either NM or TN.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5โ€ turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

LMHS
Explorer II
Explorer II
Deleted as it was "off topic"

DC_MC
Explorer III
Explorer III
We were Oregon also when we went full time. Had a P.O. Box with Postal Connections in Stayton. That gave us an official address and they would forward mail to us wherever we were. Our drivers licenses said Continuous Traveler and listed out Postal connections address.
2006 Mandalay 40E motorcoach
2017 Ram PU
2017 Harley Road King
Home base Yuma AZ

bdpreece
Explorer II
Explorer II
When we went full time in Oregon the DMV listed us as Continuous Travelers on our drivers licenses. We have a mail forwarding service out of Tangent Oregon that also provides us with an address for tax & insurance purposes and is outside the DEQ area so no smog inspection. CA Traveler already provided the link.
Brian, Loretta & Daisy (Golden Retriever)

2008 Holiday Rambler Endeavor PDQ40
2014 Ford Explorer toad

CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Explorer III
Maybe this https://mailforwardingservices.com/
2009 Holiday Rambler 42' Scepter with ISL 400 Cummins
750 Watts Solar Morningstar MPPT 60 Controller
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland

Bob

CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Explorer III
Have you used your property tax bill with the DMV or OR govt to establish your new address? Perhaps it's the HOA address, nearby town, etc.

Use caution before using another state as you have that states taxes and requirements and you become a non resident of OR. ie Vehicles, fees, state taxes, jury duty, insurance, etc. Pros and cons to changing your state just understand the options.
2009 Holiday Rambler 42' Scepter with ISL 400 Cummins
750 Watts Solar Morningstar MPPT 60 Controller
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland

Bob

johnhicks
Explorer
Explorer
UPS Store address is generally not acceptable for domicile or for banking etc.
-jbh-

enblethen
Nomad
Nomad
Check with your local UPS store. They have mail forwarding and a physical address.

Bud
USAF Retired
Pace Arrow


2003 Chev Ice Road Tracker

Lwiddis
Explorer II
Explorer II
Has the Oregon DMV been helpful?
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AH Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad

agesilaus
Explorer III
Explorer III
`1. Get a mail service in either Florida, South Dakota or Texas. Those are the states with no income tax.
2. Get Drivers License, Voter Registration and Tags in that state. The mailing service will guide you thru the process.
3. All done
You will have to travel to that state to complete the initial process.
Arctic Fox 25Y Travel Trailer
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Straightline dual cam hitch
400W Solar with Victron controller
Superbumper

johnhicks
Explorer
Explorer
Escapees.com
Sbimailservice.com
-jbh-

Second_Chance
Explorer II
Explorer II
The Escapees RV Club offers domicile and mail services. Their main hub is in Texas, but you can get addresses in Florida and South Dakota, as well (the three most common states used by full-time RVers). Search for "Escapees RV Club domicile" and read their educational materials on the subject. There's more to it than a physical address if you want to avoid legal trouble down the road.

Rob
U.S. Army retired
2020 Solitude 310GK-R
MORryde IS, disc brakes, solar, DP windows
(Previously in a Reflection 337RLS)
2012 F350 CC DRW Lariat 6.7
Full-time since 8/2015

wa8yxm
Explorer III
Explorer III
valhalla360 wrote:

The conversation at the Michigan Sec of State (DMV) when something like this:
- What's your address? We don't have one.
- Where are you living? On our boat.
- Where is the boat? In XYZ marina.
- Well, use the marina address. But we are leaving that marina next week.
- Well, use the next marina. But we will only be there a few days.
- Can we use our PO Box? You can't live at the post office, so no.
- Do you have family who will let you use their address?...

Net result, we technically lived with my parents for several years and when they passed, we technically live with my sister. Not sure how legit it is but it's worked for about 15yrs.


Also from Michigan.. only difference is I did not reside at my Sister's... Nope.. Brother's ๐Ÿ™‚

I'd have gone with my Daughter's but she does not reside in MI.
Home was where I park it. but alas the.
2005 Damon Intruder 377 Alas declared a total loss
after a semi "nicked" it. Still have the radios
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