Let me introduce myself. I am a law partner in the firm of Loring & Associates. My law partner, Shawn Loring, is also CEO of Escapees. Our firm concentrates on matters important to the fulltime RVers. One of the most important areas of concern is “Domicile”. When you live in an RV fulltime, what is your domicile and who cares? How does one decide which is best
Are my only options South Dakota, Texas, or Florida?
The answer is “NO!” Though many RVers choose one of these three states for their domicile, these are not the only states available to you. Do not think that your choices for domicile are limited to Texas, South Dakota and Florida. First, you must be very clear about the places you see yourself returning to on a regular basis.
What exactly does “domicile” mean?
Domicile has been defined as the place you “intend to call home.” Since you are living in an RV and roaming freely, you may think you don’t want to call any place “home.” That’s fine, as long as:
- You don’t need a driver license;
- you don’t want to vote;
- you don’t need any health insurance;
- you don’t need vehicle insurance;
- you don’t need a bank account; and
- you aren’t planning on filing any income tax returns…
to name just a few reasons why you must have a domicile, some place you “intend to call home.”
So how do I choose the best state?
Start with where you are. This week I got one of the best calls I could have received. A couple called to say they were RVers fulltime. They had been told by eager fulltime RVers that they needed to decide which state they wanted to call home: Texas, South Dakota or Florida.
But then they watched the Facebook Live presentation that my law partner, Shawn Loring, and I made about a month ago. In that presentation, they learned that first you need to look at where you were spending your time. They realized that at least six months of the year they will be in Arizona. They have an address to use in Arizona. Arizona is where they intend to call home. I was thrilled! That’s exactly what you should first ask, “where do we see as the anchor, the place we go back to on a regular basis? Maybe it’s where your kids live. Maybe it’s where you have friends, or doctors, or parents or real estate.
Download these free Domicile Guides and Checklists to help you decide where to Domicile!
Texas Domicile Guide
Florida Domicile Guide
South Dakota Domicile Guide
What if you don’t have an address anywhere that you can use?
Then you may want to choose one of the easier states to establish domicile—Texas, South Dakota, or Florida.
- Texas—If you choose Texas, first come visit the state and see if it’s a place you can return to on a regular basis. This would be where you would come to see doctors, lawyers, accountants. This is where you would have bank accounts. This is where you would vote. If you join Escapees in Texas, your new address would be Livingston, Texas. When you die, this is where your Will would be probated. Ready to “move” to Texas? Take a look at the Ten Commandments of Texas Domicile to start planning!
- Florida—If you choose Florida, first go visit Florida. The same reasoning applies: This would be where you would come to see doctors, lawyers, accountants. This is where you would have bank accounts. This is where you would vote. If you join Escapees in Florida, your new address would be Bushnell, Florida. When you die, this is where your Will would be probated.
- South Dakota – If you choose South Dakota, first go visit South Dakota. The same reasoning applies there as well: This would be where you would come to see doctors, lawyers, accountants. This is where you would have bank accounts. This is where you would vote. If you join Escapees in South Dakota, your new address would be Box Elder, South Dakota. When you die, this is where your Will would be probated.
Why South Dakota?
When first considering which of these three states would be best, many RVers gravitate towards South Dakota for the following reasons. Before you find yourself in the same position, consider these three points:
- Because I don’t have to go back for 5 years.
Someone calls and says they are choosing South Dakota as their new home.
“Why?” I ask.
“Because once I make it my home, I don’t have to go back for five years.”Now, that is true, under the South Dakota rules, you don’t have to return each year to register your vehicle. Florida and Texas command that you return on a more regular basis. But there’s another problem with this answer…
If you “don’t have to go back for five years” how will you prove it’s your domicile? Domicile is defined as that place you “intend to call home.” Let’s say your old state was Minnesota. When they learn that you are now calling South Dakota home, the Minnesota taxing authorities write you a letter and say, “we don’t believe you really moved, prove it.”
You have the burden of proof. Your proof is that you have nothing left in Minnesota, you sold your house and you left. But then they ask you to prove that you are now situated in South Dakota. You haven’t been back to that South Dakota since you first went there to register your vehicles and obtain your new dirver license. In that case, you may end up owing Minnesota back taxes and penalties as the Sanchez family did in the case on this very issue. See the case: Sanchez v. Comm. of Revenue, 770 N.W. 2nd 523 (Minn. 2009).
- Because there’s only a 4% sales tax.
I also get this call. Someone chooses South Dakota because the sales tax is only 4%. In Texas and Florida, it’s higher. That’s fine. I then ask the usual questions.
“Have you ever been to South Dakota?” Usually there’s a long silence.
“Do you plan to spend time in South Dakota?” Usually they express the idea that they are free, they live in their RV, they don’t want to be tied down.
Then I say, “OK, where can you see yourself returning to on a regular basis?” The answer is usually NOT South Dakota. Occasionally, I talk to someone who really is attached to the state. One woman told me she thought her great-great-grandfather fought at Wounded Knee and she was spiritually drawn to the state. That made sense. Another person told me her daughter lived in South Dakota, but even her daughter questioned whether her mom should really call it “home.”
Does South Dakota still sound appealing? Check out our guide on the advantages of a South Dakota domicile.
Which State is the Best State for Domicile?
We often are asked this question. “Just tell us where we should domicile.” As much as we wish there was a magic formula to use to answer this question, there isn’t one. This is a personal question. It depends on you, your lifestyle, your family. However, there are factors to consider when making this decision. We recommend that before you choose a new state for domicile, create a spreadsheet with everything you are now receiving that is state-specific, including such factors as sales tax, personal property tax, income tax, health insurance, vehicle insurance, all such factors and then compare it to those costs in other states. Sometimes the benefits you get from health insurance, for example, far outweigh the price you pay in income tax. Here are factors to consider.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Your Domicile State
- Ease of Dealing with the state. One of the factors to consider is how easy is it to deal with this new state you are calling home.
For example, how easy is it to register your vehicles? How easy is it to obtain a driver license? What about voting absentee. One of the obligations of domicile is jury duty. In some counties, if you are under a certain age, you will be summoned for jury duty. You may be able to claim that you are unavailable once, but the next time you will be mandated to appear. Because Livingston, Texas has been the headquarters of Escapees for so long, the district clerk’s office works with fulltime RVers to accommodate the lifestyle. The district clerk asks that you notify the court when you might be in the area so that they can put you on a jury panel.
Other ease-of-dealing-with-the-state issues include how accessible are medical professionals and what about the conceal and carry laws.
- Know About the Local Taxes. There are seven states without income tax. They are Alaska, Florida, Nevada, Texas, Wyoming, Washington and South Dakota. Two states, Tennessee and New Hampshire collect income tax on interest and dividends, but not wages and salaries.
There are also five states that do not collect sales tax: Alaska, Montana, Delaware, New Hampshire and Oregon. Even though Alaska doesn’t collect sales tax, the counties of Alaska can collect sales tax and they do. So that needs to be explored.
There are also state inheritance, gift and estate taxes. These have changed somewhat lately, but also differ greatly from state to state, so please explore this before choosing that new state of domicile.
- Know How Your Assets will be Protected and Your Vehicles and Your Health will be insured. Every state differs in terms of health insurance, vehicle insurance and asset protection. You may have a very good Blue Cross Blue Shield program in, say, Virginia, but when you change your domicile to South Dakota, under their Blue Cross Blue Shield program you may find you have much less coverage at a higher price.
The same is also true for your vehicle. Before choosing a new state for domicile, find out exactly what you now pay for your vehicle insurance and then explore what that same coverage will cost in the state where you might domicile. Sometimes, registration of your vehicle is less, but insurance is greater.
For asset protection, you should determine whether there are good retirement plans available in that state and explore whether the state is a community property state, is personal property exempted. What about homestead exemptions, will they affect you? All of these factors will help you determine the best place to “call home.”
Staking Your Domicile Claim
Domicile is certainly an evolving area of law. The good news: not too long ago a person read one of our Domicile articles after receiving a letter from the California taxing authorities claiming that he was still domiciled in California when he had “moved” to Texas. He responded to the letter by claiming that he lived in Texas and then showing that he now had his vehicles registered in Texas, his driver license in Texas, he voted in Texas, he had his doctors in Texas, he joined the local clubs, etc. In sum, he did it, he did what was necessary to become a Texan and to no longer be a Californian. The California taxing authorities agreed with his analysis.
I sincerely hope this helps guide you in determining the most appropriate state for your domicile claim! When you’re ready to take the leap, you may find our Ultimate Guide to Establishing Domicile as an RVer helpful as you plan your next steps. If you find you have more detailed questions about your specific situation, reach out to us at Loring & Associates for a consultation.
Author
K. Susie Adams SKP #134068
K. Susie Adams has been a lawyer for over 30 years, spending 15 of those years working as a trial lawyer. She also taught legal writing at the University of Houston Law School. From 2011–2016, she was executive director of Childrenz Haven, the Child Advocacy Center of Polk County, Texas. Susie and her husband, James Frost, reside in Livingston, Texas.
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20 Responses
We are considering living fulltime in a Class A.
We have been renters and will give up our place when we move into an rv fulltime. We live in California and I love my health insurance but not the taxes, vehicle registration fees, auto insurance etc. What do we do?????
The recommendation we hear most for those in your situation is this:
Think about where you would want to return to once you’ve decided to stop RVing. To strengthen your domicile claim, you will need to establish professional relationships in addition to moving things like your licenses, registration, and insurance. For some, this means finding medical professionals in your desired state of domicile to whom you return when you’re in the area. For others, this may mean joining an organization (such as a religious, volunteer, or professional organization) with whom you can stay in touch while on the road. You also need to think about where you will want to visit on occasion- do you see yourself going back to that state to visit once you make your domicile claim? Answering these questions for each of the states you’re considering can help you figure out where will be the best place for you to domicile.
There are so many variables to consider that it can feel overwhelming. If you still aren’t sure what to do, we recommend reaching out to an attorney who specializes in domicile and the needs of RVers to get their input. They won’t likely tell you where to stake your claim, but they can help you work through your questions and better understand your options.
Hello, I am strongly leaning towards Texas as my domicile (from California), however, after reading the mail program and such by Escapees, it brings up a few questions. My mailing address as part of Escapees would be Livingston, TX, however, I have closer ties to Austin. When it talks about local ties, community, doctors, dentists, etc, I consider Austin as my home and the place I would return to. Can this be done, even with a Livingston, TX address? Thank you.
We are already Florida residents (since 2013). We are in the process of selling our home, our permanent residence, and will be full-timing in our RV only. It appears continuing to be FL residents makes sense. What steps would need to be taken to accomplish this through Escapees? Would we have a FL residence address? Would that be a street address?
We will be setting up mail service–will our mailing & residence be the same?
Hi Kathy!
We have a handy guide on our website that walks you through the steps to sign up for our Florida mail service https://escapees.com/education/domicile/florida/
To answer your other questions, yes you would have a street address at our Sumter Oaks park in Bushnell, FL. However, to minimize your costs, you would also be assigned a mailing address at our headquarters in Livingston, TX. All state-required mail (registration, license, etc) would be mailed to your FL address then forwarded to our TX facility for sorting and storage until you’re ready to have it forwarded to you. There is a per-item fee for items forwarded from FL to TX.
All other mail, including personal letters/cards, bills, etc, should be sent directly to your TX address to avoid those fees.
If you have further questions not answered on our website, we recommend you reach out to our Member Services Team at 936-327-8873.
Hello, this has been helpful so far. I am trying to figure out my situation as well. My current address is in CA, however, since the pendemic i’ve been working remotely not in CA. I am giving up my CA rental in one month and going full time in a van. If i buy the Van now, i will have to pay CA sales tax and register it in CA, even though i am not going to have a CA address in a month. It doesn’t seem to make much sense to do that if i don’t plan on staying in CA. But i need to buy the Van before i move, because i will need it to live in. I’m also paying state income tax for CA, even though i’m working remotely. How could I handle this situation most efficiently?
If you find you have more detailed questions about your specific situation, reach out to Susie at Loring & Associates for a consultation. http://www.loringlaw.com/
I currently live in PA but planning to move to Mexico for retirement. I’m a renter and considering setting up residency in South Dakota. If I live full time in Mexico how does that affect domiciling in SD. Will PA come after me for residency?
Same question as Stuart T! If we choose Livingston but visit other areas in Texas and spend time in them as we roam the country, does that show domicile/intention?
Why wouldn’t someone just get mail forwarding in whatever state allowed online vehicle registration and drivers license renewals if their needs were minimal? My income is going to be very low, I don’t need to vote, and I can bank online. What am I missing here?
There are many variables that affect where those without a permanent address choose to set up mail forwarding and/or domicile. You may not choose to vote, but retaining that ability is important for others. Their choices for health insurance, auto insurance, etc are also affected by where they establish domicile, so they take that into consideration.
If you don’t need any of those things, then yes, your options are much simpler to figure out. 🙂
I’m considering a few states for possible domicile. Aside from licensing and vehicle registration, my big obstacle is insurance. In almost every state, the insurance companies ask for the place where is vehicle is regularly garaged…no PO boxes or private mail boxes allowed. Their response to me is that just because the state may register the vehicle, does not mean they have to insure it. So, how do I get around that insurance issue?
Can I keep my domicile in Virginia an still use your mail service say in Florida
Hi Russ!
Yep! You can still use our mail forwarding service to handle your mail, even if you aren’t using that address to establish a domicile claim. However, if you aren’t using the address for domicile, we recommend you use our Texas mail service, as it will be much easier for you. Because all mail is ultimately sorted and sent from our Texas facility, it is more efficient to use one of our Texas addresses and avoid the slight delay that comes with using our Florida or South Dakota locations.
I am currently a FL resident with my house selling this month. It should be fairly simple and painless to move over Drivers license, vehicle registration and voting registration? I also have a LLC, I would be able to move that over to the physical address in FL as well with no issue? My CPA advised that it is best to keep my LLC registered in FL. I travel 70% of the year for work with said LLC. Any insight is greatly appreciated.
We recommend you speak with a legal professional regarding the specifics of your situation. From the article above:
“When you’re ready to take the leap, you may find our Ultimate Guide to Establishing Domicile as an RVer helpful as you plan your next steps. If you find you have more detailed questions about your specific situation, reach out to us at Loring & Associates for a consultation.”
I was using my parents’ address in SC as my domicile. They surprised me last month by moving. (Truly, I had no idea they would leave and go to Arkansas.) I’m now in a bind that I’m across the country with an vehicle, trailer, and driver’s license all registered to an address that no longer is mine in SC. I don’t really have friends or family in any of these states, and since I’m only in my 40s, I’m not really thinking about were I want to ultimately settle or where my Will is going to be in probate. I’m also not in a position to drive across country to SD, TX, or FL. Any adivce?
Especially if you have children and want to road-school them while doing full time rving, Texas would be the best out of the top three in this situation. Texas has hardly any regulations for homeschooling and is the least restrictive on homeschooling and there are no notification requirements and no testing and portfolio requirements as well as no education requirements for homeschooling parents. Also, Texas is doing away with annual vehicle inspections as well too starting 2025.
Does the Business mail forwarding plan also provide Registered Agent services?
Hello Chris. Thanks for asking. No, we do not provide Registered Agent services.