South Dakota Bill Jeopardizes RVers’ Domicile

[Grumpy]

The tax shelter many have enjoyed via South Dakota may soon be ending.

From RV Business:

South Dakota has long been recognized as a haven for full-time RVers. With no state income tax, low fees on vehicle registration and other privileges, many RVers from other states have “set up shop” with one of the state’s many private mailbox services to officially establish residency there. But proposed legislation, if passed, will likely end such benefits for both existing and future full-timers.

https://rvbusiness.com/south-dakota-...voting-rights/

[norty1]

I wonder what other options those affected by this bill, if passed, will have? Texas, Florida?

I have met many on the road who will be affected but have not heard an estimate of how many will be affedted.

[ARoamer]

Interesting. We have met quite a few full timers who use that advantage.

[TaftCoach]

I'm wondering where the state believes they should register.

We love Winter Texans! Come on down y'all

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by TaftCoach

I'm wondering where the state believes they should register.

We love Winter Texans! Come on down y'all

In their home states. Many just use SD as where they register the rig. I know several people who live in NY and have SD tags on their MH's.

Escapees Club, which is based in TX, offers domicile, registration, mail forwarding and the tax breaks for full timers,

[TaftCoach]

I understand those situations. I know of a few SD and Montana registrations for folks owning property in other states. I'm thinking about full timers without a home base. If every state followed their lead it would get interesting. A citizen can't go "state less" but if no state accepts them??

[RPR]

States could use the address full timers without a “home base” put on the federal tax forms as their declared state of residence. The

[Brownie]

When I sold the stick & brick home in Michigan and became a full-timer, I hired a mail forwarding service near Grand Rapids (MI) so I could get my mail. After I changed the address on my drivers' license, I got a letter from the state saying that Michigan requires a "full-time residential address" on a driver's license, and the address I'd given them was a "business address". The letter went on to say that if I didn't provide them with my "full-time residential address" within 30 days, they'd cancel my license. I wrote a letter to the Secretary of State's office explaining my situation. They sent me another letter cancelling my license! After talking with other full-timers and doing a lot of online research, I decided to declare residency (domicile) in South Dakota. I suspect most full-timers who register in SD do so for similar reasons.

Over the years, I've learned that this issue gets proposed in the state legislature every couple of years or so. It seems that some SD residents don't like "out-of-staters" deciding issues in their local elections. I have to say, I agree with them! That's why I've only voted (absentee ballot) in presidential elections. I hope to keep doing so! I hope this issue dies in committee - as it has in the past. But if South Dakota decides it doesn't want the revenue of the tens-of-thousands of us "full-timers" who call SD home - from our vehicle/RV registrations, driver's license fees, and the money we spend when we return there to renew our driver's licenses - then I'll switch my domicile to Texas (where I spend the winter).

I guess we will all have to wait and see.

[SmokerBill]

When I was houseless and full timing I used a friend's address as my home address for several years, and then when my son bought a house, I used his address. It worked out well, though I guess it was technically "illegal".

Never got caught, so I guess that's what matters.

[RPR]

Nothing illegal about living with your son and traveling a lot.��