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Full-time RVing and License, Taxes and
Insurance
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Fulltime RVers also need to know about vehicle and
drivers license requirements
This may be a difficult topic for you. You’re going to have to select a home base
for such things as vehicle and RV licensing, drivers license, voter registration,
insurance and income taxes. It will be state laws, not your personal choice, that dictate
in which state you are deemed to be a legal resident.
There are a lot of issues involved and it will require some research and thinking on your
part. Also, there is not a correct, one size fits all, answer for you. There are some
tables you can refer to in the resources section of this website to help you make your
decision.
Having said all the above, here is a specific recommendation: Once you have made your
decision on a home base, set up all of your registrations in that state. Here are some of
the issues you need to consider:
Do you intend to vote? In some states, there is a certain period that you have to maintain
residency in order to vote. You may be required to have an actual physical address in some
states while others may only require a street address. Can you register by mail to vote in
your chosen state?
What are the costs of vehicle registration? This can vary wildly by state. You may have to
physically return to the same state each year for vehicle inspection. You may find
yourself traveling to your home state in the middle of a winter blizzard to get a vehicle
inspection if you don’t plan properly. Some states don't require a vehicle
inspection. Most states allow annual registration renewal by mail.
When you bring your vehicle and RV into a state for a first-time registration, do they
have any special surcharges, fees or taxes? The answer can sometimes be shocking. When we
moved to Florida in 1993, their surcharge for out-of-state vehicles being newly registered
was a major financial problem for people with newer vehicles.
Does the state you’re interested in have personal property taxes? This can have the
unintentional effect of adding hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars in ad valorem or
property taxes to your financial burden.
What about state income tax rates? Sales taxes? Some states charge sales taxes on
groceries. You may not pay income tax in one state, but find that like in Florida, the
value of your investments is taxed.
Insurance is another complex issue. Will your liability insurance cover you if you have an
accident in another state? Will your health insurance cover you in a different state?
Can you renew your driver’s license by mail? You need to think about these things in
advance.
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