RV Travel: Best states to establish residency for RV Travelers and concerns about Montana

State Residency for RV Travelers

Are you a full timer? Thinking about where to establish residency? I was there in 2011 when I was first readying to “hit the road.” In this article, we’re going to talk about three states most travelers agree upon as favorable to establish residency within, and one that may not be a great choice.

Dan from “I Allegedly” on YouTube recently issued a warning about Montana

Dan from I Allegedly is someone I follow on a regular basis. No, he’s not an RV traveler, but he’s a very smart guy, knows a lot of people and has lots of insight into many issues. In a recent video HERE, Dan addressed the issue of why Montana is desirable in some folk’s view to register their vehicles – and – how they may very well be creating problems for themselves in their home state.

Montana has become a bit of a lightning rod as there is no sales tax and registration fees for vehicles (including RV’s) are quite low. Again, Dan’s focus was not on RV’ing and RV’ers, but as I listened, it prompted me to speak up on a topic that is quite important to travelers.

Since Montana doesn’t charge sales tax and registration fees are minimal, more and more folks are trying to get around their “home state’s” fees and they register their vehicles in Montana. As operating funds tighten in each state, more and more states are starting to scrutinize out of state plates that seem to never leave – especially Montana plates.

Authorities are aware that there are now about THREE TIMES the number of registered vehicles in Montana than there are residents! This is a statistic shared by Dan in his video (linked above.) It’s very likely that Dan did not add in the number of RV’s (both motorhomes and towables) that have been registered in Montana, but I’m confident it’s a disproportionately large number when compared to Montana’s population.

Again – the “rub” here is more and more states are “wise” to WHY people are doing this!

It has become enough of an issue, that I felt it was time to put a quick post together to address this practice. Are there SAFER and MORE ACCEPTED alternatives?

YES! Read on…

State Residency for RV Travelers: Full Time RV’ers tend to recommend Florida, Texas and South Dakota

Some states WELCOME RV’ers (and travelers in general.) They make it easy to establish residency and create a legal address – even if you own zero property in their state.

In my case, I established a legal “PMB” (Postal Mail Box) with Americas Mailbox in Box Elder, SD in 2011. I’ve remained ever since. I’m quite happy with their level of service. They guided me on how to get South Dakota residency (very easy) and from then on, I’ve used them primarily as a mail forwarding service. Incidentally, if you do opt for Americas Mailbox, please DO tell them “Box 3847” sent you!

Another big player in the mail forwarding and legal address world is the Escapees RV Club. With Escapees, you can establish residency in either Florida, Texas or South Dakota. They will guide you through the process.

Residency for RV Travelers – Why Florida, Texas and South Dakota?

These three states (in general) are warmer to travelers establishing residency than most others. All three are among the few that do not have a state income tax. Further, all three do not require annual vehicle inspections.

Additional considerations include insurance rates, tax laws when it comes to leaving estates to heirs, and health insurance availability.

I chose South Dakota, why?

For me, it was a simple dollars and cents decision. I was actually a Florida resident at the time in 2011, but opted for South Dakota. Why? I was purchasing a truck and a trailer and the sales tax on vehicles was (and still is) 4%. While this is LOW compared to most other states (though not all), its at least SOMETHING! Hence, red flags like Montana? Not so much!

South Dakota requires a minimal physical presence to establish and retain residency. Spend just one night in a campground or hotel room, bring the receipt to the DMV along with proof of a PMB (postal mail box), and you’ll be issued a drivers license on the spot. No exam required if you currently have a valid license in any other state.

Once that’s accomplished, present yourself once every five years (again after an overnight stay) and you can renew your drivers license.

South Dakota has made some changes of late, however I believe its mostly to protect their local voting systems. Simply put, they do not want travelers having a say on local issues that they frankly have no stake in. There has been no effort (to my knowledge) to limit voting on national elections. The mail forwarding companies (including Americas Mailbox) have been following developments and acting as advocates for their (tens of thousands) of mail forwarding customers/members.

But what about Montana

Its that “sales tax thing” (I believe) along with very low registration fees that gets other states in a tizzy and makes them want to go after those driving Montana plates – especially in states relatively nearby. Realize that while you will save money on sales tax and registration fees, Montana is NOT a zero income tax state and the LLC you create is typically NOT free to create and often requires an annual fee to maintain it.

If you elect to purchase land in Montana, be sure to know the laws and residency requirements and my advice is to FOLLOW THEM!

Did you know that 11 States have approved GOLD as legal tender?

Have you heard about Goldbacks? Goldbacks are a VERY “fungible” (exchangeable) form of Gold. They literally look like a “bill” (see video below) and can be used for regular purchases. There’s also a market for buying and selling them. They have risen in value as Gold has increased its spot price.

To learn more about Goldbacks and perhaps purchase some, go HERE to my preferred vendor. I keep a stash on hand for the day when the greenback crashes.

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Lot’s to anticipate here at RV Across America… upcoming posts

Ski season is over. I’m traveling, but I take time to share as I visit all kinds of destinations. When it comes to upcoming posts, here’s whats coming…

• RV Purchase pitfalls – what CAN and DID go wrong for this one unfortunate fellow – and what we can learn!
• A BIG RV lawsuit – it could be landmark – and as always, my thoughts shared.
• Bryce Canyon National Park – a pictorial and video essay! Don’t miss it
• The San Rafael Swell – revisited – this time with my travel bud Isaac. We visited sites I missed the first time and more. INCLUDING… an alternate site to NORAD, petroglyphs, little horse canyon, more goblins (state park), and a few unexpected hikes that added to the overall experience!
• Recent experiences in Nevada including a National Wildlife Refuge OASIS in the desert; Slot Canyons you can barely fit through; the most gun-slinging town in all of Nevada (at one time); a HAUNTED Hotel and Highschool in Goldfield (and probably more!)

Oh, and need RV Accessories? It IS the season after all! These are priced right and time tested (by me)…