Best Time of Year to Change Domicile? - RV-Dreams Community Forum

MaryBee · RV-Dreams Family Member

Best Time of Year to Change Domicile?

R12 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Anytime will do but I prefer FL when the temps are cooler so that leaves out May thru September for me.
You will have to go there to get your drivers license so it may as well be when it's cold in the north.

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

Depending on your financial obligations and taxes.....right after the final quarter, if you have no major tax obligations and dont see filing in your original state. any time is good........check with your tax adviser, doing it at the wrong time depending on your home state could dig into your wallet!!

This is definitely a Question for your tax adviser......accountant........financial adviser........Not knowing your financial background,a simple answer could cause problems.

Also divulging your finances outside personal trusted sources(see above).....could cause problems.

wish there was a simple answer to this.......but Im sure on the right desk , the answer is simple!!

MaryBee · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks for the input.

I don't have any major tax obligations I am too worried about, my taxes are pretty simple.

We are working and staying in Louisiana for the winter so it is only a 4 hour trip to Pensacola for us.

Technomadia · RV-Dreams Family Member

We'll probably be 'moving' to Florida soon ourselves from our current domicile of SD. We're timing it for when our vehicle registrations would have come due anyway, which also happens to be while we're already in the state of FL.

All comes down to your personal plans, situation and ability to visit FL.

Howard · Host

For the most part it doesn't matter. However, several personal factors may play a role as Mike mentioned.

It may make a difference depending on which state you are changing from and whether or not you are changing from an income tax state. Personally, I hate filing "part-year resident" returns so if taxes are involved I'd like to make a clean change on Jan 1. Of course, I'm pretty anal anyway and I don't like overlaps, so I would always choose Jan 1 if at all possible. smile

It may make a difference if your health insurance is changing based on domicile. In some cases, there may be waiting periods after change of domicile before you can apply or acquire insurance since private, individual plans are still state-based.

Expiration of other vehicle registrations as Technomadia suggests may be a good time.

I'm sure there are other reasons that may make the timing matter, but I'm not thinking of any off the top of my head.

For you, it may not make any difference at all, but for someone else, personal factors/circumstances may lead to a conclusion that a certain time is better than others.

MaryBee · RV-Dreams Family Member

Good points, good points everyone.

I know I really wanted to start out Jan 1 "fresh" with my new domicile so in 2013 when I do my
tax return I don't have an overlap. That was my main focus really but....my Michigan plates don't
renew again until November 2013 (yep a whole year) so I may just decide to wait based upon that.

Michigan has a "permanent" trailer plate which I really like, no renewals on them, ever we paid $300
for that plate only 9 months ago.

It appears we are looking at a $500 bill to make the switch to Florida domicile so I really want to think
this thru so it works for us and takes the least "sting" out of my pocket book. KWIM?

RVRon · RV-Dreams Family Member

We're Florida residents and just a note about vehicle and driver's license renewals: they come due the month of your birth. Vehicles of course can be done via mail or online but the DL has to be renewed in person because of the eye test. If your birthday falls in one of the hot summer months, well... get ready to make a sweaty trip to Florida! As for taxes, of course Florida is one of the states without a state income tax so the only state to worry about as far as tax returns are concerned is the one you're coming from.

PIEERE · RV-Dreams Family Member

RV Ron: I renewed my Florida tag and DL this past July. I sent a recent eye exam report with my renewal from KY and I recieved my license with no questions asked. PIEERE

RVRon · RV-Dreams Family Member

PIEERE wrote:
RV Ron: I renewed my Florida tag and DL this past July. I sent a recent eye exam report with my renewal from KY and I recieved my license with no questions asked. PIEERE

Thanks for the update, Pieere! I didn't realize you could use an eye exam report to renew the license... that's good news!

R12 · RV-Dreams Family Member

RVRon wrote:
We're Florida residents and just a note about vehicle and driver's license renewals: they come due the month of your birth. Vehicles of course can be done via mail or online but the DL has to be renewed in person because of the eye test. If your birthday falls in one of the hot summer months, well... get ready to make a sweaty trip to Florida! As for taxes, of course Florida is one of the states without a state income tax so the only state to worry about as far as tax returns are concerned is the one you're coming from.

U.S. citizens and immigrants who have been issued a Florida driver license since 2002 may renew at their local driver license office, on-line or by mail. DL renewals come due the month of your birth but they can be renewed up to 18 months prior to expiration so you don't have to worry about being there on your B-day. Eye exams for renewal are required for those 80 years old and older.

RVRon · RV-Dreams Family Member

R12 wrote:
RVRon wrote:
We're Florida residents and just a note about vehicle and driver's license renewals: they come due the month of your birth. Vehicles of course can be done via mail or online but the DL has to be renewed in person because of the eye test. If your birthday falls in one of the hot summer months, well... get ready to make a sweaty trip to Florida! As for taxes, of course Florida is one of the states without a state income tax so the only state to worry about as far as tax returns are concerned is the one you're coming from.
U.S. citizens and immigrants who have been issued a Florida driver license since 2002 may renew at their local driver license office, on-line or by mail. DL renewals come due the month of your birth but they can be renewed up to 18 months prior to expiration so you don't have to worry about being there on your B-day. Eye exams for renewal are required for those 80 years old and older.

Thanks for the additional clarification, Paul. I was going by my own personal experience and discovered that it may be different for me since I have a CDL-A. The rules are evidently different for CDL holders in that you can't renew any other way than at a DMV office:

Non-U.S. citizens and commercial driver license holders must present proof of legal presence at a driver license office to renew.

I did a little more digging into the renewal process for regular (non-CDL) licenses and it appears that you can use the online renewal process only once. After that you need to visit an office to renew:

You must visit an office with these documents:

if you are applying for your first driver license or identification card
when your current credential expires and you have already used the one-time "convenience" renewal option
if you have changed your name since your last renewal (eg: by marriage or divorce)

If none of these apply then you can renew your license online, or by mail.

The new ID document requirement is evidently tied in with the 2009 Homeland Security regulations. Sorry to cause confusion with my original remark about renewing.

R12 · RV-Dreams Family Member

RVRon wrote:
R12 wrote:
RVRon wrote:
We're Florida residents and just a note about vehicle and driver's license renewals: they come due the month of your birth. Vehicles of course can be done via mail or online but the DL has to be renewed in person because of the eye test. If your birthday falls in one of the hot summer months, well... get ready to make a sweaty trip to Florida! As for taxes, of course Florida is one of the states without a state income tax so the only state to worry about as far as tax returns are concerned is the one you're coming from.
U.S. citizens and immigrants who have been issued a Florida driver license since 2002 may renew at their local driver license office, on-line or by mail. DL renewals come due the month of your birth but they can be renewed up to 18 months prior to expiration so you don't have to worry about being there on your B-day. Eye exams for renewal are required for those 80 years old and older.
Thanks for the additional clarification, Paul. I was going by my own personal experience and discovered that it may be different for me since I have a CDL-A. The rules are evidently different for CDL holders in that you can't renew any other way than at a DMV office:
Non-U.S. citizens and commercial driver license holders must present proof of legal presence at a driver license office to renew.
I did a little more digging into the renewal process for regular (non-CDL) licenses and it appears that you can use the online renewal process only once. After that you need to visit an office to renew:
You must visit an office with these documents:
if you are applying for your first driver license or identification card
when your current credential expires and you have already used the one-time "convenience" renewal option
if you have changed your name since your last renewal (eg: by marriage or divorce)
If none of these apply then you can renew your license online, or by mail.
The new ID document requirement is evidently tied in with the 2009 Homeland Security regulations. Sorry to cause confusion with my original remark about renewing.

The license is good for 8 years so once online for renewal gets you 16 years before you have to show up. Not too bad.

I have a CDL-A also and to have a address change has to be in person. And it's supposed to be within 10 days of moving. I "moved" from Sarasota to Crestview for the mailing service last July and I haven't been close to FL since. Probably Won't get there 'til March!