Driver's License, Mail, Etc Your Opinion

[RV-Hopeful]

My DL expires in 2017, I was thinking about doing an early renew so I could use my current address and renew for the max of 8 yrs. Is that a good idea or does it really matter?  

I'm not sure where I'm going to finally "domicile" and in the short term I'm thinking about using UPS Mail Boxes Etc (3 mos min @ $20/mo) for street address for all other required stationary addresses here in Albuquerque.  They do mail forwarding as well, but I don't really GET mail as most of my stuff is done on-line or auto deducted from bank, etc.

Honestly, I'm not sure what the next step is.  As usual, I think I may have but the cart (rv) before the horse ... 

Chuckle, I'm still in the house (until mid-June) and I'm not even in full possession of the rv yet as the bank is still working on paperwork, but want as many things in place as can be ... spreading the financial impact out so I'm not hit all at once.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[RV-Hopeful]

Dumb questions. Chuckle. Um, could we delete this thread?

 

[akrvbob]

I'll delete it if you want, but I think it is a very good question! If I were you I would renew early while it is easy. Be sure to get a DL that is compliant with Real ID. It will have a gold star and this year will be required to get on an airliner in the US. Requirements for it are stricter and harder so do it while it is easy.

Do you have a passport? I would also do that while it is easy.

You can get cheaper and better mail forwarding than the UPS store. Here is a Google search, you have many choices:
https://www.google.com/search?q=mai...=chrome&ie=UTF-8#q=mail+forwarder+albuquerque
Bob

 

[RV-Hopeful]

Thanks Bob, well if you think it's a good question then leave it. Sometimes I'm timid and then when I post a question I feel sorta dumb! Chuckle. Right now I'm pretty scared too. This is what I want in my heart, but I do have some fear about it all...this too shall pass tho. I've never let fear stop me, but it's still there. I won't so much need a mail forwarding place as a physical address, most of my things are handled online, but a less expensive physical address until I figure out all the "stuff" about being mobile would be great.

I do have a passport, I'll check the expiration date, I hadn't thought of that.

Thanks for the link!
Many blessings

 

[WheelEstate USA]

I think we all started out with a certain amount of trepidation....certainly with many questions.

 

[RV-Hopeful]

I think we all started out with a certain amount of trepidation....certainly with many questions.

You know, I've always thought I should just KNOW stuff, been that way my entire life.  By osmosis from reading blogs, forums, youtube, instructions, others experiences ...  so POOF I should have it all down.

This time tho, it's much harder and I can't express how much I appreciate all, I mean ALL the support this forum and it's participants have given me since I decided to do this just a short 5 months ago.

Thanks ya'll
RV-Hopeful soon to become Wing-n-a-Prayer!

 

[vagari]

Many will scan your mail and email you. I pay $15 a month for such service. I rarely get mail and do financial things online.

 

[VanKitten]

I just bit the bullet and got a mail service and domicile

After years of never getting mail, and moving around all the time...changing license, changing registrations...only to move again.....

I decided on Florida. No income tax, no annual inspections, renew by mail, etc

So. I looked at what RVEscape had to offer. While they have Florida domicile, they use a mail service in Texas...so, I would have to pay extra to have my mail sent from Florida to Texas and then forwarded to me...makes no sense.

There are several businesses in Florida that provide mail service and domicile. Some require you to have the RV...not a van DIY conversion....so I went with Home Base. It was really simple. And because I rarely get any first class mail...the actual cost to me has been less than $5 a month

 

[RV-Hopeful]

Thanks VanKitten! That's great information!

 

[Richard]

I just bit the bullet and got a mail service and domicile

I've been looking at mail services, but didn't know to consider domicile. Thanks for mentioning it!

I found an article online that's helping me sort-through some of the things to consider and thought it might help RV-Hopeful, too. The article was originally authored in 2012, but got an update in 2015. Even so, it mentions the importance of staying up-to-date on the facts/research:

"Obviously, this can be a very complex decision with a lot of variables that you’ll have to weigh. We sum up a few of the top reasons South Dakota, Texas and Florida are frequent choices of full-timers below – but this sort of information can quickly become outdated. For sure, do your research and be careful where you get your research."

With that in mind, here's the link: Picking a Domicile State, Getting Mail & Voting as a Nomad

I'm still weighing the options so I have yet to choose the state where I'll domicile. Hope this helps!