Looking for Residency Info, Experience, and Suggestions for TX, NC, and OR

[KatnCarl]

<span style="line-height: 20px;">Hey All,</span><br style="line-height: 20px;"><br style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Kat and I are considering a move to either Austin, Texas, Durham, North Carolina, or Portland, Oregon. Anyone have any experience or info about Driver's&nbsp;License, Vehicle inspections, or&nbsp;address requirements for these states would be helpful!&nbsp;</span><br style="line-height: 20px;"><br style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Thanks!</span><br style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Carl</span>

 

[blars]

Oregon requires smog checks in some counties/cities, but not all.&nbsp; So it may be better to establish residency in somewhere small rather than Portland.&nbsp; You do need proof of residency to get your drivers licence, mail addressed to you there suffices.&nbsp; Once you have established Oregon residency, you can get your drivers licence changed to "Continuous traveler".

 

[KatnCarl]

Right on. Thanks Blars!

 

[ice_maiden]

austin is going to be about the same as Portland... smog checks in counties with the larger cities like austin, houston DFW San antonio, etc. Not some much in places with smaller towns.&nbsp; Same with proof of addy, copy of auto insurance, Old DL or birth certificate, social security card.<br><br>Texas requires a yearly vehicle inspection<br><br>no state income tax<br><br>

 

[OregonEllen]

I live southeast of Eugene and I was born and raised here in Oregon (I'm 67) and I've never heard of them doing a smog check anywhere. &nbsp;Granted, they may do it in Portland nowadays. &nbsp;I haven't lived up in that area for a very long time now.<br><br>The RV parks here have gotten like renting an apartment----first, last on the rent, sometimes plus even a deposit, and they sometimes do credit checks and background checks, too. &nbsp;One of them I contacted even charged $40 PER PERSON for the background check. &nbsp;:/ &nbsp;And lots of them won't take pre-1980 RV's. &nbsp;As for free camping, I can't think where you could do that anywhere very near to Portland. &nbsp;It's quite a drive to free ones even from where I am. &nbsp;Some of the camping places with hookups are $30 a night, too. Criminy-----I remember when you could get a real decent motel room for that price.<br><br>You can find a space to park that's not so sticky for the details as far as background checks and things like that but around Portland, I'm not so sure. &nbsp;Here where I am the rent is somewhere around $250-$300 a month plus electricity but without internet or cable TV. &nbsp;Gas just passed $4 a gallon, too. &nbsp;I'm getting ready to take my motorhome over to the Idaho/Oregon border and it's gonna cost me probably $300 in gas just to get there. &nbsp;Holy cow!<br><br>I think you're allowed 6 months before you have to get an Oregon driver's license, but getting one isn't any harder than anywhere else, I don't think. &nbsp;<br><br><br><br><br>

 

[WheelEstate USA]

In Oregon you have to take their test to get a DL and insurance rates are high since you are also required to carry personal injury.

We base out of Arizona. They recprocate with most states on your DL with only an eye test. Insurance is cheap. Only Tucson and Phoenix do the smog thing, so we got an addy just south of Tucson with a mail forwarding service.
Our tags for the RV are $27 per year.

Plus, Southern Az winters aren't too darn bad...I refuse to do snow

Only drawback, if you make big bucks, is state tax. I don't worry about that since I'm on social security.
Overall cost of living is ok tho.

We're in Oregon for the summer and prices are higher here than we're used to on most things eventho they don't have sales tax here. Gas prices really suck.

 

[highdesertranger]

gas might be high in Oregon but its higher in kalifornia.&nbsp; highdesertranger

 

[psytechguy]

Texas also requires that you have liability insurance on your vehicle. Rates vary depending on the region you live in, i.e. they're higher in places like the Austin, Houston, Dallas areas.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Most states do require liability now.&nbsp;<br><br>Yeah, gas is higher in Cal and they dilute it with ethanol too. Makes your rig a gutless wonder. One of the many reasons we have no interest in crossing that state line.<br>We met some people today from Alturus that were filling gas cans in the back of a pickup in K. Falls while they were here cuz the price is so high over there.<br><br>Speaking of prices, I still&nbsp; say most things are higher in Oregon. Today I bought a CB antenna at Pilot. The same one I saw at Pilot in Winnemucca, Nv was $3 more here.<br>A camera battery I bought in NV was $4 more here thru the same retailer. No sales tax in Or, but they still gouge ya on the prices.