NV driver's license

[mothercoder]

I'm told by a mail forwarding service that "DMV has notified all the mail forwarding houses in the area that their address cannot be used by their customers to get licensed.  The DMV is demanding proof of residency and the only way for an RVer to get that is to have a 30 day rent receipt from an RV Park or campground.  The DMV will use the park/campground address for their paperwork and your mail forwarding house address as your mailing address." 

I didn't think this would be such an issue.  Is it the same with other states that have mail forwarding service?

 

[highdesertranger]

for the most part all the states are going to have to go that way. there are ways around it. highdesertranger

 

[mothercoder]

for the most part all the states are going to have to go that way.  there are ways around it.  highdesertranger

And those ways would be...?

 

[highdesertranger]

someone help me out, didn't Bob do a blog post on getting a NV License? highdesertranger

 

[WriterMs]

I think there is a long thread on it here in the forum, too. There was some reference to very inexpensive RV parks for vandwellers, too.Somewhere near Pahrump, I'm sure. I think Bob named at least one in his blog post or here. So that those who want NV residence can meet the requirement without too much trouble.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I believe the Escapees Club in Texas can provide an actual domicile address, not just a mailing address.  Apparently, they went to court in TX to establish that, and the DMV in Polk County TX is used to working with RV'ers relocating there.  However, things do change, so I would contact them by phone or email to discuss your situation with them.

 

[akrvbob]

No, as far as I know, there is no way around it. You almost have to bring in a rent receipt, the only question is how much do you pay for that receipt.

Marianne, my mail forwarder in Pahrump, NV has worked out a deal with a local RV Park that if you mention her they will give you a discount down to $250 a month. I don't remember the details, I'll be over there tomorrow and I'll ask.

She also has some friends here in town who have hookups, she has worked out that they will rent you a space for a month and give you rent receipt for $200 a month. But it's at a home, not an RV Park, not too bad.

I'll get you the details tomorrow.
Bob

 

[NickTheoBennett]

You certainly don't have to rent anything, even for the 30 days, but it is probably the easiest way.

The following official Nevada DMV page lists the requirements for proving your identity.

http://dmvnv.com/dlresidency.htm

You have to provide two of the documents on that page to prove your residency. The easiest two for most people is a bank statement and a rent receipt.

However, in addition to a bank statement one of the other documents they will accept is any non medical bill. Therefore, if you know someone or get to know someone (or just pay someone a small amount to receive a couple of pieces of mail for you) in Nevada you could receive a bill and a bank statement and that would be enough for proof of residency.

Almost anyone you do business with will send a bill on demand, including your cell phone provider.

-----------------------------------

Last time I mentioned this on this forum someone gave me crap about "committing fraud" and cheating the government, but isn't that what we are all doing when we give an official residence address that we have no intention of staying at?

The fact is, our lifestyle is frowned upon by the government because we don't have a set address. Even if you rent an RV space for 30 days the assumption on behalf of the state is that you will continue living there, even if they don't ever check that. Since our way of life is not officially accepted by the state of Nevada we have to jump through whatever hoops necessary to get a driver's license and establish residency. It's just a matter of finding which hoops are easiest for you to jump though.

 

[NickTheoBennett]

In answer to your original question, not all states are this difficult, but most are and I imagine the ones that are not will probably change over time with the Real ID changes.

South Dakota, for now at least, welcomes RVers with open arms.  In addition to the usual proof of identity stuff (birth certificate/SSN card, etc) all you need is a receipt for one night's stay in a campground and to fill out a [url=https://dps.sd.gov/licensing/driver_licensing/documents/RESIDENCYAFFIDAVIT_001.pdf]short form[/url] indicating that although you travel full time you intend to return to South Dakota.



Of course, if you're not already planning on being in that part of the country it's going to cost you a lot more in gas to get there than it would to just pay for a month's space rent or something in Nevada.

 

[jonthebru]

A friend registers his RV and Toad in Montana. Here is the link. For their price a Montana LLC is formed in your name and the registration is to your LLC. You can register several vehicles. Their big pitch is there is no sales tax, so really expensive RVs and cars don't have the sales tax burden. For we, regular folks we just want to at least look legitimate and carry on with our lives. It sounds expensive ($800.00) but you get it done in just a few days and you never have to go there.

https://www.49dollarmontanaregister...TPCVgA5bcnParOBcwrRc9y58wvtRRaI8OYaAprX8P8HAQ

 

[frater secessus]

Last time I mentioned this on this forum someone gave me crap about "committing fraud" and cheating the government, but isn't that what we are all doing when we give an official residence address that we have no intention of staying at?

They are requiring an arbitrary location and we are giving them one.  
If the application asked "what color is your unicorn" and we answer "blue" that is not fraud.   It is answering a nonsensical question with as valid an answer as we can give.  As time goes on I think state and federal govts will have to cope with with alternative status of homeless and nomadic folk with a status like UNHOMED or something.

 

[mothercoder]

I have family in NV but unfortunately they are not being incredibly helpful. They are fine with a typical week long vacation visit but asking if you can stay a month is not greeted well. Similarly, I asked about mail forwarding and the response came with so many restrictions that I basically threw up my hands and decided on a paid service.

The time line I'm looking at would have me in NV the month of July. I really have no desire to stay in the NV heat for an entire month whether it's at an RV park or someone's driveway. It's doubtful I'll have AC and a fantastic fan just doesn't cut it when it's 105 out. I guess I could just wait for a couple of months. It's not like I have to do it immediately so long as the vehicle registration and DL from here are current. But what a pain!

 

[highdesertranger]

Nevada is not all desert,









all these pics where taken in Nevada and I have many more.  my point is Nevada is not all desert move up in elevation.   why suffer in the heat,  move up.  highdesertranger

 

[NickTheoBennett]

I have family in NV but unfortunately they are not being incredibly helpful. They are fine with a typical week long vacation visit but asking if you can stay a month is not greeted well.

I'll preface this by saying that obviously I don't know your situation with your family, but there would be no need for you to stay with them for a month. It sounds to me like you are misinterpreting the 30 day stay thing. The rent receipt is simply one of many ways to prove your residency. It is not necessarily required. If you click on the DMV link that I posted on the previous page you can see the list of items that you can submit for proof of residency.

All you would need from them would be to receive a couple of pieces of mail at their address. If you read my previous post you'll see that one alternative to 30 days worth of rent is simply to receive a bank statement and a bill with your name on them at an address.

Of course, with family, it would probably be more courteous to explain why you want to receive mail there and make sure they are okay with you using that as your address on your DL (make sure they know that after these first couple of items you will not be receiving mail there). That probably depends on how much you like/care about these family members

 

[NickTheoBennett]

Also, be aware that the counties containing Reno and Las Vegas require vehicle inspections, so you probably want to avoid using those for your physical address regardless of which path you take to proving your residence.

 

[Vagabound]

...
Marianne, my mail forwarder in Pahrump, NV has worked out a deal with a local RV Park that if you mention her they will give you a discount down to $250 a month.  I don't remember the details, I'll be over there tomorrow and I'll ask.
...

I'm familiar with this situation, so I'll add one potentially important clarification.  When Marianne -- who was trying to be very helpful to people like us -- was working out her deal with the RV park, they apparently forgot to mention that the normal rate for one month there is also $250.  I brought that unhappy fact to her attention.  Not sure what she intends to do, if anything.  The park management, collectively, didn't seem very willing to negotiate.  I think they thought, "Sure, send us your customers!", but they didn't think, "Hey, we'll accept less money from each of them." I haven't called them yet to delve into their thinking.

See "Monthly" at the bottom of the page:

http://www.pahrumprv.com/Rates.html

Vagabound

P.S. - Nick: Thanks for the superb info all throughout this thread.

 

[wayne49]

I have family in NV but unfortunately they are not being incredibly helpful.  They are fine with a typical week long vacation visit but asking if you can stay a month is not greeted well.  Similarly, I asked about mail forwarding and the response came with so many restrictions that I basically threw up my hands and decided on a paid service.  

The time line I'm looking at would have me in NV the month of July.  I really have no desire to stay in the NV heat for an entire month whether it's at an RV park or someone's driveway.  It's doubtful I'll have AC and a fantastic fan just doesn't cut it when it's 105 out.  I guess I could just wait for a couple of months.  It's not like I have to do it immediately so long as the vehicle registration and DL from here are current.  But what a pain!

Renting a spot in a RV park does not obligate one to be parked in that spot every day for 30 days.

Same goes for a room or apartment.

Look at it this way. The state requires money to be paid to someone in the state of Nevada to establish residency. One is free to pay a little or a lot. One is free to use the rented property or not use it.

Northern and higher elevation Nevada is more moderate in July. Nye county itself is quite large and the northern part is green with surface water year round.

Tonopah is at 6,000 ft and cooler than Pahrump.

 

[mothercoder]

Thanks, everyone. I really appreciate your input. I'm absorbing all this and trying to figure out what will work best for me. NV still seems to make the most sense for me. I'll just have to figure out where I want to plant my flag for month, understanding I can keep the address but still wander around a bit during that month.