Domicile - South Dakota...?

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Florida allows you to file a Declaration of Domicile with any address in the state and nobody checks to see where it is. Or cares. It is, however, supposed to be an actual abode, not just a mail forwarding service or your lawyers office. And merely declaring domicile doesn't qualify you for Florida voter registration or Driver License - those each have more specific rules.

 

[Kirk]

What are the others?

I am unable to locate a list of all states that allow the use of a mail service for all purposes but I do know that Texas, South Dakota, and Nevada do. Oregon does so once you have lived physically in the state for at least 6 months. There may well be other states who do so but most do not.

State By State: Differences In How States Handle Driver’s License Renewals​

 

[docj]

What are the others?

Texas, Florida, Nevada (I think)

 

[Steven L]

And according to this decision by the Supreme Court of Minnesota, you'd better do everything in the right order if you don't want to continue to be a Minnesotan. Pretty harsh.
caselaw.findlaw.com/mn-supreme-court/1385455.html

Yes, I'm aware of this case and quite frankly the defendants were stupid to attempt what they did in claiming they were "part-time" residents in 2004.

They made multiple mistakes in not having clear records of living outside of the state's borders for at least 184 days in that calendar year, and worse they chose to claim homestead status for the purposes of how their former house was assessed for property taxes. That last move was just plain dumb.

When we leave later this year, we aren't planning on using one of these mail forwarding services to establish our residency in South Dakota. Rather we will be purchasing a smaller rural plot of land, improve it to the point of having electric service, a well and perhaps a septic system available.

In that way as actual property owners, our claim of domicile will be that much clearer.

 

[Kirk]

In that way as actual property owners, our claim of domicile will be that much clearer.

Just owning property does not make it your domicile. Many people own summer and winter homes in different states but have only 1 domicile. Domicile is also where you do your business, like banking, newspapers, clubs, doctor visits, and a host of other things.