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From living in two states to wanting to save on car insurance, there are many reasons why you might want to register your vehicle in a different state than what’s on your driver’s license. But can you register a vehicle in a different state? Simply put, it depends.
In South Dakota, for example, you don’t have to have an SD driver’s license to register your vehicles in The Mount Rushmore State. Other states that let you register your vehicles with an out-of-state license include:
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Let’s say you’re going to school in one state but live permanently in another. Maybe you’re military personnel stationed in one state with a home address in another. Can you own a car in the state where you attend school or serve? The answer, in most cases, is yes. It might even be a good idea. Most state laws require you to register your car and obtain insurance in the state where it is driven most. This means you can own a car in another state.
There are, of course, exceptions to this rule. It might be wise to check with the licensing and registration agency in your state to confirm the laws and requirements.
Let’s look and see what a few states required for car ownership and vehicle registration from out of state.
According to California information about titles and registration, you are required to obtain CA registration and insurance if the vehicle is primarily used in California. This means that if you operate your vehicle more in California than where you live or are domiciled, you might have to register your motor vehicle in the Golden State.
Delaware has unique rules about car registration. If a car owner is a resident of another state, they aren’t required to register their car in Delaware even if they primarily drive and garage their car in Delaware. You can register your car in Delaware if you aren’t a legal resident of the state as long as you own at least one other car that is registered in your state of residence.
Florida sees a lot of part-time residents from out of state. If you remain a resident of another state, you may operate your vehicle in Florida without registering or obtaining auto insurance in the sunshine state. However, if you start a job in Florida, you might be required to register your vehicle there.
New residents must register their vehicles within 30 days. Residents of other states who are staying in Georgia for more than 30 days must register their vehicle in the Peach State.
You may operate your out of state vehicle in Illinois as long as it is properly registered in your state of residence. There is no requirement about registering your vehicle in Illinois as long as you are domiciled or a resident of another state and your vehicle is registered there. However, if you are a business operating in Illinois, you must register your motor vehicle in the Land of Lincoln even if your business is based elsewhere.
You are not required to register your vehicle in Massachusetts if you are domiciled in or a resident of another state. This means you can own a car in another state and live in Massachusetts as long as you are domiciled in the other state.
You can own and operate a vehicle from another state in Michigan for 90 days before you are required to register the vehicle there.
Unlike in most other states, you are not required to have car insurance to register a vehicle in New Hampshire. If you own and register a vehicle in another state, you can drive and garage it in New Hampshire as long as you have registered as a non-resident.
You don’t have to register your vehicle in New York as long as you maintain residency in another state. This means you can own a vehicle in another state and live in New York as long as you maintain residency in the other state.
You can register a car with an out of state license in North Dakota. This means you don’t have to be an official resident to register or own a car there.
You don’t need a South Dakota driver’s license to register a vehicle there. There are many benefits to being a resident of The Mount Rushmore State, so you might want to consider being domiciled here and registering your cars here. However, you can operate your car here as a non-resident as long as it is properly registered elsewhere.
If you are a non-resident with a privately owned vehicle, you are required to register your car in Texas if you have more than 5 trips lasting longer than 5 days in a month. This means you might have to register your car in Texas even if you live in another state.
A car title is a document that proves car ownership. In most cases, you can title a car in a state you don’t live in. As you might notice above, many states require you to title or register your car there within a certain amount of time after moving there.
If you’re eligible to own a car in another state, you can title a car in a state you don’t live in. If you title a car in a state you don’t live in, you might also be required to register and insure your vehicle in that state. This means you’ll need to get a license plate in that state and show proof of insurance coverage.
Most states require proof of insurance in the state to register your vehicle in that state. This means that you must have insurance in the state in which your car is registered. If you’re a resident of another state whose car is registered in another state, you can live in one state and have car insurance in another.
However, it is wise to check with your insurance company as rules between states can vary.
It might be wise for you to consider registering your vehicle in South Dakota. Becoming a resident and being domiciled in South Dakota makes sense for many individuals and it can help you save on taxes, vehicle insurance and more.
If you need help or have questions about the rules related to registering a vehicle in South Dakota, reach out to the experts at Americas Mailbox. The friendly agents know all the details and are able to help you determine if you can register a vehicle in a different state and more.
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I wish to register my 5th Wheel RV in the state of South Dakota while still living in CO
Thank you for your comment, we would be happy to assist you with your registration. Please give our office at Americas Mailbox a call (605) 718-1234, and a member of our staff will be happy to assist you.
So I live in Missouri. How can I title and tag my truck in South Dakota? What steps do I need to take? Thanks in advance.
Thank you for your comment. Please give our office at Americas Mailbox a call (605) 718-1234, and a member of our staff will be happy to assist you.
I live in Iowa with a Iowa driver’s license can I register my car in South Dakota.
Thank you for your comment. The short answer is yes, as long as you meet certain requirements. Please give our office at Americas Mailbox a call (605) 718-1234, and a member of our staff will be happy to assist you.
Have a 2000 rv and a 2005 car. I’m a full timer in rv, looking to register my rv and car in South Dakota, is this possible with my California license for now. I’m staying in rv park in California right now.
Thank you for your comment. The answer is yes, as long as you establish residency in SD via a PMB or other address. Please give our office at Americas Mailbox a call (605) 718-1234, and a member of our staff will be happy to assist you.
So if I live in California. I have 4 cars and I wanna register just 1 of them in SD, can I do that without living there?
Thank you for your comment. The answer is yes, with some conditions. Please give our office a call (605) 718-1234, and a member of our staff will be happy to assist you.
Can a right hand drive truck from Japan with a 12 digit VIN be registered in SD, and get plates?
I am a Canadian citizen that spends several
months traveling in the USA. Am I allowed to register the vehicle in SD and hold Canadian insurance or do I need a US insurance policy? Do I need a mailbox in SD as well?
If I have a vehicle registered in South Dakota, but I live in another state, can I insure that vehicle in South Dakota as well?
I m a resident of Texas, spend 6 months in Texas and 6 months in nebr, can I register my truck in SD?
I am a SD resident, with our two children living in MO. They drive my vehicles which I still have titled and licensed in MO. I wish to retitle them in SD, along with having them insured in SD also. The cars will remain in MO until the children move somewhere, possibly to SD. Is this wise for me to move the titles to SD?