Community Forums

DonB2 · 07-20-2020, 02:11 PM

How many full timers changed their domicile to Texas?
We will be heading to corpus christie for nov-april and want to switch from michigan
How easy was it, and how much $$ did you save?
Is rv and car insurance cheaper as well as plates?
What service did you use when there to make it happen?

Jake21 · 07-20-2020, 03:16 PM

Call these guys. https://www.escapees.com/?gclid=EAIa...SAAEgKyKPD_BwE

We ‘moved’ from SD to TX. They helped a lot and we haven’t even been there. They can give you all the details you need

twogypsies · 07-20-2020, 03:18 PM

We, and thousands of full-timers have done it. If you're going to do it I'd recommend you do it at Livingston, TX. It's the homebase for the Escapees RV Club which is mainly for full-timers so the small town is very familiar with the procedure for full-timers. You can get specific answers from the Club's website. You can do everything usually within a couple hours, including voting registration. Escapees has an excellent mail forwarding service which will give you a domicile address to use for all of it.

RV and car insurance will be different for everybody. It depends on your age, driving history, county where registering, credit score, etc. You really can't compare. In Livingston you don't have to get an emissions test. Some cities you do. For Texas, you don't have to get an annual inspection unless you're actually staying in Texas more than 3-5 days (not sure of the time limit so check). Therefore, you could drive through Texas on the way to somewhere else and not have to do the inspection.... which is very cheap and simple. No big deal.

grindstone01 · 07-20-2020, 04:05 PM

In agree that Escapee's is the way to go, that's what we did when we transferred from Mich to Texas 8 years ago. There will be expenses to transfer, like transferring your vehicle title's to Texas and paying sales tax on each vehicle. For long term benefits, there is no state income tax for Texas residents.

Camper25 · 07-20-2020, 04:10 PM

Insurance rates affect a person for many years to come.... I'd check several states.

grindstone01 · 07-20-2020, 07:27 PM

Texas auto insurance is 1/2 the price of Mich's no fault expensive auto insurance. As far as the emission's inspection, just sign the wavier on line that you are out of state when you do your second year renewal.

This is by no means advice, but I haven't gotten a Texas inspection for the last 3 years on my truck or motorcycle. Last winter we spent 4 months in Dallas and S. Texas and like previous years, I never got stopped or checked for a emission sticker. If you do get checked, they will give you 3 days to get the inspection which would be no problem. It's not something the LEO's monitor that much, in my opinion!

TXTiger · 07-20-2020, 09:43 PM

I too recommend Escapees RV Club but I use their So Dakota domicle. You can register by mail, no inspection required even to renew, no special drivers license either. Insurance rates are very reasonable. Low 4% sales tax, no income tax. You need to spend one night there (RV Park or hotel) to get your drivers license and one night every 5 years to renew it.

mfredm · 07-21-2020, 09:48 AM

I just went through this. I used the Escapees Mail Service as my address. I stayed at the Escapees Park in Livingston(nice place). The city of Livingston is used to this and does not ask questions. The cost for 1 person with an RV and Car is $630, tax, title and license. Right now you must make an appointment for your drivers license. I had to wait a week and go to another city 50 miles away to get my license. I just got my titles today after 5 weeks. My insurance dropped 25% from my S.C. rate.

JFXG · 07-21-2020, 09:38 PM

We are Escapees fans as well, set our domicile to Texas 7 years ago. It’s all quick and easy, except for one thing.
If you have a need to get a Texas Concealed Handgun License (CHL), the process can take a while. When we transferred from NC we had valid NC concealed carry permits, but were still required to complete the Texas process. Can take a couple of months or more. It’s not that they fight you, it’s just their process requirement.
To be fair, I’m pretty sure all states have a process to be followed.

jim58 · 07-31-2020, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JFXG

We are Escapees fans as well, set our domicile to Texas 7 years ago. It’s all quick and easy, except for one thing.
If you have a need to get a Texas Concealed Handgun License (CHL), the process can take a while. When we transferred from NC we had valid NC concealed carry permits, but were still required to complete the Texas process. Can take a couple of months or more. It’s not that they fight you, it’s just their process requirement.
To be fair, I’m pretty sure all states have a process to be followed.

Texas calls it a LTC, License To Carry. Entire process took me 3 weeks, class to card in hand.
They're pretty good about getting these finshed quickly.

saddlesore · 07-31-2020, 05:47 PM

I highly recommend the Escapees program.

We are Escapees as well but domiciled in SD. [no income taxes and a lower sales tax]

The reason was that with the size of our coach I would have to get the Class B non commercial drivers license and have the coach inspected each year in TX....
I had a CDL and it's predecessor (chauffeurs License) for over 50 years..
When I retired.... I said NO MORE hoops to jump thru..

twogypsies · 07-31-2020, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saddlesore

I highly recommend the Escapees program.

We are Escapees as well but domiciled in SD. [no income taxes and a lower sales tax]

The reason was that with the size of our coach I would have to get the Class B non commercial drivers license and have the coach inspected each year in TX....
I had a CDL and it's predecessor (chauffeurs License) for over 50 years..
When I retired.... I said NO MORE hoops to jump thru..

Just want to clear this for others.....You don't have to go to Texas every year for inspections unless you spend more than 3 days there. You can drive across in 3 days. Plus, the inspection is simple... done in a 1/2 hour.

JFXG · 07-31-2020, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saddlesore

....I would have to... have the coach inspected each year in TX....

Not necessarily so. You can renew your vehicle registration annually online. There is a requirement to show proof of inspection in order to do so, but there is also a simple check box on the page by which you assert you are out of state. When you check this the reg is allowed, and the State basically says ‘well, when y’all come back to Texas get it inspected right quick’.

JFXG · 07-31-2020, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim58

...Entire process took me 3 weeks, class to card in hand.
They're pretty good about getting these finshed quickly.

Well, I’m happy for you! As I did say, they don’t fight you, but it depends a great deal on availability and scheduling. We had to wait a couple weeks for an available class, then some other admin thing popped up. It was seven years ago, can’t recall.
Point is, for folks establishing domicile, some parts are not a one-day rubber stamp.