Dallas TX What Can You Tell Me About ...

[RoadtripsAndCampfires]

I have a sister who lives in Dallas and so I am thinking about registering living there and then taking off.  Is anyone familiar with what steps I should plan to take to get the car registered, vote, etc.?  And both hubby and I will be on Medicare any suggestions for a good supplemental plan?  We will be in the west most of the time over the next 2 years .

[Kirk W]

If you mean to use your sister in place of a mail-service then you need to mover your vehicle registrations and driving licenses to her Dallas address. If you are already TX residents it is as simple as mailing in a change of address to each. If you are coming from out of state it would be much simpler if you actually come to Dallas as you will need to do that for the driver's license at least since they want to take your picture. As to Medicare Supplements, we are on a Mutual of Omaha plan G program. 

 

[bigjim]

I would seriously consider becoming escapees and using their mail service.  I was a Dallas resident when I started full timing and when I switched to Polk county Tx and became an escapee I had an immediate savings on vehicle insurance. My brother and a couple of good reliable friends live in the Dallas area  and I still find it better to be a resident of Polk county. I still get to go to Dallas and in fact volunteer 7  winters at a state park  about 25 miles from downtown Dallas , spending about 5-6 months there those years. I am not trying to sell you on escapees just point out what has been beneficial to me.

[Barbaraok]

Our daughter and SIL live in the metroplex, but we 'live' in Livingston.  First, I don't want them to have to worry about our mail and second I don't want to have to pay for emission testing of our vehicle (when we are in Texas) plus the 'added' registration fees each year.   

[Dale P]

We are South Dakota Domicile. 

 

However we do not like relying on a company to send us our mail.

Our mailing Address is Oswego, Illinois, where Susan's daughter lives. As they are very close, we get our mail or the reading of the mail every day when somethings comes in. If important, she will scan it and send it to us. 

Plus we do not like having to pay an addition $$$ just to receive junk mail. And we do not like having to pay extra for someone to go thru and seperate the mail out. 

[MnP]

We were DFW residents for about 30 years but "moved" to Livingston when we went full time. Polk county is easier to deal with when setting up vehicle registrations, getting drivers licenses, voting is easy, Escapees mail service is excellent. As to Medicare supplemental insurance plans , all of the same type (F,G,N etc.) of plans pay for the same services , have the same benefits as specified by Medicare. The only difference is which provider has the best rate for you at your age and address.

[RoadtripsAndCampfires]

On 8/31/2018 at 6:50 PM, bigjim said:

I would seriously consider becoming escapees and using their mail service.  I was a Dallas resident when I started full timing and when I switched to Polk county Tx and became an escapee I had an immediate savings on vehicle insurance. My brother and a couple of good reliable friends live in the Dallas area  and I still find it better to be a resident of Polk county. I still get to go to Dallas and in fact volunteer 7  winters at a state park  about 25 miles from downtown Dallas , spending about 5-6 months there those years. I am not trying to sell you on escapees just point out what has been beneficial to me.

Not sure what you mean, we are escapee members.  I have since my post discovered TX might not be a good fit for our domicile due.  When we decided to build a RV from scratch from a new dual axle cargo trailer, I didn't know cargo trailers get an xtra helping of taxes due to being considered commercial vehicles.  I'm gong to be needing to do some more research here as I'd hate to be in the west and have to travel back every year at a specific time - cuts out the freedom aspect of it all.

But I am very interested in what you meant by being a resident of Polk county - is that where Livingston is?

Christine

[RoadtripsAndCampfires]

4 hours ago, MnP said:

We were DFW residents for about 30 years but "moved" to Livingston when we went full time. Polk county is easier to deal with when setting up vehicle registrations, getting drivers licenses, voting is easy, Escapees mail service is excellent. As to Medicare supplemental insurance plans , all of the same type (F,G,N etc.) of plans pay for the same services , have the same benefits as specified by Medicare. The only difference is which provider has the best rate for you at your age and address.

Thanks for that.  I have been wondering about our supplemental plans.  We currently have Kaiser and I hate it and need to have something more mobile for travel.  We'll be taking off in the spring.

[Kirk W]

4 hours ago, RoadtripsAndCampfires said:

But I am very interested in what you meant by being a resident of Polk county - is that where Livingston is?

 

Livingston is the county seat of Polk County, TX.

[Al F]

13 hours ago, RoadtripsAndCampfires said:

Not sure what you mean, we are escapee members.  I have since my post discovered TX might not be a good fit for our domicile due.  When we decided to build a RV from scratch from a new dual axle cargo trailer, I didn't know cargo trailers get an xtra helping of taxes due to being considered commercial vehicles.  I'm gong to be needing to do some more research here as I'd hate to be in the west and have to travel back every year at a specific time - cuts out the freedom aspect of it all.

But I am very interested in what you meant by being a resident of Polk county - is that where Livingston is?

Christine

Why would a cargo trailer be required to be registered in Texas as a commercial vehicle once you complete the conversion to an RV only used in NON commercial use.  You would register (title) the trailer as a RV once you complete the conversion.  

In the HDT (Heavy Duty Trucks) section of this forum, people take commercial trucks and register them as NON commercial all the time.  The process should be about the same for a cargo trailer. 

I am also puzzled as to why an individual would be required to register a cargo trailer as a commercial vehicle when it would only be used for NON commercial use.

[Barbaraok]

16 hours ago, RoadtripsAndCampfires said:

Not sure what you mean, we are escapee members.  I have since my post discovered TX might not be a good fit for our domicile due.  When we decided to build a RV from scratch from a new dual axle cargo trailer, I didn't know cargo trailers get an xtra helping of taxes due to being considered commercial vehicles.  I'm gong to be needing to do some more research here as I'd hate to be in the west and have to travel back every year at a specific time - cuts out the freedom aspect of it all.

But I am very interested in what you meant by being a resident of Polk county - is that where Livingston is?

Christine

No one travels back to Texas to get any vehicle inspected if they are out-of-state.   You just certify that you are out-of-state when you do the registration online and if/when you come back into the state, you get it inspected again.   Some of us haven't had vehicles inspected in YEARS.

[bigjim]

9 hours ago, Barbaraok said:

No one travels back to Texas to get any vehicle inspected if they are out-of-state.   You just certify that you are out-of-state when you do the registration online and if/when you come back into the state, you get it inspected again.   Some of us haven't had vehicles inspected in YEARS.

Barb is correct you can do it on line and most do but you can do it by mail also as I have done the last 2 years and may again this year as I don't I have printer and sometimes I just like paperwork.

It looks as if most of what I would have said has been answered but one thing is I got an immediate reduction in vehicle insurance rates when I became a resident of Polk county, a rural county vs Dallas county plus I did not have to deal with emissions tests on my truck even though it would have passed.

Still everyones circumstance are different and what works for me may not be the best for you. Only you can decide once you get all the straight dope. hopefully,.

[RoadtripsAndCampfires]

On 9/4/2018 at 5:55 AM, Al F said:

Why would a cargo trailer be required to be registered in Texas as a commercial vehicle once you complete the conversion to an RV only used in NON commercial use.  You would register (title) the trailer as a RV once you complete the conversion.  

In the HDT (Heavy Duty Trucks) section of this forum, people take commercial trucks and register them as NON commercial all the time.  The process should be about the same for a cargo trailer. 

I am also puzzled as to why an individual would be required to register a cargo trailer as a commercial vehicle when it would only be used for NON commercial use.

I think I'm trying to figure out what I have to do.  Ideally I would want to register it as a RV but I did not know if that was possible.  So I can just do this when I move from CO where it's registered as a cargo trailer and change it to RV when I register in TX or wherever?  That would be great. What does that process cost?  Do I pay for the address only through the mail forwarding setup or is there an additonal monthly fee?

[sandsys]

47 minutes ago, RoadtripsAndCampfires said:

I think I'm trying to figure out what I have to do.  Ideally I would want to register it as a RV but I did not know if that was possible.  So I can just do this when I move from CO where it's registered as a cargo trailer and change it to RV when I register in TX or wherever?  That would be great. What does that process cost?  Do I pay for the address only through the mail forwarding setup or is there an additonal monthly fee?

I would start by finding our what Texas requires to make a vehicle into an RV. In Minnesota I'm not sure what applies to a trailer but for a motorhome the statute says: A motor home must contain permanently installed, independent, life-support systems that meet the American National Standards Institute standard number A119.2 for recreational vehicles and provide at least four of the following facilities, two of which must be from the systems listed in clauses (1), (5), and (6): (1) a cooking facility with liquid propane gas supply, (2) a refrigerator, (3) a self-contained toilet or a toilet connected to a plumbing system with a connection for external water disposal, (4) a heating or air conditioning system separate from the motor vehicle engine, (5) a potable water supply system including a sink with a faucet either self-contained or with connections for an external source, and (6) a separate 110-125 volts electrical power supply.

[Kirk W]

6 hours ago, RoadtripsAndCampfires said:

Ideally I would want to register it as a RV but I did not know if that was possible.  So I can just do this when I move from CO where it's registered as a cargo trailer and change it to RV when I register in TX or wherever?

2

For information on TX domicile via Escapees

For more specific information about registering as an Escapee, domiciled in Polk County, call the Polk Co. Tax office at (936)327-6801 and ask for help. 

 

[bigjim]

7 hours ago, RoadtripsAndCampfires said:

Do I pay for the address only through the mail forwarding setup or is there an additonal monthly fee?

You do have to be an Escapees member which has an annual fee and a mail service member which has an annual fee and a postage deposite.  The annual fee can vary by the level of service you want. I have used the lowest fee since I joined in March 1997.  There is no set monthly  fee just what postage is used to forward your mail.  If you are a veteran be sure to tell them when you join. Some things we get a discount for but I don't recall what all it applies to. Call the office at Livingston to get the straight scoop.

[Kirk W]

One other thing just occurred to me is that CO has become one of the more aggressive states about vehicles that are kept in the state having their license plates so changing before you actually leave could have some degree of risk. 

[Al F]

17 hours ago, RoadtripsAndCampfires said:

I think I'm trying to figure out what I have to do.  Ideally I would want to register it as a RV but I did not know if that was possible.  So I can just do this when I move from CO where it's registered as a cargo trailer and change it to RV when I register in TX or wherever?  That would be great. What does that process cost?  Do I pay for the address only through the mail forwarding setup or is there an additonal monthly fee?

I don't know the process of changing the title of a commercial trailer to an RV.  However, plenty of people on the HDT section of this forum have gone through the process of changing the title of a commercial truck to an RV.  If you start a new topic in the HDT section and ask for help in how to change your trailer, they will most likely be happy to help.  You might start off your topic with something like "I know this not exactly a HDT topic but I hear this area has lots of experience in titling a vehicle as an RV". 

As others have stated, to be an RV, it has to have living quarters type amenities, such as toilet, cooking, drinking water and sleeping.

[sandsys]

4 hours ago, Al F said:

As others have stated, to be an RV, it has to have living quarters type amenities, such as toilet, cooking, drinking water and sleeping.

And the amenities have to be permanently installed not just sitting in there.

Linda

[Captain Happy]

Here's another way for you to consider. Use your sister home residence as your domicile. Have your drivers license under that address, vehicle & insurance too. I would think that insurance in Dallas would be less expense compared to the Houston area where Livingston is. Join Escapees and setup a mail account ($95.00 per year, plus postage). Have all your other mail transferred to that address. Like credit cards, Medicare, health insurance, etc. But leave your vehicle & insurance at your sisters residence. As far as voting, you can vote absente. Setup a bank account in the Dallas area near your sisters house. Get a debit card, and check account too. Also have your S.S. Check deposited into that account.

As far as your vehicle go, you can regrister be mail or online. As far as inspections go when your out of state, fill out an self certified document stating your vehicle is out of state (Texas,gov web site.) As far as medical insurance goes, if you already have medicare your good. Might want to think about going with Mutual of Omaha plan "J or G" on the supplemental part. It's good everywhere.

Get the trailer re-titled as an RV, and if it's under 3,000 lbs no inf it's over 3,000 lbs it'll require brakes.

Now after all that, "HIT THE ROAD". and enjoy yourself. Just remember to slow down, your not on vacation.

[Barbaraok]

If you register vehicles in Dallas, if gas powered they require emissions testing when you are in the area.   Dallas-Fort Worth metro area is as expensive as Houston for insurance, etc.  If you register in DFW area you are subject to jury duty there - not the convenient people like in Livingston where we just call and let them know we are out-of-state and they say "no problem, give us a call when you are in the area".

[Al F]

Livingston, is well beyond the Houston Metro area, so should not be affected by Houston auto insurance rates.  Also Livingston doesn't have the auto emissions testing required by either Dallas or Houston. 

[RoadtripsAndCampfires]

On 9/7/2018 at 12:30 AM, sandsys said:

I would start by finding our what Texas requires to make a vehicle into an RV. In Minnesota I'm not sure what applies to a trailer but for a motorhome the statute says: A motor home must contain permanently installed, independent, life-support systems that meet the American National Standards Institute standard number A119.2 for recreational vehicles and provide at least four of the following facilities, two of which must be from the systems listed in clauses (1), (5), and (6): (1) a cooking facility with liquid propane gas supply, (2) a refrigerator, (3) a self-contained toilet or a toilet connected to a plumbing system with a connection for external water disposal, (4) a heating or air conditioning system separate from the motor vehicle engine, (5) a potable water supply system including a sink with a faucet either self-contained or with connections for an external source, and (6) a separate 110-125 volts electrical power supply.

It will have all that so that's good.  We didn't want to skimp on it being an RV, just wanted a dual axle that wasn't too long, too tall and we could see around.  I put up a YouTube vid on it under our Roadtrips AndCampfires channel - it is far from done but we have till spring to finish it.

[RoadtripsAndCampfires]

On 9/7/2018 at 12:30 AM, sandsys said:

 

I wanted to reply to all.  Thank you for the info.  That sounds good, we will come stay a month at Livingston and get settled and official.  Sis and niece already have trip to Alabama camping planned when we get here so we can come and go in our rented space before taking off for our first trek after that.  I'll check out that forum mentioned and learn more.

[Al F]

Would you provide a link to your " Roadtrips AndCampfires ".  I did a search on YouTube and came up with several hits, but not much of it made sense as far as finding your video.

I have no experience with YouTube, other than going to links that people post.