South Dakota vehicle registration

cowboy · January 30

South Dakota - Vehicle registration,

a year or so ago I was talking to the lady at the county clerk office and we got to talking and she mentioned the fact that, at least her County, it was an open County where they would register vehicles for anybody, it didn't matter if you had a forwarding address or SD DL or not.

Recently I called to get some information and they said that that had changed, I guess some counties were getting overwhelmed, so they stopped doing it, and now you have to go through the state.

In any case I called the state office and the person I talked to said no no no you have to have a license or address in South Dakota to register your vehicle??

So, I'm wondering if anybody has any other Insight on that, as to whether there are some counties that are still operating openly, and/or if the lady that mentioned that you needed these other things was correct?

Edited February 2 by cowboy
typo

Chalkie · January 30

1 hour ago, cowboy said:

In any case I called the state office and the person I talked to said no no no you have to have a license or address in South Dakota to register your vehicle??

I honestly thought this was a rule everywhere. Texas seems a little backwards to me in that you have to register a vehicle before you can get a license, and anyone can get Montana plates if you want to go through the hoops for an LLC. Otherwise any other place I have lived required that you have an address or license.

lappir · January 30

My Son rides motorcycles and found out he could license his "Dirt Bike" in South Dakota and ride it anywhere. Apparently the requirements are less in SD to make it road worthy. I hasn't done it yet to my knowledge, but did complain about his last trip to Colorado where they had to trailer the bikes to the trail head and then had to reverse the trail instead of taking public roads back to the trailer. I offered him the use of "My Home Address", but he said that wasn't needed.

Rod

Kirk W · January 30

2 hours ago, Chalkie said:

Texas seems a little backwards to me in that you have to register a vehicle before you can get a license,

I hear that from time to time, but I question it because our son moved to TX from WA several years ago and got his TX license right away, but didn't even bring his vehicle to TX for several months. I also have two grandchildren with TX licenses that do not own any vehicles. It has been so long since we moved to TX that I don't remember what we had to do.

Chalkie · January 30

58 minutes ago, Kirk W said:

I hear that from time to time, but I question it because our son moved to TX from WA several years ago and got his TX license right away, but didn't even bring his vehicle to TX for several months. I also have two grandchildren with TX licenses that do not own any vehicles. It has been so long since we moved to TX that I don't remember what we had to do.

Quote

1. U.S. Citizenship or, if you are not a U.S. Citizen, evidence of lawful presence

2. Texas Residency

3. Identity, and

4, Social Security Number

5. Evidence of Texas Vehicle Registration* for each vehicle you own. Registration must be current. Visit Texas DMV vehicle registration for more information (New Residents who are surrendering an out-of-state driver license only)

6. Proof of Insurance* for each vehicle you own

*If you do not own a vehicle, you will sign a statement affirming this.

This is straight from the Texas DPS. So, if you have no vehicle, no problem, but if you do and affirm you do not, that is technically perjury. Would the state ever call you on it? Doubtful, unless maybe you got pulled over driving a car registered in another state under your name.

Kirk W · January 30

So what about the retiree who has a summer home and a winter home and keeps a car at each location and proper registration of a car is where it is garaged, while driver's license properly is only in the state of domicile? I found on the DMV site where it states that you have only 30 days to register a car after you bring it to TX and also that you have 90 days to get your driver's license moved. I also found this on dps.tx.gov.

Evidence of Texas Vehicle Registration* for each vehicle you own. Registration must be current. Visit Texas DMV vehicle registration for more information. (New Residents who are surrendering an out-of-state driver license only)
Proof of Insurance* for each vehicle you own

That still leaves the question of the winter/summer home folks? I suspect that most people simply pretend the other care doesn't exist. Most likely the reason for the registration issue is that so many people move in but do not transfer vehicle registrations until they are due to be renewed in the state that they moved from. If I remember correctly, we did that when we moved to TX from WY. I did look at several states and didn't find the same rule on any of those that I checked.

Edited January 30 by Kirk W
correct typo

RandyA · January 30

https://www.yourbestaddress.com

They can solve your issues.

Chalkie · January 31

18 hours ago, Kirk W said:

So what about the retiree who has a summer home and a winter home and keeps a car at each location and proper registration of a car is where it is garaged, while driver's license properly is only in the state of domicile?

Summer or winter, I think is the key. If, for example, Texas is your legal domicile and you spend winters in Texas, then vehicles that you keep in Texas and use in Texas need to be licensed in Texas. Your summer home is not your domicile and by implication is your vacation home, then you can keep and register a vehicle there and drive on your domicile license. This may not be true in all states though.

For years, the cabin next door to my parents was a summer only cabin with the owner being a Missouri resident. He kept a couple of old jeeps there but had to license them in Missouri since Colorado would not let him license them there without a Colorado license. I am hazy on how the change came about but the law was changed so he could start licensing them in Colorado.

lappir · January 31

To me the key element is the word "MOVE".

Are you moving for a short time and not setting up a NEW residence?

Do you share domicile, want the best of both locations and have not plans to ever change the actual home at either place.

It would be nice if there was an option of a National License, registration and insurance for those of us who move from place to place. Hopefully the rates would be reasonable since a lot of us avoid the high cost, high Crime and more dangerous areas.

Rod

Kirk W · January 31

1 hour ago, Chalkie said:

If, for example, Texas is your legal domicile and you spend winters in Texas, then vehicles that you keep in Texas and use in Texas need to be licensed in Texas.

That still violates the TX regulation that say that you must show "Evidence of Texas Vehicle Registration* for each vehicle you own."

Chalkie · January 31

4 hours ago, Kirk W said:

That still violates the TX regulation that say that you must show "Evidence of Texas Vehicle Registration* for each vehicle you own."

I'm no lawyer but I suspect that really means for each vehicle you own (and regularly drive) in Texas. But it would be an interesting "what if" question to pose to Texas DMV.