How to Become a South Dakota Resident in 6 Easy Steps

Wondering what it takes to become a South Dakota resident? You can do it in just 24-hours. Read on to learn how.

South Dakota is a top state for nomads for a variety of reasons: no income tax, no annual vehicle inspections, and the affordability of both vehicle registration and insurance. Plus, it’s super easy to become a South Dakota resident.

As a nomad living in both a campervan and on a sailboat, it didn’t make sense for me to continue calling California home. Why pay expensive income taxes to a state I didn’t even live in?

So, I recently drove to South Dakota and went through the entire process of plating my vehicle and becoming a resident.

In this post, I’ll show you exactly how to become a South resident, the pros and cons of South Dakota residency and how to get health insurance as a South Dakotan nomad.

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Why South Dakota?

There are three top states that nomads typically choose to call home: South Dakota, Texas and Florida. Some even choose Nevada, but that state has more stringent requirements to become a resident: you have to stay 30 days in a campground or hotel.

These three most popular states have one major thing in common: no state income tax.

As a nomad, it really doesn’t make any sense at all to pay state income tax anywhere if you aren’t living in any one state in particular.

Road winding through Badlands state park in South Dakota
The Badlands are one of many beautiful spots in South Dakota

Here are a few reasons why I chose South Dakota rather than Texas or Florida:

  • Establishing residency is incredibly easy and can be done in as little as 24-hours
  • You only have to spend one night in a campground or a hotel to get your driver’s license
  • No annual vehicle inspections. In fact, you don’t even have to bring your vehicle to South Dakota to get plates and updated registration. Ever.
  • No state income tax, pension tax, personal property tax or inheritance tax
  • Cheap vehicle registration and insurance rates
  • You only have to appear in the state every five years to update your driver’s license
  • Lots of options for physical address mailbox services
  • South Dakota is beautiful – there is so much to see to make it worth the trip, such as Spearfish, The Black Hills, Custer State Park, Mt. Rushmore and The Badlands National Park
  • On my way to visit family members in Minnesota, so easy to visit in subsequent years

In fact, I am looking forward to visiting and explore South Dakota more. I’m happy to be a resident of a state with such an interesting history and natural beauty to explore.

Cons of South Dakota residency

While there are a lot of pros to becoming a resident in South Dakota, there are definitely a couple of cons you should know about.

  • There aren’t many good health insurance options. Florida is currently the only state in the union that offers nationwide health insurance plans through Obamacare. South Dakota has two major medical carriers that won’t work with people using mail forwarding services. Instead, I joined Zion Health, a health-sharing organization.
  • You can’t purchase a firearm. Since your South Dakota address will have PMB (Personal MailBox) on your driver’s license, you will not be able to purchase a firearm from a gun dealer or a big box store like Cabellas. This is thanks to stringent ATF laws.

How to Become a South Dakota Resident

Here’s exactly what I did to become a South Dakota resident. It was all really quick and painless!

Step #1: Join a Mail Forwarding Service

The first part of becoming a South Dakota resident is to join a mail forwarding service that will give you a physical address in South Dakota.

ChooseSD is what I chose as my mail forwarding service

A mail forwarding service works by scanning the outside of an envelope, uploading it to a “virtual mailbox” and giving you the option to open & scan, shred & delete or forward. It’s a super-easy way to see your mail online while traveling full-time.

To read more about how I get mail while traveling in my van, read this article: A Guide to Getting Mail on the Road.

After thoroughly researching the options in South Dakota, I went with a company called The South Dakota Residency Center, or ChooseSD.com.

Here are a few reasons why I chose ChooseSD for my South Dakota address:

  • More affordable than other mail forwarding services. My annual plan costs just $109 for 30 pieces of incoming mail per month, including 5 interior scans. In contrast, the cheapest package by a competitor, America’s Mailbox, charges $149 per year for 7 pieces of mail PER YEAR.
  • Incredibly helpful customer service. While other companies took days to reply to my queries, Lynne with ChooseSD.com got back to me within a matter of hours. And trust me, I had A LOT of questions.
  • Super easy sign-up process. ChooseSD.com contracts with a top mail service provider, Anytime Mailbox, which offers a really simple way to sign up and notarize forms virtually. I actually met with a notary on a video call and we took care of all the paperwork that way, instead of having to print out documents and find a notary in person
  • Connected to a KOA campground. I love that ChooseSD is actually connected to a real campground in Spearfish. This makes my physical address valid!

There are other companies you can use to secure your physical address in South Dakota. Here are a few to check out for your own comparisons:

TIP: Keep in mind that you can’t use a personal mailbox (PMB) offered by one of these companies for your BANKING physical address. The Patriot Act requires that your bank account is tied to a physical address like a house or apartment. For this reason, many nomads use a friend or family member’s address for banking. You can still have your MAILING address be in South Dakota.

Step #2: Get Plates for Your Vehicle(s)

The next step of becoming a South Dakota resident is to get your plates and vehicle registration.

There are two ways to do this: either by mail or in person.

Woman standing in front of a van with South Dakota license plates
Me with my new license plates!

We chose to get our vehicle registration in person as we had to visit South Dakota anyway to get my driver’s license.

In South Dakota, the DMV is not responsible for vehicle license plates. You’ll have to visit the treasurer’s office for the county where you have your physical address.

For me, that meant Lawrence County, whose Treasurer’s Office is in the beautiful and historic city of Deadwood. (Hello, HBO series!)

Here’s what I had to bring to get South Dakota vehicle registration for my Chevy Astro van:

  • My California vehicle title to give up
  • My driver’s license to prove who I am (I actually used my California driver’s license, then called back later to update once I got my South Dakota license)
  • My Social Security card

There was no wait at the Treasurer’s Office and a kind employee helped log all my information into their system. About 10-15 minutes later, I’d paid the $80 fee for my minivan and obtained two South Dakota plates.

Easy as that! Then, you can easily renew your plates online in the future.

Keep in mind if you do buy a new vehicle and register it in South Dakota, you’ll have to pay a 4% excise tax on that purchase. I recently did this with my new Sprinter van!

TIP: If you do your vehicle registration by mail, you need to print off and fill out the correct forms for your county, and include the form with your title and copy of your social security card. Just mail everything in! Then, the treasurer’s office will mail the plates to any address in the U.S. You don’t even need to establish residency to get plates in South Dakota.

Step #3 Stay one night in a South Dakota campground or hotel

South Dakota makes it really easy for nomads to call the state home. All you have to do is spend ONE NIGHT in a campground or a hotel and bring your receipt to a DMV.

It’s important your South Dakota address is printed on that receipt along with your name.

While we wanted to stay at the Spearfish KOA which is associated with ChooseSD, it was currently the Sturgis rally so that campground was all booked up.

We ended up staying at the Spearfish city campground right next to downtown. This is a lovely grassy campground with shade trees and a small fishing creek.

When we woke up the next morning, I asked the office for a receipt with my address and she printed it off in one minute flat. Super easy and convenient South Dakota campground!

Step #4 Visit the DMV

To get a South Dakota driver’s license, you can visit any DMV in the state. While appointments are required in some DMVs, others accept walk-ins as well.

I emailed back and forth with Lynne of my ChooseSD mail forwarding service, who recommended the DMV in Rapid City. They accepted walk-up appointments, and I went there after getting my vehicle license plates in Lawrence County.

Woman stands in front of a DMV holding her South Dakota driver's license
Getting my driver’s license was super easy in South Dakota!

Here’s what you need to get a South Dakota driver’s license:

  • Your current license to forfeit
  • A passport or birth certificate
  • Proof of social security number. I brought a social security card but you can also bring a W-2 form, 1099 form, pay stub with your SSN, or Social Security administration documents saying you are ineligible for a SSN
  • A receipt from your new mailbox service with your name and new address
  • The receipt from the campground or hotel you stayed at showing your name and new address
  • A signed Nomad Affidavit, which says you will reside in South Dakota once you’re done traveling.
  • Proof of any name change if necessary

I printed and prepared all documents before going into the Rapid City DMV for my South Dakota driver’s license. A woman standing near the front door checked me in, and I waited about 10-15 minutes before getting called up.

I showed the documents, paid the $30 fee for the license, completed an eye exam and had my picture taken. The clerk printed out my new South Dakota driver’s license and I was good to go! She didn’t even ask any questions about my PMB address or mailbox in South Dakota.

The entire process took less than a half-hour total and was incredibly easy. The entire staff at the DMV was super nice and I could tell they had lots of experience dealing with nomads.

If you domicile in South Dakota, you’ll have to return every five years to get your driver’s license renewed.

TIP: In California, you have to tell the state you moved. I did this using the online DMV system. You might want to check if your state also requires you to report a move to another state.

Step #5 Register to Vote

Another important part of South Dakota residency is registering to vote.

I did this at the DMV at the same time I got my driver’s license, but you can also do this at any time.

Just a few short days after registering to vote, I got a confirmation letter sent to my South Dakota mailbox verifying my registration.

Simple as that!

Step #5 Change your Vehicle Insurance

Don’t forget to change your car insurance over to your new South Dakota address.

I use Geico and easily did this online.

My auto insurance literally went down 50% when I switched to Spearfish, South Dakota. Cheap auto insurance rates are one of many reasons full time travelers choose to call South Dakota home!

Step #6 Make local connections in South Dakota

In order to prove your residency in a new state, it’s important to make as many connections as you can in your new city and county.

We’ve heard horror stories of some RVers who establish residency in a new state to have their old state challenge the move and come after them for back taxes.

Some full time travelers have even had to settle this in court!

Here are a few ways you can make connections in your new domicile state:

  • Open a bank account with a local bank or credit union. I chose to open an account with the Black Hills Federal Credit Union
  • Sign up for your local library branch.
  • Join a church, temple or mosque in the area
  • Get an accountant or CPA based in your new city
  • Make connections with doctor and dentist’s offices and schedule appointments if possible
  • Join local hiking or meetup groups in your area
  • Get your car repaired in South Dakota

The more connections you can show to South Dakota, the better!

What I’m doing for health insurance as a new South Dakota resident

Health insurance in South Dakota isn’t really all that great, especially for a working-age person not on Medicare.

When I wrote to a health insurance agent based in Spearfish, she basically told me it’s impossible for someone with a PMB (personal mailbox address) to get health insurance using the state’s health exchange.

Both major medical carriers know all the mail forwarding services in South Dakota and don’t believe they are a real physical address.

The insurance agent went on to suggest I get a short-term health insurance plan, which I’m opposed to. (To learn why, read my in-depth post on health insurance for full-time travelers)

I decided to go with Zion Health, a health sharing organization based out of Utah.

Zion is NOT traditional health insurance, but a way to share expenses with other members. Instead of a co-pay or deductible, I have three Initial Unsharable Amounts (IUA) of $1,000. Once I reach that amount, Zion pays the rest.

After I’ve used up all three IUAs in a 12-month period, Zion then steps in and covers everything else.

I have free wellness checks and 24/7 access to Teledoc services. For me, joining Zion Health made perfect sense as they cover incidents worldwide and the price is cheaper than what I paid for health care in California.

Click here to learn more about Zion Health.

I’m glad I became a South Dakota resident

Becoming a South Dakota resident was super easy. I’m excited to explore this beautiful state even more by visiting places like the Badlands National Park, the Black Hills, Custer State Park and Mt. Rushmore.

Plus, you just can’t beat living in a state with no income tax!

From opening a bank account and registering to vote to getting your car insurance changed over, these tips should help make the transition smoother for anyone looking to call South Dakota home full-time or part time.

If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments or email me at kristin@thewaywardhome.com!

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30 Comments

  1. Merle Daniel says:

    I have always enjoyed your writing, your knowledge is key to what keeps me coming back.
    Its not my business to ask who you vote for, with people leaving states in droves to move to the three states you stated. I beg you and all others that are moving to the Dakotas to vote for lower taxes.
    I still can not believe that you are living the life I have dreamed of.
    Good luck
    Thanks

    1. Kristin Hanes says:

      Hey Merle! Thanks for your kind words. Do you live in South Dakota?

  2. Kevin Reems says:

    II registered my vehicle in South Dakota as I live in Mexico. I did everything by mail and it was so great how fast and easy it was to do. The only problem is, I went to change my State Farm Insurance after 40 years of service with them to find out they would use one of the mailbox services I joined to have an address in S.D. Do you know of any insurance company I can call that doesn’t have a problem with this? I want insurance for the few times I do travel in the states.

    1. Kevin Reems says:

      I mean to say they would NOT use my mailbox service address for my car insurance.

    2. Kristin Hanes says:

      Hey Kevin! I use Geico and they didn’t have a problem at all. Maybe you have to call a few places and shop around a little. Good luck!

      1. I just switched my California geico to S.D. address and they jack up the rate to double they said because it’s South dakota

        1. Kristin Hanes says:

          Really! Wow! Mine was low, but now Geico is kicking me off due to my van build so I have to find new insurance

          1. I found it if you still need some

  3. Morgan Youngblood says:

    This was such a detailed article Kristin. Thank you for all your advice and info! I was wondering if you know what the annual renewal fee on vehicles looks like. I think I saw that SD calculates registration fees by weight and year of vehicle. Compared to some states with a flat fee registration I think that can get pretty pricey on newer large vehicles. Would you be willing to share what the cost was to register your Sprinter (excluding the 4% sales tax fee, just looking for annual registration cost). Any help is appreciated!

    1. Kristin Hanes says:

      Hi Morgan! It cost me around $90 to register the Sprinter van and maybe $40-ish on the Astro. Not bad given that California was trying to charge me $200 for the Astro, haha! Good point though on registration fees – I should include that in this article.

      1. Morgan Youngblood says:

        Hi again Kristin! Thanks so much for your reply, very helpful!

  4. Hi Kristen,
    We just became SD residents as well. Used AM in Box Elder. After we got our drivers license and plates we did stop by the Rapid City library. The women in the library saw my license and scoffed. She was so angry and said that address would not work. Said to get a library card I would need a Utility bill/lease/rental contract and it had to be 6 months old… then that would show I was a resident. PMB she said was NOT a physical address and they would never issue a card to a PMB license holder. We went back and forth but she looked like her head may explode…. so we left. I see you added “sign up for your local library branch”. Did that mean obtain a library card? If so where and how did that go for you?
    We love the state and cant wait to be there. Our travels go through there all the time. Plus we plan to vote in line with how the state votes so voting will be a pleasure.

    1. Kristin Hanes says:

      Hi Jen! I’m sorry you had such a horrible experience at the library. Wow. I went to Deadwood and got a library card just fine. I wish south Dakota residents would realize all we are doing is giving money to the state and not overcrowding it as we are travelers.

  5. Greetings Kristen, I am so very glad to have found you with all this valuable information. I’m planning on selling out as soon as weather is good here in Ohio. In my research I’ve decided to register in South Dakota also. I had read that if you have a PMB the state will immediately remove you from voting an absentee ballot. I was surprised to read your article that says voting would be possible. That was a big concern of mine. Thx for that. Can you pick any town in SD as your domicile town or does it have to be where you PMB is located? Thx so much again for all you do for us nomads. Happy Trails & Happy Sailing. Sincerely, Paula.
    p.s. I also follow Amber at Story Chasing. 😁

    1. Kristin Hanes says:

      Hi Paula! I haven’t received a ballot yet so I can’t 100% verify what you are saying about absentee ballots. ChooseSD seems to think we can register to vote and get ballots, so I guess I will find out. So, your PMB is your address when you become a SD resident, so that would be your domicile city. Unless you are planning on actually buying a property in SD?

      1. “I had read that if you have a PMB the state will immediately remove you from voting an absentee ballot.”

        Not true. PMB residents are allowed to vote by absentee ballot. However, we are not allowed to vote for certain offices such as school board. I mailed my absentee ballot yesterday. Call your county auditor, they are very helpful. Mine is in Minnehaha County, their number is 605-367-4220.

  6. Jennifer Lovitz says:

    Great article! Do you think one could use a tax return instead of a SS card to show proof of SS# for vehicle registration? I lost my SS card quite some time ago.

    1. Kristin Hanes says:

      Probably! But Lynne at ChooseSD.com would know best, or you could try to contact South Dakotta DMV.

  7. Can I use a UPS Store mail box as my PMB for nomad residency?

    1. Kristin Hanes says:

      I don’t completely know this one – I do know the mail forwarding companies have actually permanent, physical addresses they use. Like the ChooseSD company’s address is associated with their Spearfish KOA.

  8. Teresa Pureber says:

    That’s right folks, super easy to become a REGISTERED VOTER in SD w tax benefits to boot. There are enough van lifers out there that we.cpuld really make a difference this November. It’s totally legit and your voice will actually count more in SD (lower population). #vanlifersvoteSD

  9. “You only have to appear in the state every five years to update your driver’s license.”

    After five years, you can renew your license online. At ten years, you must return to South Dakota. I just renewed online after five years.

  10. Alicia Yoder says:

    I’ve been thinking of doing this for a while. I’m trying to find the DMV page for South Dakota and keep getting a 404 Page Not Found error message. I found a website that shows the fees are $50.40 older than 9 years. $10 title fee and 4% excise tax. Do you know does that excise tax apply of you’ve the car for 12 years? Also, is this annually? I’m excited about a road trip later this summer!! Thank you for all the information!!!

    1. Kristin Hanes says:

      Hey Alicia! You can call the Lawrence County Treasurer’s office as they do vehicle registrations – that’s where I got mine done in Deadwood, SD. The excise tax is not annually – I THINK it only applies to new vehicles as I paid it for my new Sprinter van. You might want to call for more details, though.

  11. Chuck Enright says:

    I read on another blog (https://blog.savvynomad.io/is-sd-good-domicile-2024/) which stated that these 2 items are no longer able to use a PMB:
    1 – Voting is no longer possible without a residential address.
    2 – You cannot pay unemployment taxes (or claim unemployment benefits) using a PMB address.
    Are you aware of these recent changes?

  12. Joseph Sorgiovanni says:

    I live allot and travel overseas. I have a california drivers license but donot own a vehicle in US. I pay state income tax in california, I normly rent a car for 1-3 months.
    I am on social security. Can i still become a resident not owning a car?I am only in US for about 3 months a year.

  13. If my sister lives in SD, would it be an option to pay her rent & use that as my residence? I’m thinking of travel nursing and a travel nurse suggested I pay my sister rent to establish residency… plus it would be a physical address, which might help with some of the issues you mentioned (where you need a physical address, although the mail scanning thing might be good if I’m travel nursing about). I am considering getting a camper or RV or something. Just figured I’d throw out an ask. Thanks so much! This was quite informative, a one stop shop for all my becoming a resident of SD needs! Next, I need to figure out how to get the compact state travel license… On to search that info. Thank you again!

    1. Oh, also, you say something about 4% tax if you buy a new vehicle, so I should get my RV/camper before I become a resident? Or was there some other point to that statement? Just checking!! Thanks!!

    2. Kristin Hanes says:

      Hey Amanda! You only have to spend one night in South Dakota to become a resident, and you need some sort of receipt showing this. You could pay her rent if you want, or just stay one night in a campground or hotel. You can use her address as your physical address or use a mail forwarding service like ChooseSD.com. You could purchase your vehicle before becoming a resident. I purchased my Sprinter, and my utility trailer, after becoming a resident and paid the 4% tax on both.

  14. Thank you so much for all the info Kristin!!

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