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> The closest is probably moving your drivers license registration, which many people wait years to do after moving.

Most states do require by law that you do this in a very short period of time after moving. (Although yes, it is not uncommon for people to violate this)




Only if you have a driving license and plan on driving.

I agree, it's quite odd that you never officially register as a resident of the state, but I guess it's part of the US's aversion to "papers please."


There's also the state v. federal political issue of the interstate commerce clause. Some municipalities in the pretty far past have tried to restrict people moving there by creating onerous registration barriers that were then struck down by the feds. They're allowed some leeway there, but there's a limit that they don't want to push and the feds are more than happy to enforce their power.

My state (CO) semi recently hit a morph of this concern because they had "pioneer" license plates that cost an extra $100 or so and were only available to people who could prove N generations of ancestry in CO. The feds struck that down as .gov services provided being dependent on state origin and therefore against the interstate commerce clause.


As a Colorado born kid, I always thought the pioneer plates were the ultimate form of the "Native" bumper sticker. Mind you, I think that basing your identity on where your mother happened to be when she gave birth is exceptionally stupid.

That said, Florida can take Rep. Boebert back at any point.


It’s also that there are different standards of requirements across the thousands of different government entities that care about residency. And there’s not much chance they’d agree.

My municipal tax authority and the US State department may have very different standards for validating “residency” and very different reasons for doing so.


Or voting. You typically register with the secretary of state to vote.


California requires you to register your vehicles within 20 days and firearms within 60 days of moving in-state.




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