Hello all! My wife and I currently live in CA and are exploring which state we are going to establish our domicile in. We are looking at the Big 3 and our preference, for a variety of reasons, would be TX. Everything we have read so far says that our truck and trailer must physically get to TX to be inspected before we can register them. Their current CA registrations expire in July and we will not be able to get them to TX (or SD or FL) before July. 

In another forum two people said they were able to register their RV's in TX without having them inspected in TX and they both recommended I ask in the forums here. Is anyone able to confirm if this is accurate and if so, how exactly we would go about doing that? We are not Escapee members yet but plan on joining once we finally leave. We have sold our house and are making final arrangements with employers, etc. so we are hoping it will be by summer.

Thanks in advance for any input!

Cheers!

https://txdmv.gov/motorists/new-to-texas

I think this site will answer your question.

Russ

  On 5/16/2019 at 1:18 AM, itsabouttime said:

https://txdmv.gov/motorists/new-to-texas

I think this site will answer your question.

Russ

Thank you Russ,

I had seen that site and had basically ruled out TX until I had two other full-timers tell me that they were able to register in TX without having the vehicle inspected in TX. I am trying to confirm from someone within the Escapees community who has been able to do the same thing. 

Cheers!

I strongly suggest that you call the Polk County Tax Office where you do this for the Escapee address. They have a long history of exceptionally good customer service. Just let them know that you are thinking of moving to an Escapees address and they will know what you have in mind and they will be happy to help.

(936) 327-6801

I called them recently to ask about registering one of my cars if it were still out of state.

My situation will be different than yours as I’m planning on going there to get my drivers license and then register the truck and trailer, while my Jeep will be in Nevada at my sister’s house. They said I could register it and that I could get the inspection done when I brought it into the state. 

Your situation sounds different in that you would not be there or have a Texas driver’s license, if I understand your situation. It would be worth a call to check before you decide.

  On 5/15/2019 at 10:59 PM, AJsPilot said:

We are not Escapee members yet but plan on joining once we finally leave.

Have you already made arrangements for getting your mail?  If not, you might want to join the Escapees now, sign up for their mail service and start the process of getting all your mail changed over to your new address.

  On 5/16/2019 at 8:22 PM, LindaH said:

Have you already made arrangements for getting your mail?  If not, you might want to join the Escapees now, sign up for their mail service and start the process of getting all your mail changed over to your new address.

Linda makes a very good point. Why not join the Escapees RV Club now and get things started? The magazine you will get alone will prove very valuable and there is much more to be gained from the membership. 

  On 5/16/2019 at 5:59 AM, Kirk W said:

I strongly suggest that you call the Polk County Tax Office where you do this for the Escapee address. They have a long history of exceptionally good customer service. Just let them know that you are thinking of moving to an Escapees address and they will know what you have in mind and they will be happy to help.

(936) 327-6801

Thank you Kirk, I will be calling them today. Thank you for providing the phone number.

  On 5/16/2019 at 8:22 PM, LindaH said:

Have you already made arrangements for getting your mail?  If not, you might want to join the Escapees now, sign up for their mail service and start the process of getting all your mail changed over to your new address.

Not yet, but we will once we decide for sure which state we will be setting up our domicile in.

  On 5/16/2019 at 5:59 AM, Kirk W said:

I strongly suggest that you call the Polk County Tax Office where you do this for the Escapee address. They have a long history of exceptionally good customer service. Just let them know that you are thinking of moving to an Escapees address and they will know what you have in mind and they will be happy to help.

(936) 327-6801

Thanks Kirk! I guess I should have just done this in the first place.

For anyone else who may be interested, they told me there is a Form 270 on the Escapees website that you can mail in with your registration documentation which will exempt you from the vehicle inspection requirement until you actually travel into Texas. Once you do arrive in Texas you have 3 days to get your vehicle/RV registered, but until you physically get there, there is no need for a vehicle inspection. 

Thanks to everyone for their input.

This will also work for re-registration yearly for full-timers--online forms to re-register, then 3 days for inspection when back in state.