Another Car Registration and Drivers License Question (Arlington: apartment complexes, renting)

[SFean]

I've been looking on the Virignia DMV sites to get this answer but cannot seem to find the answer. We have a permanent home in Santa Fe, NM and a temporary home in Arlington, Va. We will be here for a year maybe two but we are not always here. We are back in NM for weeks at a time. We plan on leaving one of our vehicles in VA. We know that we need to register it in VA and will do so, but my questions is, do we have to get a Virginia driver's license to register our vehicle in VA? I will be in NM more than VA so I don't want to give up my NM license since my car there is registered in NM. Does anyone happen to know the answer? I do know that in NM, you must have a NM driver's license to register your vehicle in NM. Thanks in advance for any info.

[CAVA1990]

Probably best to contact someone at the DMV either by phone or in person to get the answer. You're going to have to talk to them at some point anyway.

[lindy112]

My husband and I have FL drivers' licenses with cars registered in VA. But we're also military so there might be an exclusion involved.

[terrence81]

The legal answer is that if spend the majority of your time in Virginia then you should get a VA license. The honest answer is that go with which state has the cheapest insurance and tax rates. Been here a good while and still haven't switched to VA because things always seem to come up. I use my parents address and get the stickers mailed to me.

Never had a problem just don't let them expire. Most people I know who got tickets and stuff for not switching let their tags expire or lived in apartment complexes that have police patroling the parking lot. Also some apartment complexes require Virginia registration before giving a parking permit. Honestly if you park your car in a driveway no one will care. So honestly it will depend on where you live in VA. Some places care. I've been fortunate to live in places that don't pay attention to that sort of thing. But if you're going to get Virginia registration you should get a VA license if you don't register your car in Virginia then don't get a Virginia lisence. Just make sure you tell the insurance company. Virginia has remarkably cheaper rates. Yes you can have a New Mexico lisence and registration and say that the car is "garaged" in Virginia. You would have to follow New Mexico registration and insurance rules though.

[bmwguydc]

You do not need a Virginia license to register the car. The vehicle will need to be titled in VA, however. So, from out of state, you would need your old title, proof of address, etc. If you purchase one in VA to keep in Arlington, there's less hassle since the vehicle will be titled in VA. You will need poof of local address, per DMV requirements such as current utility bill, property tax bill, etc.

It's not that different a situation where one has a car at a summer home and has it registered in a state other than their state of residence. I have done it, myself, but not with Virginia as the secondary jurisdiction.

[SFean]

Originally Posted by bmwguydc

You do not need a Virginia license to register the car. The vehicle will need to be titled in VA, however. So, from out of state, you would need your old title, proof of address, etc. If you purchase one in VA to keep in Arlington, there's less hassle since the vehicle will be titled in VA. You will need poof of local address, per DMV requirements such as current utility bill, property tax bill, etc.

It's not that different a situation where one has a car at a summer home and has it registered in a state other than their state of residence. I have done it, myself, but not with Virginia as the secondary jurisdiction.

Thanks for the information. Virginia is a tough jurisdiction. I just wonder what other people do that have more than one home. I think my best bet is to title and license the car here in VA, but not relinquish my NM driver's license. I still have a home and vehicle in NM and will be driving there as much as here. If I am not required to get a VA driver's license then that is ok. I don't mind paying VA their taxes since I use VA roads, etc. It's just difficult to accommodate multiple state's requirements. When we go back to NM permanently, we will have to retitle and license the car there again.

All in all; however, it is a real pleasure living in N. Arlington. What a great place.

[jimbjr15]

terrence81: "Been here a good while and still haven't switched to VA because things always seem to come up. I use my parents address and get the stickers mailed to me."

Tax evasion and insurance fraud - how original. That's some great parenting right there.

[Plokivos]

Originally Posted by SFean

I've been looking on the Virignia DMV sites to get this answer but cannot seem to find the answer. We have a permanent home in Santa Fe, NM and a temporary home in Arlington, Va. We will be here for a year maybe two but we are not always here. We are back in NM for weeks at a time. We plan on leaving one of our vehicles in VA. We know that we need to register it in VA and will do so, but my questions is, do we have to get a Virginia driver's license to register our vehicle in VA? I will be in NM more than VA so I don't want to give up my NM license since my car there is registered in NM. Does anyone happen to know the answer? I do know that in NM, you must have a NM driver's license to register your vehicle in NM. Thanks in advance for any info.

NO. You don't have to because your primary resident isn't in VA. I know this, because I have a house in a different state, and if it wasn't such a hassle, I would actually do my registration there, instead of here.

If you're worried about cops pulling you over and telling you otherwise, from my experience, if this is a temporary residence, cops don't care, as long as your license address is same as your house, and registration. Plus, You're not moving here. If you MOVE to VA as your permanent resident, then you have to register and get a new license within 10 days or something, but if you're a permanent resident of a different state, such as having a house there, then you don't have to.

This is a grey area, and I've searched and searched and asked the DMV, and nobody knows.

[HokieFan]

3 year old thread, y'all.

[cabryce]

hey i have a similar scenario my full time home is ny my vacation home is in virginia i will be storing my car at the vacation home and registering in VA. I cant surrender my ny cdl for work reasons. foes anyone know the rule on that.