State of Texas requirements for grad school (Austin, Lubbock: apartment, renting)

[yorker]

I am currently a resident of New York. I am going to Texas in the fall for graduate studies for 2 years and will be paying out of state tuition. Is there anything I need to do in term of administrative things? I am driving my car down and will be using it down there and obviously my license plate and drivers license says New York State. Do I need to do anything like change my drivers license/license plate/etc. to Texas? I haven't decided if I will be living in Texas after graduate school or not but during the 2 years I want to still remain a New York State resident (paying New York State taxes, etc.). Lastly, can I get a job in Texas even if I am a New York State resident?

[doctorjef]

Oh no, you have to get a work permit/green card to work legally in Texas if you are from out of state. Yes, good grief, of course you can work even if your permanent residence is in NY! It's still the USA, despite what some Texans might like to think.

As to your license tags, there have been discussions about this elsewhere -- on the Austin subforum, specifically, and the consensus seemed to be that you would incur less ill will and less likelihood of damage to your car (and possibly police stops) if you go ahead and get TX tags. You also really should get a TDL, because you need local ID. You will have to surrender your NY DL, but if you move back to NY before the expiration date of your DL there, you should be able to get a replacement license without having to do anything but possibly a vision test.

[loves2read]

someone can be resident of NY and NOT be a citizen of the US--which would make a work visa necessary
I guess that is the question--is the OP a US citizen in addition to being a NY resident...
I wonder if you have to have TX insurance if you register your car here
certainly have to notify your NY insurance company of the change in registration since that is normally how ins rates are calculated--by where you reside...
IF you are citizen and you change your DL to TX vs NY you can't vote legally in NY (if that matters to you) because you have changed your residence...

Dick Cheney got into trouble during second Bush campaign because he has DL in two states--Montana and TX--had to choose one to make him a legitimate voter

[yorker]

I am indeed a US citizen and a resident of NY. Is it really necessary for me to get a Texas DL and License plate? Like is it Texas law or something? I really don't want to have to surrender my NYS drivers license to get a Texas one, I was just wondering if it was law or something. I mean, I am going to a college town and I am sure there are other students that are residents of other states that have come to Texas for school.

[Bowie]

Originally Posted by yorker

I am indeed a US citizen and a resident of NY. Is it really necessary for me to get a Texas DL and License plate? Like is it Texas law or something? I really don't want to have to surrender my NYS drivers license to get a Texas one, I was just wondering if it was law or something. I mean, I am going to a college town and I am sure there are other students that are residents of other states that have come to Texas for school.

You say that you'll still be a "resident" of NY. As long as you have a residential address in NY, claiming residency there should be no problem. If your only legal residence is in TX, then yes, you'll need the plates and the DL.

This FAQ about residency by UT-Austin may be helpful, even though it approaches the question from the standpoint of people who do want to establish residency: University of Texas at Austin - Texas Residency FAQ

[yorker]

Originally Posted by Bowie

You say that you'll still be a "resident" of NY. As long as you have a residential address in NY, claiming residency there should be no problem. If your only legal residence is in TX, then yes, you'll need the plates and the DL.

This FAQ about residency by UT-Austin may be helpful, even though it approaches the question from the standpoint of people who do want to establish residency: University of Texas at Austin - Texas Residency FAQ

Thanks alot. I do have a residential address in NY and am only renting an apartment for 2 years for grad school. I understand that if I get a permanent job and decide to live in Texas after school then it would be a good idea to become a resident. I just don't want to be given a hard time because I carry a NYS license and license plate (like at a bar or getting pulled over or something).

[Lol_Stacey]

Originally Posted by yorker

Thanks alot. I do have a residential address in NY and am only renting an apartment for 2 years for grad school. I understand that if I get a permanent job and decide to live in Texas after school then it would be a good idea to become a resident. I just don't want to be given a hard time because I carry a NYS license and license plate (like at a bar or getting pulled over or something).

You will be given a hard time! Texans are infamous for "Yankee" name-calling and just really thinking Texas is better. < I am half-way playing with you, it isn't that big a deal, but might make life easier to have Texas plates and license, especially if you intend on driving to any place within Texas that is not one of the larger metros.....no offense to small town folk, but State Troopers and Sheriffs in rural areas (not just in Texas, I have heard stories about Ok and La as well), love to hassle people who are not local.>

[doctorjef]

You don't have to get rid of your NY plates and DL, but you should. You are going to be looked at as a foreigner with those plates and inviting possible discriminatory treatment. You really may need a LOCAL ID as well. I'm not defending these things, just pointing up the realities. There has been a long thread on this on the Austin subforum, starting with the OP getting a note on her car to the effect of "go back to California", as that's what the tags were. Years ago when my parents moved back from Baltimore to Texas, my mother got harrassed at a stoplight by a complete stranger because she still had Maryland tags on the car -- the guy kept leaning out the window and saying "Go home, yankee, go home". That was in the small east TX city of Tyler, but it could happen anywhere.

[yorker]

What exactly is a LOCAL ID? Also, I understand what you are saying. I just assumed that because I am going to be in a college town (Lubbock, TX), there will be others who are from different states and have driven their cars down. I just hope it won't be as bad because it is a college town and not a small town.

[doctorjef]

By local ID I mean a DL showing your local address, i.e. in TX, not in NY. Dude, I pity you if you are going to Texas Tech! You are going to find Lubbock pretty weird. Best of luck.