Do you change your driver's license???

[godbless-yute]

Do you guys change your driver license to the new state every time you take an assignment in a new state?? For instance, you live in FL and have a FL driver's license, then you take a 13wk assignment in GA....do you change your driver's license to GA?? I was told by a police officer in GA that you would have to change your license each time you take an assignment in a different state. That didn't sound like it made much sense to me, so I'm check ing with you guys to see if any of you have run into that in the past.

[Lovecnmnp]

I've never heard of such. You don't have an intent to move to these places and make them your permanent home. Temporary assignments only. Maybe it would help to have a copy of your contract in the car to show in case you are ever stopped. That makes no sense to me at all.

[MrChicagoRN, RN]

No, you don't have to change it ever as long you have someplace you consider your legal residence.

Where do you get your mail, your bank statements & CC bills, what address is listed on your tax return every year?

All you have to say is "I live in Hometown, Il but working temporarily here in Hooterville."

[ArrowRN, BSN, RN]

That would be a crazy law, what about truck drivers? Well all I know is most states require that you get a license from that state within 30 days of becoming a resident, and most states consider a person to be a resident if they are in that state for 30 or more days. The thing is you have to determine if you can be called a resident of that state for being their for almost 90 days. If you can prove you have a permanent residence and pay taxes to your home state, then you are not a resident of that new state you are there temporarily. Its just like if a student moves to another state to go to a particular school, but they still have to pay out of state tuition costs even though they will be going to school for X years they are still not considered residents for tuition purposes.

[NedRN]

It will be possible for police in many states to issue you a citation for not changing your license. They are not experts in residency laws and some states such as California are particularly vigorous in their enforcement attempts. Billboards with toll free numbers advising of hotlines to turn in your neighbor with the Arizona tags, and the state taxation authority just issuing bills just because you hold a professional license in California without proof that you worked there (happened to me). While the judge will always find in your favor with the right documentation, that is a nuisance you want to avoid. A lot of travelers carry their assignment contract in their glove box to show the officer that you are in fact working in their state temporarily. This usually stops him from writing a ticket.

If you have a valid tax home (makes you eligible for all that tax free agency money and housing), you never want to change your drivers license. That could be considered proof by the IRS that you have abandoned your historical tax home and they may hit you with back taxes, penalties, and interest.