Homeland Security Rules for Full-time RV living

gromit440 · February 03, 2009, 08:27 PM

I thought this thread may be of help to full-time RVers.

Last Spring when we had to renew our Travco registration, the folks at the NCDMV said we had to have a permanent address, other than our PO Box, due to new Homeland Security (HS) Rules, and, we would have to come into a NCDMV office personally to address the issue. Also, we were told that mail from NCDMV will not be forwarded. The new rules affected registration as well as drivers licenses, at least in North Carolina.

Since we have rented out our home in Pinehurst, NC and obviously moving from place to place in an RV wouldn't work, we worked together with the NCDMV to come up with a remedy...although it may be only a temporary one. We ended up using our rented home address as our permanent address, but made our daughter's address in Raleigh our billing/mailing address. The gals at the NCDMV said HS rules and HS rule changes are being worked out to address the folks that are RVing full-time and have no permanent address due to not owning a home at all or those that have rented their homes. Again, PO Boxes are not acceptable.

This is just one example of how new HS rules have affected our RVing experience so far. And, there will probably be other rules and rule changes that come along for those RVing full-time. Maybe, sharing experiences on this thread can give a heads-up on any HS changes RVing full-timers may run into traveling around the country and/or crossing the boarders to Canada and Mexico or visa versa.

Jeff

ClydesdaleKevin · February 03, 2009, 08:38 PM

Papers please!!!

Yeah, I'm not overly fond of Homeland Obscurity.

But on topic...lol...we use a friend's addy for our licence and registration address. But it is also possible to rent out a mailbox at some place like a UPS Store. It is just like a PO Box, but it is called a PMB (personal mailbox), and DMV will accept the designation as a legal residential address, and will send official documents and whatnot to it. When you are on the road, if you get mail there, you recieve an email from the UPS store requesting a forwarding address...you email them back, and they will forward it to wherever you are. Works with DMV documents as well.

Kev

gromit440 · February 04, 2009, 02:51 PM

Hey Kev,

Thank you for the feedback.

We checked into the UPS store forwarding service before heading to the DMV. They had a start-up cost of $100, I think is was, and a $50/month forwarding charge. We strive to not get hooked into monthly payments on anything. So, that is why we opted to use our daughter's address, after consulting with the DMV, as she forwards everything to us now and then when we lite for a spell.

We did keep our USPO PO Box in Pinehurst though as my dad, who is living in an assisted facility, gets so much mail for health care, IRS, Medicare, AARP-Hartford Insurance, his Wisconsin pension, GI bill stuff and on and on. I think the PO Box runs about $50 per year now and all my dad's stuff does get forwarded. To change all the addresses for my dad would be a nightmare as I have to send POA papers almost every time I have to do something for him. But, we've used up the 1 year temporary USPO free forwarding service and are presently working on the 1 year permanent USPS free forwarding service. So, alas, all the changes will have to be made before the 1 year permanent service expires....Sigh!

We still use free "back door" cell phone internet access and/or free WiFi internet access hot spots, use only over the air TV, and pay our credit cards off every month. Also, with our WiFi antenna/amplifier we sometimes pay a nearby neighbor, within a mile or so, for access in an area we're staying put for a while, as I am now in Punta Gorda. I am paying a neighbor down the street $20/month to share their secured high-speed internet service. I imagine running a business on the road like you folks requires a different strategy, eh? JIT delivery and such.

In any event, I guess full-time RVers are lucky as it seems the DMV is the only HS glitch...so far. It may be interesting to hear more from everyone about HS issues down the trail....if any. I sure hope not though!

I wonder is there are UPS stores around that have a better deal....both for start-up and the monthly forwarding fee?

Jeff

ClydesdaleKevin · February 05, 2009, 09:55 AM

Hey Jeff,

The UPS Store we went to in Gainesville, FL. charged us 79.00 for three months, plus a 20 dollar startup fee, so yeah, it was a 100.00 more or less to start it up. But that was for 3 months, and it includes the forwarding fees. I think they said a year was 150.00, again, including the fowarding service, so its not a bad deal if someone doesn't have any other options. We did it so we could receive tax documents and whatnot for the business and not have to worry about them getting forwarded.

With the internet we absolutely have to have a reliable connection for the business, so we use the Verizon service with a USB card...it runs about 50 bucks a month for the service, and since we don't do any gaming or any massive downloads, the data limits are more than adequate for us.

I do want to look into the WiFi amplifier, so we're waiting so see how reliable it ends up being with the other members here that us it to see if they can get a reliable signal...it sounds pretty cool all in all if we can get the reliability we need.

Next winter we'll have stock built up again to cover the first two Florida shows we do, so instead of a campground next year when we visit my mom we'll save a lot of money and do some boondocking and stay at State Parks and whatnot to save a lot of money.

Kev

gromit440 · February 05, 2009, 08:54 PM

Kev,

Given the broad difference in the UPS Store charges for the Personal Mail Box I checked out in NC and the box you rented FL, I checked out the UPS Store web site and sure enough each store is independently owned and operated and charge what traffic will bear in their area. It appears it may be very worthwhile to shop around....especially in my neck of the woods.

Jeff

ibdilbert01 · March 05, 2009, 07:48 PM

I've heard good things about EarthClassMail. Might be an option.

http://www.earthclassmail.com/

LJ-TJ · March 05, 2009, 09:03 PM

Wow! and who said the Terrorist haven't won. I'd say they've done a pretty good job. U.S.A. home of the free?

ClydesdaleKevin · March 07, 2009, 07:57 AM

Here is the latest change with the Homeland Obscurity laws...your RV is no longer considered a sacrosanct domicile that they need a warrant to search...your RV is now just considered just another motor vehicle if operated on the roads, and any law enforcement officer can search your home from top to bottom just for "probable cause"...which we all know means if they feel like it.

Kev

LJ-TJ · March 07, 2009, 06:33 PM

Guys, disillusioned doesn't even begin to describe my disappointment in my American friends. I never thought I would live to see the day that they would allow their rights to be so blaintly abused in the name of Public Safety Takes Precedence Over Individual Rights. I mean, you are the guys of the Boston Tea Party. Liberty and Justice and Freedom for all folks.

Oz · March 07, 2009, 06:58 PM

Yeah... but then... we all got married.

ClydesdaleKevin · March 07, 2009, 10:42 PM

Quote from: LJ-TJ on March 07, 2009, 06:33 PM
Guys, disillusioned doesn't even begin to describe my disappointment in my American friends. I never thought I would live to see the day that they would allow their rights to be so blaintly abused in the name of Public Safety Takes Precedence Over Individual Rights. I mean, you are the guys of the Boston Tea Party. Liberty and Justice and Freedom for all folks.

It IS pretty sad, isn't it?

BY THE WAY...LJ-TJ!!! Did you set up a photo album yet? My wife looked at one picture of your rig and now wants to do our entire rig in smooth fiberglass like yours, complete with graphics...thanks a lot!!!...lol! Seriously...do you have more pics and detail on how it was done? It looks GREAT!!!

Oh yeah...that jump in subject matter was programed into us from the time we were children with television and commercials...its very hard for us Americans to keep focused on a thought, and even harder still for us to get all riled up about it...I mean...what if it interferes with our favorite TV program? And 10 minutes is about the maximum of our attention span...where is the commercial so I can get up and make a snack and use the bathroom? We can pick it right back up, but we need a break...lol! Just keep us entertained and we will ride along with the flow of the tides...provided we are fed and have a home. Keep us entertained and we will overlook just about anything. Keep us entertained and we will forget and forgive...mostly forget...any wrongs. Just keep us entertained.

Sad but true.

Provide a REAL threat...make us go hungry or threaten our homes or family, and I would HOPE we would rise like our forefathers...I would hope...I would hope we would challenge our paradigms and programming...I would hope that we would...oh wait...Seinfelds back on! This is the Man Hands episode! I'll get back to you!...

Sad

Kev