# Best State to Register



## unrulywaunder

Hey All,

What's the best State (uh, in the Continental US) to register your car?

I just bought a microhouse (Prius); it's registered in NY. I only bought 6 months of insurance cuz I was thinking of registering it in Virginia after my commitments in NY are severed, and I hit the road.

Is Virginia the best place to register a vehicle? Is it true you don't need to purchase Auto Insurance in VA? Are there any other States like that?


-unruly


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## Deleted member 125

in va you technically dont have to have car insurance but you do have to pay the dmv a fee to drive uninsured i dont know how much that is but ide guess its based the same way car insurance is, year/make/model of the car etc etc.


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## junkpolecat99

Maine and New Hampshire according to my google search https://www.valuepenguin.com/average-cost-of-insurance
California has low-income state government insurance.


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## unrulywaunder

junkpolecat99 said:


> Maine and New Hampshire according to my google search https://www.valuepenguin.com/average-cost-of-insurance
> California has low-income state government insurance.



I've done similar searches, but they often don't take into account state registration fees + insurance.


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## creature

generaly, just for the sake of the thread, also consider vehicle inspection & emission requirements..
sounds like you car is probably fine, but you don't want to make a decision, get to the dmv & have them hit you for proof of smog or inspection.

a lot of states are smog/inspection free, & some of those states are silly cheap to register.. ND being one..
california will yank your arm behind the counter, chop your fucking arm off & hand half a fucking pinky finger for change..

also, unless you're going to focus on trekking, get a fold up bike or something.. 
a prius is well made, but they have low clearance & aren't something you want to bounce around in on some of the deeper roads..

anyways.. good luck & have fun on yer voyage..!


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## junkpolecat99

I have a 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid that I bought from a junkyard in Orange County, CA. I only get about 35 mpg but it's a well-made salvage title car that I only paid 2,200 for. A Toyota Prius is better, I agree. They get up to 45-50 MPG. It's the most common car on the road in California.


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## Wild Ty Laserbeam

TN is about 60 bucks to register. No emissions check and your can register anything you want for non-commercial use. You can also consider driving without insurance. I bought (rv) insurance for my bus but other than that I haven't insured a car in my life. Drive the speed limit and pay attention and you'll be fine. Can't get a ticket if your don't get pulled over. As far as I'm concerned if I were to get ticketed for uninsured driving at this point i would still be in the black for all the insurance I haven't paid!


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## junkpolecat99

The regular battery was super old and since I replaced it, I've been getting 40-50 MPG and it's running a lot smoother. Just in case anybody else has a hybrid, be sure your battery is tested (not the big battery, the regular one).


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## Sameer

Arizona is cheap and easy and doesn't require a smog certificate. Also knowing that many people live in their vehicles they will take a PO Box as an address. I am using the personal PO box that I have at the Ehrenberg laundry and General Store for the past three years. Insurance is very cheap in this part of Arizona especially with Geico. If you register for car insurance in a large city or town you're going to pay more. It is better to find a small town and either use a UPS Store mailbox or somewhere similar. You can get registration for 5 years cheap in Arizona.


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## James Maarsten

New Mexico.
I've gotten stuck with an SR-22 from Neva-duh (I hate the state!) a number of years ago, and after loosing a car, suffering a temporary condition in which I couldn't drive I foundout I *STILL* had the SR-22 on my back! We're talking over five-fuckin' years here, folks! I've known of people who did less time for Murder!
After some searching I foundout that New Mexico is the one state with no SR-22 to sandbag you with!
I hope this helps!


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## James Maarsten

New Mexico has a very long history of Land-Theft and calling it Squatting.
This was done originally to try to drive the Zuni, Tao, Apache, and others from off their land.
The state's very 'Red', but every once and a while you might be able to find something within it's law structure you can use.
Besides, if you can live under-the-radar, and find a (somewhat) clean, fresh water source, why try to live in the city of Albuquerque?


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## claymation

I'm not sure if the OP was intending to live in the state but was inquiring more about getting his car registered vs becoming an actual resident. I myself would be interested in Nevada but your difficulty would make me rethink my decision. I don't know for sure on the details but NM would require at minimum liability insurance at the time of registration. No smog or Brake&Light as a state requirement.


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## James Maarsten

_"...I myself would be interested in Nevada but your difficulty would make me rethink my decision...."_ 
Please: I be dyin' if I be lyin'! Nevada's got the #3 Insurance Rates in the nation, all because of the Stinktown Strip, and the Ferocity of theCity/State gov't towards non-mormons is unbelievable! Carrying a Nevada license was one of the worst mistake I ever made!
_"...I don't know for sure on the details but NM would require at minimum liability insurance at the time of registration. No smog or Brake&Light as a state requirement...."_
Yes, but that's at least livable, and there's no SR-22 to ruin your life with!
Trust me: it's something you never want to have that's nothing more than the worst form of Legalized Extortion Racketeering there is!


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## claymation

Thank you for the information. I am going to check it closer. My intent has more to do with maintaining a residence status while traveling and living in other states.


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## Jerrell

Last I knew, South Dakota was really, really easy to get set up in. As in stay a night in a campground and you can apply to be a resident level of easy.
I looked into it a few years back and that's the state that stands out in my mind of where I'd register if I wasn't registered in Iowa.


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## James Maarsten

I have to warn you, please! those winters in the Dakota's are no joke!
Make sure you've Winterized your wheels, and have plenty of Arctic Gear for yourself if you're gonna' try staying there.
Also: if you do end up being on land that belongs to the Rez' be real nice to them, ask politely if you can stay, and if they refuse: pack up and go immediately! Sometimes Lakota/Dakota folks can be real cool about it, other times they can see you as trespassing, and they've had enough of strangers coming to take things!



Jerrell said:


> Last I knew, South Dakota was really, really easy to get set up in. As in stay a night in a campground and you can apply to be a resident level of easy.
> I looked into it a few years back and that's the state that stands out in my mind of where I'd register if I wasn't registered in Iowa.


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## Deleted member 21003

South Dakota is kind of blown up, but it might be worth looking into.


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## James Maarsten

Yeah, but here's what's happened:
During the reign of Emperor Bush II, the price of Oil shot-up out in the sky, and that caused Shale-Oil to become a thing. So then word got out that folks could try to work as either a Pipeliner, or a Roughneck, and score $$$.
In retaliation: the Slumlords shot their prices up out in the sky, too!
Can't let the working folk get a leg up EVER when in Real Estate!
Now, and for the past 8 years the price went back down.
So much of the folks you'd expect to be living there have already moved out.
I'd like to take a look again, but I think it's largely gone back to the way it was before.



Kassiddy said:


> South Dakota is kind of blown up, but it might be worth looking into.


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## Wild Ty Laserbeam

Y'all know we're talking about setting up a residency to register a vehicle as a nomad, right? Not moving to South Dakota.


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## James Maarsten

Wild Ty Laserbeam said:


> Y'all know we're talking about setting up a residency to register a vehicle as a nomad, right? Not moving to South Dakota.



No, honestly, I did not know! I honestly thought he was looking for a kinder, gentler state both to register, as well as Boondock within!?!


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## Robie

creature said:


> counter, chop your fucking arm off & hand half a fucking pinky finger for change..


How'd you get a half a pinky back?

I ditched Ca for Wa. As I undetstand it, each county determines the registration requirements. in Stevens county (north of Spokane) no proof of insurance, no safety check, no smog. Transfered my license with no questions asked. I used a friends address as a residence. 
I recently bought a van and was able to pull my plates from the explorer.


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## MacnGs

Arizona. Anywhere is under $25. Title change, registration for a year. (Insurance doesn’t matter)


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## QU1DAM

junkpolecat99 said:


> Maine and New Hampshire according to my google search https://www.valuepenguin.com/average-cost-of-insurance
> California has low-income state government insurance.


Do not try to register a vehicle in CA. It’s the most expensive state. California is becoming a state for big business big money players only, they make everything cost so much that only the 1% ultra rich can afford all the expenses there... lots of locals and natives myself included are having to leave because the money interest in taking over...the pacific CA coast is set to become a huge Las Vegas strip, I’ve seen it happening over the years and now the cannabis regulations have set it in stone that they don’t even want people to heal in Ca without being ultra rich...

And if you have to get a SMOG certificate forget it, illegally $150-300 or legally $600-900....

We still don’t have license plates and as soon as we got out of soCal the cops have been leaving us alone... we try to stay moving and avoid homebumming


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