Full question:
I came up to Portland, Oregon and moved into an apartment with a one year lease. However, I am still a Los Angeles resident, and have kept it so at this point. I have been here since August 9th. For number of reasons including physical (discussed with my doctor) it would be a good idea to return to CA when I can. My questions: How long can one remain on a visiting status in a state and keep the other State as official?--Do I still need to get an Oregon driver's license?--Are there other laws regarding legal residency and legal temporary residency? Thank you
- Category: Automobiles
- Date:
- State: Oregon
Answer:
To be eligible for Oregon vehicle registration or to obtain an Oregon Driver License, Identification Card, or Driver Permit, you must be a resident of or domiciled in Oregon (see ORS 803.355).
To be domiciled in Oregon, a person's primary home is in Oregon and the person intends to remain in Oregon or, if absent, to return. If a person's home has never been in Oregon, they cannot be domiciled.
Residency may be established by a number of actions, described in the list below and in ORS 803.200 and ORS 807.062. Once you have become a resident of Oregon, you are required by Oregon law to obtain Oregon vehicle title and registration and to obtain an Oregon Driver License or Instruction Permit. Failure to register a vehicle once residency has been established is a Class D traffic violation. Failure to obtain an Oregon Driver License or Instruction Permit once residency has been established is a Class B traffic violation.
If you are uncertain whether you qualify for an Oregon Driver License, ID Card, or Oregon Vehicle Registration, ask yourself the following questions:
· Do I remain in Oregon for a consecutive period of six months or more each year?
· Have I enrolled my children in an Oregon public school without payment of nonresident tuition fees?
· Do I pay Oregon resident tuition fees at an educational institution maintained by public funds?
· Have I made a declaration to be a resident of Oregon for the purpose of obtaining, at resident rates, a state license (other than an Oregon Driver License)?
· Is Oregon listed as my home of record in my military records?
· Do I pay resident income taxes to the state of Oregon?
If you answered "yes" to any of the above, you may be eligible to register your vehicle in Oregon and/or obtain an Oregon driving privilege or Identification Card.
In addition, a vehicle may qualify for Oregon registration even if the owner is not a resident of Oregon or domiciled in Oregon if one or more of the following applies:
· The owner is a business that maintains a main office, branch office or warehouse facility in Oregon and operates motor vehicles in Oregon;
· The vehicle is usually left in Oregon when the owner is away from Oregon, is used primarily for personal transportation in Oregon, is a private passenger vehicle or a vehicle having a loaded weight of less than 10,000 pounds, and is not a motor home or a camper; or
· The vehicle is operated in intrastate transportation for compensation or profit for other than seasonal agricultural work.
Whenever a vehicle is registered or renewed in Oregon the owner must certify to one of the following statements.
· The owner is domiciled in Oregon (see definition above);
· The vehicle is required to be registered because the owner has established Oregon residency (see ORS 803.200); or
· The vehicle meets all of the following qualifications for Oregon registration:
o The vehicle is usually left in Oregon when the person is away from Oregon;
o It is used primarily for personal transportation in Oregon;
o It is a private passenger vehicle or a vehicle having a loaded weight of less than 10,000 pounds; and
o It is not a motor home or a camper.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.
