FULLTIME RVERS – WARNING ABOUT NEW LAW!

I just discovered information at RV Travel's Web site about a new law that was passed in 2005 that might have an impact on fulltime RVers. The Real ID Act was hidden in another act, which apparently was one of those things tacked onto another law to slip it through the system. It may pose a problem for those of us who don’t have an actual home, but who use a mail-forwarding address and don’t spend much, if any, time there.

The new law mandates that all states provide verification of identity when renewing a driver’s license or state-issued I.D. card. The problem appears crop up when renewing our driver’s licenses: we’ll need to be there in person to verify our identity. The law also mandates that we show proof of our principle residence address, which of course, fulltimer’s don’t normally have. We're driving our homes! To prove your residential address, you are usually required to provide a rent receipt or a copy of a utility bill.

We wanted to get a library card when we stayed in our home address area in Texas for a few months, and the library accepted a rent receipt from the RV park where we were staying. But it is unclear if states will accept this tenuous record as proof of our residence, especially if it doesn’t match the address on your license or I.D. card. Probably Escapees Club will provide something to prove our residence—but I’m not sure they have done anything about this yet. They do have a legal defense fund that members can contribute to that lobbies for RVers.

The verification process is supposed to begin in 2008, but it looks like states can extend the deadline to December, 2009, and many states have already said they’re not about to go along with the federal law. I think the states that have lots of RVers will probably fight this if it isn’t too late, because that’s usually what happens when their honest, taxpaying RVing residents are having their lifestyles (and sometimes livelihoods) threatened.


The problems that may occur if this law isn’t complied with is that we may not be able to board a plane or enter a federal facility. I’m not sure what that would mean for those of us who are retired military and have military I.D. cards. Maybe we won’t be able to renew those, either.

It will be interesting to see what happens when this law goes into effect. If you’re concerned, visit the National Conference of State Legislators Website to learn more.