Proof of residency in California is required for many different situations. For example, a person applying for a DMV license will require proof that they live in the state. Applications for various benefits from the state of California will also require proof of residency. Whether it is a property tax reduction, health benefits, disability, or another benefit, you must be able to prove your residency.
Children may also require proof of residency to attend school. It can be a bit more complicated in situations where the parents are divorced, and the mother has changed names after the divorce. These situations can be managed. A paper trail showing the name changes, divorce documents, etc., is required to provide a link between the child’s name and the parent’s name if the last names are different.
What Counts as Proof of Residency in California?
Regardless of which document you use as proof of residency, the document must link your name and the location you are, indicating where you live. The address must be a California mailing address and show your full name, first name, middle name(s), and last name. The following documents can be used provided they meet these criteria:
- Lease or rental agreement with signatures of the landlord and the tenant
- Title or deed to a residential real property
- Mortgage statement
- Utility bills, including mobile phone bills
- US Education School documents which include the date of birth
- Foreign school documents that include a photograph of the applicant
- Medical records
- Employment records
- Official faith-based documents with their full name and address
- Any insurance documents such as a vehicle, life, property, medical, vision
- IRS records
- FTB (California Franchise Tax Board) records
- Records issued by California-based entities such as state, city, county, district, and agency containing the entity’s official letterhead, seal that is typed
- California vessel/vehicle title or registration
- Change of address form: CNL107 from the US Postal Service
- Property tax bill
- Financial records from banks, credit unions, trust companies, or credit card companies
- Court records listing the applicant as a California resident
- Letter showing letterhead from a shelter, non-profit, or government attesting the resident is a California resident
- California Secretary of State or a local California county elections officer issued voter registration confirmation letter or postcard
- Tuition payment receipt for a public institution of higher education in California
- Approved original record/document claim for homeowner’s property tax exemption filed with the local California county assessor
- Form DL933 no fee identification card eligibility verification form.
There are situations where residency documents are unavailable for some individuals. An example is a child who would not have any of the above documents and requires residency in California to be established to qualify for benefits, school registration, etc.
In these situations, residency can be established by showing the link to the parents who do have the necessary residency status documents. A birth certificate for the child with the same last name as the parent could be used, providing it is the same last name on whatever residency documents are being used.
Divorce situations create additional issues. Divorce documents can be used to show the relationship and change in name as a result of the divorce. This establishes a paper trail for agencies who need residency documentation.
Documentation from agencies such as group home agreements, placement agencies, or foster parent agreements might also be used to establish residency showing the paper trail linking the child to the foster parent or agency where the child is living.
FAQs
The following frequently asked questions are addressed in the following paragraphs:
Yes, you must be able to establish your identity and residency in California to obtain a California driver’s license.
No, you must be able to show residency in California to obtain a California driver’s license. Your name and address must be shown in whatever documents used to establish residency, and your driver’s license will reflect the same name and address.
California considers you a resident if you live in California and are not living in California temporarily or on a transitory basis. In addition, even if you live outside of California for a temporary period or transitory period and have a domicile in California, you are considered a California resident. You may also need to file and pay state income taxes if you earn income in California and will be considered a resident for this purpose.
Numerous California state documents provide detailed descriptions and examples outlining when you are considered a resident and how your income affects your status.
It is considered illegal to register your car in another state to avoid registration fees and obtain lower insurance rates. Basically, you need to register your car in the state where you live and are registered. However, some situations allow you to maintain your car’s registration outside the state:
ᐅ Maintain a home in several states – you should register your vehicle in the state where you spend most of your time. If equal time is spent in both states, check with your insurance company and the state DMV for specific guidelines.
ᐅ College students – who are in the state temporarily can maintain car registration in their home state and use their parent’s insurance coverage. Check with the insurance company for specific guidelines for your particular situation. Earning income while attending school and maintaining a car 100% of the time in the state where you attend school could affect your requirements for vehicle registration.
Key points
Consumers living in California must be able to show documentation indicating residency in the state to qualify for various state, county, and city benefits, as well as obtain a DMV license while registering a vehicle.
Basically, they must be able to furnish documents that show their full names and the address they reside at to confirm residency. The list of potential documents is quite extensive, and most people will have one or more of these documents.
There are situations where there is no proof of residency, e.g., a child. In this situation, the parent’s proof of residency can be used as long as the child has a birth certificate with the same last name as the parent. In divorce situations where the mother has changed her last name, documentation showing the paper trail can be used to show that the child is the son or daughter of the mother and the divorce documents show the name change.
It is illegal to register a vehicle in a different state from the one you live in to qualify for lower registration or insurance fees. You must register your vehicle in the state of California if you reside in California and your vehicle is used full-time in California. Part-time students can sometimes be excepted from this requirement if they only spend part of their year in the state, do not earn income, and return to their home state between semesters. Residing full-time in California and earning income will trigger California income tax payments and require vehicles to be registered in the state.
If in doubt, check with the DMV or state agency you are requesting benefits from to establish the requirements for proof of residency.
