An Expert-Approved Guide to Becoming a Legal Resident of California

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Learn to establish yourself as a resident of California
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If you're moving to California, then you may be wondering what it will take for you to become a resident of the state. While the process for becoming a resident is relatively easy, there are a few requirements to establish a legal record of residency. Once you establish your residence in California, you'll need to transfer your state documents. If you want to qualify for in-state college tuition, you'll have to meet additional requirements.

Things You Should Know

  • Sign a lease on a house or apartment and plan to live in California for at least 9 months to establish your residency.
  • Open or transfer your bank account to a California-based bank. Then, pay your utility bills using your name and newly opened account to document your residency.
  • Obtain state documents such as a California ID, and transfer your vehicle registration at the DMV if necessary.
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Establishing Your Residence in California

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  1. When you move to California, you can immediately begin establishing your status as a resident. However, you will not be considered a legal resident in the state unless you live there at least 3/4 of the year. [1]
    • If you have homes in more than one state, your California home should be your primary residence.
    • If you are trying to establish your residency in order to qualify for state tuition, you must live in California for more than a year (at least 366 days) directly before the residence determination date. To get state tuition you must also come to California with the intent to live there, not just to go to school.
  2. If you want to be a resident, you need to have a place to reside. Signing paperwork on a lease or mortgage is one of the first steps to become an official resident. If you don't have a place of residence, then it will be difficult to establish legal residence in the state. You must have a legal address to be considered a resident. [2]
    • Save copies of this paperwork, as you’ll need it to demonstrate that you do in fact live in California now.
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  3. If you don't own a house, don't pay rent, or just don't have a permanent address, you can attain a California driver's license or ID using other documents that show you are living in the state. Approved documents include the following: [3]
    • Home utility bills, including cell phone
    • School documents with your date of birth
    • Medical documents
    • Employment documents
    • Faith based documents with the name and the address of the issuer
    • Insurance documents
    • IRS or California Franchise Tax Board returns
    • Vehicle or boat titles
    • Change of address confirmation for the postal service
    • Documents issued by a United States government agency
    • Property tax bill or statement
    • Records from a financial institution
    • Voter registration
    • Proof of tuition payment at a California college or university
    • Court documents that prove you live in California
    • A letter from a shelter on letterhead
    • A birth certificate or marriage license
  4. When moving states, you should open a new account or transfer your account to the new state. Depending on where you move from and which bank you are using, you may or may not be able to simply change your address. Oftentimes, your bank must transfer your accounts to your new state. This is because states can have different banking laws and some banks have regional systems.
    • If your bank account has been at a local bank, close out your old account and open a new account at a California-based bank.
    • To transfer your account at a national or international banking institution, you may have to meet with a branch representative in-person, but some banking institutions allow you to call to arrange to have your accounts moved to the new state. [4]
  5. Utility bills are a common document for proving residency, so make sure they’re in your name. They are often just as useful as leasing or mortgage paperwork in proving that you live in the state.
  6. Owning property in the state of California is a great way to establish residency. Once you start paying property taxes, the state will view you as a resident.
    • Keep in mind that you will need to meet other requirements if you plan to apply for resident tuition.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Attaining State Documents

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  1. Visit the California Department of Motor Vehicles to get a new state-issued card specific to California within 10 days of relocating to the state. Bring proof of your identification. If you are transferring a driver’s license, be prepared to pass both a written test and a driving test.
    • You must go in person.
    • The licensing fee is $35. [5]
    • The DMV may waive your driving exam if you already hold a driver’s license from within the United States. [6]
    • If you are an immigrant, you can attain a California ID if you are a legal resident of the United States. You will need to bring your U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services issued documents to prove your residency. [7] #*Alternatively, if you are an undocumented immigrant, you can get an AB-60 license if you can show proof of identification and residence in California. [8]
  2. The Department of Motor Vehicles can also help you transfer your vehicle registration. This is an important step as you can receive a ticket for not registering your car within 20 days. Before you get your car registered, you will need to get a smog/emissions test performed, unless your car was made prior to 1975. [9]
    • Smog/emissions tests are performed by DMV-approved inspectors. They are valid for two years, but residents cannot use results from an out-of-state test. [10]
    • Car safety inspections are not required in California.
  3. You can submit your voter’s registration form either online or via the mail. You must be a citizen of the United States, be a California resident, be at least 18-years-old on election day, have no felony restrictions that disallow voting, and be mentally competent. You will need to provide your California driver’s license number, your social security number, and your birthdate. [11]
    • To vote in California, you must register by the 15th day prior to the election.
    • You can pick up a form at the DMV.
    • Visit this site to register to vote in California: http://registertovote.ca.gov/
    • If sharing your address could put you in danger, California offers alternatives for safe registration. You can call 877-322-5227 or visit http://www.sos.ca.gov/registries/safe-home/ .
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Proving Residency for Tuition Purposes

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  1. University tuition is much lower for residents, but to receive this tuition you must show that you intend to make California your home. To be considered a full-time California resident, you must have lived in the state for a year and a day prior to applying for residency status.
    • Students who were born out of the country must also meet INS requirements for residency in the United States. Paperwork should prove that they have been living in the United States for at least 366 days, coinciding with their move to California. [12]
    • If you are an immigrant, you may be eligible for residency status if you are a permanent resident alien or an adult alien with a legal status that allows you to stay in the country after graduation. You must also meet the other residency requirements that all students must meet.
  2. If you want to be considered a citizen of California, you can’t retain your citizenship to your prior state. This means that all of your personal documents must be transferred to California, and all of your belongings must be present in the state.
    • For example, you can’t maintain two homes in different states, yet apply for residency status.
  3. In-state tuition is not for individuals who are only planning to go to school in the state. You should intend to stay in California after you graduate. As such, you will need to provide paperwork that proves to the school that you plan to remain in the state.
    • Provide a copy of California license or ID.
    • Prove you have a legal residence in the state.
    • Show that your car is registered and insured in California.
    • Provide copies of bank statements, bills, and memberships with California addresses.
    • Demonstrate that you are paying taxes in the state.
  4. You can attain residency status if your parents live in the state, but if they live outside the state, you must be financially independent. If you depend on financial support from your parents, you cannot attain California residency status for tuition purposes. This means that for a year prior to applying for residency, you must live full time in the state of California, support yourself on your own income or loans, and show that you intend to remain in the state permanently.
    • You must also be unmarried and not claimed as a dependent on anyone else’s tax return.
    • You must have supported yourself financially for two years before applying for residency status.
    • Your money can be earned or borrowed, but loans must be in your name only.
    • You must show documentation of where your money came from, such as pay stubs, loan documents, and bank statements.
    • You cannot have been claimed as a dependent on another person’s taxes during the two years you supported yourself.
    • Free room and board, even if gained through barter, does not count as self-sufficiency.
    • If you are over the age of 24 or married, then you are assumed to be financially independent unless someone else claims you as a dependent on their taxes. [13]
  5. Each university will have its own rules for submitting an application, which you can find online or through the school’s Office of the Registrar. You will need to submit documentation proving that you live in the state, intend to stay, are financially independent, and meet any additional requirements applied by your specific university.
    • Make sure to check with your school to ensure you meet all deadlines, which vary by university. Many schools require you to submit your application before May 1 and your paperwork by mid-July.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    Do you need a green card to move to California?
    Lahaina Araneta, JD
    Attorney at Law
    Lahaina Araneta, Esq. is an Immigration Attorney for Orange County, California with over 6 years of experience. She received her JD from Loyola Law School in 2012. In law school, she participated in the immigrant justice practicum and served as a volunteer with several nonprofit agencies.
    Lahaina Araneta, JD
    Attorney at Law
    Expert Answer
    No, over 12 million undocumented people live in the state of California, yet they do live in fear of deportation.
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  • Question
    Can my children get residency status in California if I live overseas, but my children were born in California?
    Community Answer
    Yes, they can. After all, they are US citizens, so they can live in whatever state they want.
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  • Question
    My daughter is living in California for the next two years, but I will still be claiming her on my income tax returns in a different state. Can she establish residency in California?
    Community Answer
    No; she must be emancipated from your taxes and file her own to establish residency.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://legalbeagle.com/how-do-i-become-a-citizen-10171.html
      2. ↑ https://legalbeagle.com/how-do-i-become-a-citizen-10171.html
      3. ↑ https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/dl/residency_requirement
      4. ↑ https://bettermoneyhabits.bankofamerica.com/en/home-ownership/moving-checklist
      5. ↑ https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/dl/fees/driverlicense_fees
      6. ↑ https://www.dmv.org/ca-california/new-to-california.php#Drivers-License-and-ID-Cards-in-CA
      7. ↑ https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/brochures/fast_facts/ffdl06
      8. ↑ https://www.dmv.org/ca-california/ab-60-drivers-license.php
      9. ↑ https://www.dmv.org/ca-california/new-to-california.php#California-Vehicles
      1. ↑ https://www.dmv.org/ca-california/smog-check.php
      2. ↑ https://www.dmv.org/ca-california/voter-registration.php
      3. ↑ http://www.vvc.edu/offices/admissions-records/residency.shtml
      4. ↑ http://registrar.berkeley.edu/tuition-fees-residency/residency-tuition-purposes/how-apply-state-tuition

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To become a California resident, you'll need to move to the state and live there for at least 9 months out of the year. If you don’t have a legal, permanent address yet, you can show proof of residence with utility bills, insurance papers, or voter registration. To get a new driver’s license, go to a DMV in person with some kind of identification within 10 days of moving to California. While you’re at the DMV, you can also transfer your vehicle registration, as long as you’ve already completed the emissions test for your car. For tips on how to apply for residency status with your university, read on!

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