# South Dakota efficiency



## dogtags (Apr 24, 2011)

I just had to share my recent experience with Clay County, South Dakota. I'm changing my car and motorcycle to SD to that I don't keep getting pestered about updated insurance, emission inspections, etc while the vehicles are here in Mexico.

I sent the forms and check via Mailboxes, Etc, and was told it'd take 7-10 business days to arrive in Vermillion. This turned out to be correct. My check cleared Friday (04may) and the plates arrive at my house in Atlanta on Monday (07may).

BEST OF ALL, I apparently overpaid, and with the receipt there were 3 quarters, one dime, and three pennies taped to the document. :clap2:

[Contrast: HSBC gave us a new debit card and a promise that the PIN would arrive by mail within 10 days. It took over 8 weeks.]


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

Benefits of working with a smaller institution. My Credit Union DHL'ed me my Debit Card in 3 days and forgot to charge me the $40+ from DHL. I emailed my bank contact and she said they forgot to bill me but would catch me next time. They activated it via email


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## FHBOY (Jun 15, 2010)

dogtags said:


> I just had to share my recent experience with Clay County, South Dakota. I'm changing my car and motorcycle to SD to that I don't keep getting pestered about updated insurance, emission inspections, etc while the vehicles are here in Mexico.
> 
> I sent the forms and check via Mailboxes, Etc, and was told it'd take 7-10 business days to arrive in Vermillion. This turned out to be correct. My check cleared Friday (04may) and the plates arrive at my house in Atlanta on Monday (07may).
> 
> ...


OK - this prompts a question. You have SD plated cars in Mexico, right? I do not live in SD and am still a USA resident.
• How do you go about registering your car in SD?
• Does SD require annual inspections for mechanical/environmental, etc?

It seems that it is too simple - and takes some of the hassle out of buying a car once I move to Mexico.

In life I've found that if something is too good to be true, it probably is.


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## joaquinx (Jul 3, 2010)

sparks said:


> Benefits of working with a smaller institution. My Credit Union DHL'ed me my Debit Card in 3 days and forgot to charge me the $40+ from DHL. I emailed my bank contact and she said they forgot to bill me but would catch me next time. They activated it via email


My BofA debit was coming up to its expiration date, so I called them. They sent it by mail: it never arrived. They sent another one by mail: never arrived. They sent a third one by mail: never arrived. They sent a fourth one by mail to my US address: it arrived. Finally, they DHL'd me a fifth and it arrived in three days. One month later, I received three debit cards in the mail. 

I asked them what should I do for money since I was running out and didn't have a card. They said to use Western Union. I told them that a large bank should have better solutions.


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## ronb172 (Mar 16, 2011)

FHBoy,I'm in the process now of registering my truck and travel trailer in SD. There are no inspections and no proof of insurance. Go to Rolly's site and print out the application and there is an affidavit you need to sign stating you have only a mailing address here in the US. You do have to send them your original title.


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## dogtags (Apr 24, 2011)

Actual SD residence is not required to register a vehicle. You DO have to be there in person to get a Driver's License and you have to have physical residence to get vanity tags.

Otherwise, you simply indicate your permanent US address if you have one. If not, an additional affidavit is required, I believe.

I will be keeping a couple of vehicles in storage in Atlanta, and I want the vehicles registered just in case we have to return suddenly and need to drive them. At SD rates, this is not a problem. GA would require that I get emission inspections each year, another hassle that SD doesn't require. (And don't even get me started about dealing with the California DMV....)

Once you have the titles, plates, registrations, etc...all of your vehicles will come due in the same month (depending on the first letter of your surname). You can then renew online, all at once.


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