What docs needed to prove out-of-state residency? Driver's license necessary?
Hey everyone, I'm trying to prove my out-of-state residency and I'm not sure what documents I need. Is a driver's license necessary? I've got some utility bills and a lease agreement, but I don't know if that's enough. Anyone have experience with this? What else should I have ready?
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AstroAlpha
Utility bills and lease agreement should be enough in most cases. I've been through this before. Make sure the bills are recent (within the last 3 months) and have your name and address on them. The lease agreement is solid proof too. You probably don't need a driver's license, but it doesn't hurt to have it as backup.
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Connor Gallagher
ā¢Thanks for the info! That's a relief. Do you know how many utility bills I should bring? Is one enough or should I have multiple?
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AstroAlpha
ā¢I'd bring at least 2-3 different utility bills if you can. The more evidence, the better. Electric, water, internet - mix it up if possible. Better to have too much than not enough, ya know?
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Yara Khoury
ā¢This is solid advice šÆ I wish I knew this before I went through the hassle last year!
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Keisha Taylor
Ugh, I hate how complicated they make this stuff. It's like they want us to fail or something š
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Paolo Longo
Here's what worked for me: ā¢ Lease agreement (make sure it's signed and dated) ā¢ 2-3 utility bills (I used electric, internet, and water) ā¢ Bank statement with your new address ā¢ Employment verification letter if you have a job in the new state I didn't need my driver's license, but I brought it just in case. Better to be over-prepared than under! Good luck!
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Connor Gallagher
ā¢Wow, this is super helpful! I didn't even think about the bank statement. I'll definitely add that to my pile. Thanks so much!
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Amina Bah
ā¢This is great info! Quick question - how recent does the bank statement need to be?
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Paolo Longo
ā¢I used one from the previous month and it was fine. But I'd say anything within the last 3 months should work. Just make sure it clearly shows your new address!
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Oliver Becker
lol good luck getting anyone on the phone to actually answer these questions. I've been trying for weeks and keep getting the runaround š¤”
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CosmicCowboy
ā¢Seriously! It's like they're allergic to picking up the phone or something š
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Natasha Orlova
ā¢I feel ya. The system is so broken, it's not even funny anymore.
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Javier Cruz
Hey, I found a way to actually get someone on the phone! I used this site's (claimyr.com) calling tool that dials the phone menu, stays on hold, waits for a live agent to pick up, then sends the call to my phone. It does cost $20, but it works. Here's a video about it: https://youtu.be/XbqD8mexcoQ
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Emma Thompson
ā¢Sounds too good to be true. Does it really work?
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Javier Cruz
ā¢Yeah, it actually does! I was skeptical at first too, but I was desperate after trying for weeks. It saved me hours of hold time.
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Malik Jackson
ā¢$20 seems steep just to talk to someone. Shouldn't this be free?
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Javier Cruz
ā¢I get it, but for me, it was worth it to finally get my issues resolved. Time is money, and this saved me a ton of time and frustration.
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Isabella Costa
Has anyone had luck using a W-2 form as proof? I just moved and don't have utility bills in my name yet.
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StarSurfer
ā¢W-2 might work if it has your new address, but it's not as strong as current utility bills. Maybe try to get your name added to one of the utilities ASAP?
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Ravi Malhotra
Pro tip: take pictures of all your documents with your phone before you go. I've heard horror stories of people having their original docs lost in the bureaucratic blackhole š±
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Freya Christensen
Anyone know if a notarized statement from your landlord would help? I'm subletting and don't have an official lease agreement.
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Omar Hassan
ā¢That could definitely help! Anything official looking that corroborates your story is good. Maybe get your sublease agreement notarized too if you can.
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Chloe Robinson
idk why they make this so complicated. its not like were trying to get away with something. just tryna live our lives smh
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ThunderBolt7
Just went through this process last month! You definitely don't need a driver's license - I used my lease agreement, two utility bills (electric and internet), and a bank statement showing my new address. The key thing is making sure all the dates are consistent and recent. Also, if you're dealing with California FTB specifically, they're pretty reasonable about accepting standard residency documents. One thing that helped me was organizing everything in a folder with clear labels - made the whole process smoother. Hope this helps!
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