Physical Address
Did you know that in the U.S.A. you are required to have a physical address in order to obtain/renew your state ID/Drivers license, submit a state/federal document, open a personal bank account, etc.? In most states/municipalities, you can even be arrested and detained for up to 48 hours while law enforcement tries to confirm your identity due to not having or in possession of an expired ID/License.
The U.S. Government and banking institutions do not accept or recognize P.O. boxes as physical addresses.
Note: Every city/municipality/state has different laws governing residential addresses being used. For instance, In Harris County (Houston, Texas) you are required to reside in the county more than 6 months out of a calendar year for it to be considered your primary address. When we went to transfer our motorhome title, they asked us for an address that we reside at in the county for at least 6 months and 1 day per year.
Solutions:
- Family or trusted friends – If you don’t have a house/apartment and/or trying to save the money you would normally spend on rent, you can always talk with a family member or trusted friend to see if they will allow you to be a resident at their physical address to receive your mail. It’s completely legal and common for family members to live together at all ages throughout life.
- The United Parcel Service (UPS) offers physical address mailboxes for a monthly/yearly rate. This might work out for you, but be sure not to ever miss a payment. You don’t want to lose your address to someone else. (Be sure to research your local laws to ensure you are in compliance.) – Note: Contact your neighborhood location to discuss the steps to opening a mailbox. You will need to provide two valid forms of identification, one must have a photo: driver’s license or state non-driver’s ID card; armed forces, government, university, or recognized corporate ID card; passport, alien registration card or certificate of naturalization; current lease, mortgage or Deed of Trust; voter or vehicle registration card; or a home or vehicle insurance policy. We opened a UPS account in Houston, Harris county using our San Antonio, Bexar County Identification. This indicates that your ID and previous/current address does not need to be in the county you get the physical address mailbox in.
- You can rent a small house/apartment for a physical address and have a home-base, but this can get expensive.
- You can rent a tiny home or spot at an RV park that comes with a physical address. This is more cost-effective than a house or apartment and gives you a place to call a home-base.
- You can buy a small or large parcel of land and register it with the USPS (United States Postal Service). Then buy a mailbox with the address on it and set-up your new home-base. I would suggest a large steel/concrete/or brick mailbox with a large package shoot and capacity to hold a lot of mail, just in case you don’t make it back to your property more than a few times a year to check the mail. Keep your mail safe and secure.
Be sure to review all our resources. Don’t skip anything we outlined there. We know it’s a lot of reading, but you’ll be thankful you read it all later.
