A person looking to become a Florida resident should consider some of the below checklist steps:
- Record a Declaration of Domicile in the county in which you live
- Register to vote in Florida
- Obtain a Florida driver’s license
- Maintain a physical mailing address, not a P.O. Box
- Work for a Florida employer
- File for the homestead tax exemption if you own a Florida home and do not forget to remove any and all other occupancy tax exemptions claimed on any other residences out of state
- Change your primary care physician to a local one in Florida
- Make sure you do not have homestead protection filed on another home in another state
- For professionals, make sure you are licensed to practice in Florida
- Make sure your children are registered for a Florida school
- The previous permanent residency in a state other than Florida or in another country was terminated
- Obtain a Florida license plate
- Show proof of payment for utilities at a property for which permanent residency is being claimed
- Register your pets with a Florida veterinarian
- Establish and transfer financial accounts to Florida
- Use a Florida address for your passport
- Declare Florida as your legal residence in making or revising your will
- File your Federal Income Tax return using your Florida address
- Stop filing resident income tax returns with your former state
