Bowsite.com

Residency question...

Background: So I'm moving from Colorado to Utah later this month for work. Closing on my home in Colorado later this week and then won't close on my new home until the end of October. Starting to already look at where I will elk and deer hunt next year (possibly WY, UT, CO, AZ are all realistic options for me given points, etc.)

Looking at the regulations in Colorado, as soon as I switch drivers licenses I'm considered a NR (my CO lic is valid through October 2018). Looking at Utah law, there is not required period to switch DL's as long as your's is valid. Utah requires you to be a resident for 6 months (same as CO) to be considered a resident with full proof of that.

Considering I don't officially "live" in a permanent residence in Utah until the end of October, this pushes my 6 month window past the resident draw deadlines in Utah.

I feel like I'm in no-man's land here a bit if I go ahead and get a Utah DL which puts me going into the spring draws as NR in both states.

Looking for advice on what the right thing to do here is. I'll most likely call both game and fish departments as well.

Check with DNR to see if a letter from employer will work.

Keep your CO license and apply as a CO resident in the spring. Then switch to UT residency. You can hunt in CO in the fall if you draw on a resident tag since it's considered at the time you apply.

I would be very careful about that issue.

Had a buddy move from Colorado to another state. His wife left in like November and he was back and forth for quite a number of months. Still had his house and business in Colorado for over a year afterwards and vehicle registration here thru like May. Drew tags as a resident.

Changed his drivers license in September and got in trouble. A former buddy turned him in and CPW called him (on his Colorado cell phone number while he was elk hunting!). He went down and turned in his tags at a local CPW office and still had to deal with citations and a huge mess for over a year.

Basically, if he had still had his Colorado drivers license, he would have still been considered a resident.

If I were you, I would change my license to Utah as soon as possible to get your residency set in Utah so you can apply there as a resident. Check with the DOWs in both states.

Taxes will also be a mess... Colorado loves to keep their fangs in you for as long as possible. I could tell you some horror stories about that as well...

Aaron - See #6 & #7 below. Give that phone number a call

Residency Requirements.

These are the requirements to qualify as a Colorado resident to buy a hunting license:

1. You must live in Colorado at least six consecutive months immediately before applying for or buying a license, and must intend to make Colorado home (except No. 3 and No. 4 below). The residence address you give to buy or apply for a license must be the same as on your Colorado income tax return.

2. A valid Colorado driver’s license or Colorado ID is proof of residency if it was issued at least six months prior to buying a hunting license. If your ID or driver’s license was issued or renewed less than 6 months prior to purchasing a hunting license, you must provide documentation that proves you have been a resident for the required six-month period.

3. U.S. military personnel and military personnel of U.S. allies on active duty in Colorado under permanent orders and their dependents. This includes people who were Colorado residents when they entered the military and keep Colorado as their home of record, and their dependents (with Colorado as their home of record). Also included are personnel of the U.S. Diplomatic Service or diplomatic services of nations recognized by the U.S. assigned here on permanent active duty orders and their dependents. Active duty does not include reserve status or National Guard.

4. Full-time students enrolled and attending an accredited Colorado college, university or trade school at least six months immediately before applying for or buying a license. This includes students who are temporarily absent from Colorado but still enrolled. Colorado residents who attend school full time, out of state and pay nonresident tuition qualify for a resident license.

5. Children under 18 have the same residency status as their parent, legal guardian or person with whom they live most of the time per court order.

6. If you have a home in Colorado and another state, call (303) 297-1192 to make sure you comply with Colorado residency requirements before obtaining a hunting or fishing license.

7. Except as in No. 3 and No. 4 above, you lose your Colorado residency if you apply for, buy or accept a hunting or fishing license as a resident of another state or country; register to vote outside Colorado or get a driver’s license using an address in another state.

I went through this when I moved to NE. I already had CO resident tags when I moved but I had to get an NE driver's license. I called CPW and they told me when I get my new dl, make sure I keep my old CO dl. I also needed to have my old CO dl with me while I hunted.

Whatever you do, DO NOT try to claim resident status in two different states in the same year. I was warned by numerous people that you will get busted for this violation.

Just keep it 100% on the up&up. Maybe you can put in for the draw as NR and exchange for a res license later. If not, just put in for the point.

Worst case scenario, it costs you a couple hundred bucks extra for one year. Big Deal!

When I moved to CO in 2014, I applied in the spring as a NR but hunted 3rd season OTC as a resident. As others said, I got my DL changed before going to the CDOW office and buying my tag. I would also recommend going to their office to get anything done, as they are much more thorough than a Walmart or Cabela's. Yes, the thoroughness is kind of a pain in the rear but the last thing you want is a violation over a couple of pieces of paperwork.

Register here to reply to this topic