Understanding Mail Forwarding Services

Full-time and seasonal RVing allows for the freedom to roam the country wherever and whenever you choose. To not be tethered to a brick-and-mortar home is a dream for many people. But saying goodbye to that home also means you’ll no longer have a place to regularly receive your mail. Sure, lots of things that once depended on mail services have been digitized and moved online, such as billing statements and payments. But you’ll still get mail and packages, so how do you pick up mail while you’re on the go?

The solution is a mail forwarding service. Let’s take a quick look at how these services work.

How Mail Forwarding Works 

1. Set up a domicile.

When you full-time RV, you won’t be a resident of any particular state, but in order to get mail (and other legal documents), you will need to choose a domicile. A domicile is the state to which you intend to return or a legal, permanent residence. This is an important decision to make as it will affect much more than just your ability to receive mail on the road – it will affect your income taxes, auto insurance rates, and more.

2. Choose a service.

There are a variety of mail forwarding services available to RVers, such as the service that’s part of Escapees RV Club membership. 

3. Select a mailing location.

Once you choose a service, you’ll select a mailing location. For example, with an Escapees plan, you’d opt for a domicile address in Florida, South Dakota, or Texas, which are three of the most popular domicile states. You’d get a unique mailing address in your state of choice and give that address to anyone who might send you mail or packages. You’ll instruct the United States Postal Service to redirect your mail from your current address to your new one.

4. Choose a plan level.

Most mail forwarding services will have different plans with varying features, so you can choose the service that best suits your needs. Review the available plans carefully before making a choice. In general, the mail forwarding service will receive and hold your mail and will forward it to you wherever you are in North America, at your instruction. Some plans offer mail scanning, personal customer service, direct notifications about mail, request to shred options, and options for custom types of mail. 

Setting up a domicile and a mail forwarding account with a service can seem daunting, but it is an essential part of achieving the full-time or seasonal RVing lifestyle.

Have you used mail forwarding services before? What did you like best about it? Let us know in the comments or contact us today!