Here's my thing. How on earth can it be illegal if I can go on line and have my new tags sent to my home in another state?
Anyone who has ever purchased something on line knows that if the wrong data is inputted it blocks you immediately from going further. In other words, end of subject the state will not allow you to put in another state or a zip code that doesn't belong to that state. If you can't than you will be forced to register in state.
There are many exceptions for the military. Some states like NC, state that if you are forced to PCS and your child is In State for college, you will pay In State regardless of where you move to or if you even have residency in the state. Our neighbor moved to VA, sold their home in NC 30 days before school started and their child is still getting In State tuition as if they are a resident.
AK, known for their permanent fund allows military members to sell their home, but keep residency, which means the check as long as they come back for 2 weeks every 2 yrs. The children do not have to come since they are minors, just the military member and spouse.
Okay hands up, everyone who has not registered (tagged) the car in the state they were stationed in, say AYE and then put the number of times you repeated this with the states.
AYE - 4 ---CA, ID, NC, and KS. We re-tagged in AK and VA. AK for residency purposes. VA because we bought 3 new cars. I also lived in NJ with NC plates for 7 months and never had an issue there either.
Also from ask.com
Because military members may have "legal residence" in one state, but be stationed in a different state, the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, allows military members to pay taxes, register vehicles, vote, etc., in their "state of legal residence," rather than the state they are stationed in. This can sometimes result in a tax advantage because several states exempt military pay from state taxes....Under the law, "legal residence" is the place that the military member intends to live after they separate or retire from the military. It's the place that they consider their "permament home."
Additionally, take this out even further...how many have voted absentee? I have and I am a dependent.
This thought that a car must be registered is actually becoming more inane with every minute I think about it. Not only because of the example of renewing tags that I gave earlier in this post, but let's be honest, most of us have USAA as our insurer. They do not ask where the car is registered, they ask where you live when they create the policy. If you got into a car accident and the car was improperly registered (wrong state due to residency issues) you would get hit with a ticket for improper registration.
As ask.com shows there are 2 types of residencies, one because you are stationed there, thus PHYSICAL, and another from a LEGAL standpoint. Both have specific requirements that must be met.