Complicated driver license issue.....I think

South Dakota is a good choice, plus no state income taxes.
Plenty of trucking jobs for drivers with South Dakota CDL.

 

How to Become a South Dakota Resident in 6 Easy Steps & in 24 hours.

 

I just found this one also, dated November 2025. It states it's not a legal guide.
It's more complicated that what other truckers on this forum have had to do.
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How to establish residency in South Dakota: A step-by-step guide | DakotaPost

 

Obtain a South Dakota mailing address
To begin your journey to South Dakota residency, the first step is to secure a mailing address in the state. You have several options: you can request to use the address of a friend or family member living in South Dakota, or opt for a virtual mailing service provided by companies like DakotaPost, Escapees, or Sioux Falls Postal Annex.
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Some drivers just join Escapees RV Club and use that as an address. It's a legal address in South Dakota, Texas, Florida.

 

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How is flying to SD cheaper than NOT flying to SD?
Once you get to SD how are you getting a truck and trailer to use for your CDL exam?
Getting a CDL requires a CDL school, not just a CLP and a state exam in a truck and trailer. The days of just borrowing some guys truck for practice are long gone.
I don't know if rushing to SD is a mistake. I can be nearly certain rushing into a career change isn't going to be cheap and smooth.
THERE IS NO TRUCK DRIVER SHORTAGE. If anything there are TOO MANY truck drivers and getting a job is not guaranteed. Usually it's about now we learn the person asking the question has/had a serious drug problem, or a DUI, or no verifiable work history, or lived outside the US for 5 years, or a serious violent felony, etc. etc. etc.

Needing a job is different than getting hired in a new industry. Rushing into a new industry isn't the foolproof plan it may seem at the moment.