Legal Definitions - nonresident

The term nonresident refers to an individual who does not maintain their primary or permanent home within a specific legal area or jurisdiction, such as a particular state, country, or city. Despite not living there full-time, a nonresident may still have legal obligations, rights, or interests within that jurisdiction.

The status of being a nonresident is significant in various legal contexts, including taxation, education, property law, and immigration, as it often determines different rules or requirements that apply to that individual.

• Example 1: State University Tuition

  Imagine a student whose family lives in Arizona, but they choose to attend a public university in Colorado. For tuition purposes, this student would be considered a nonresident of Colorado. This status means they would typically pay a higher "out-of-state" tuition rate compared to students who are legal residents of Colorado, reflecting that their primary domicile is elsewhere.

• Example 2: Property Ownership and Taxes

  Consider a couple who permanently resides in Germany but owns a vacation condominium on the coast of South Carolina. For legal and tax purposes related to that property, they are nonresidents of South Carolina (and the United States). While they don't live there, they are still subject to South Carolina property taxes and other local regulations concerning their ownership of the condominium.

• Example 3: Recreational Licenses

  A person who lives in Ohio decides to go fishing during their annual vacation to Michigan. When purchasing a fishing license, they would be categorized as a nonresident of Michigan. Consequently, they would need to buy a nonresident fishing license, which often costs more than a resident license, acknowledging that their primary home is outside the state.