Ok, slightly confused and mind blown when I just discovered GA uses two separate departments for car registrations and drivers licenses.  But anyway, here’s her situation.  Currently SC resident, new Toyota RAV4 she bought at the end of January and transferred her old plates to new car.  She just got the tax bill today, due end of October. $700.  In SC, this reoccurs yearly, but less each year, based on value of car.  

I told her she just needs to go ahead and “start living with the fiancé” in the eyes of GA law.  Go ahead and do her DL change, change of address with PO and register her car in GA and then just “visit” us until the wedding or if she gets a job offer in the area.  She’s got an interview next week in ATL.  

Reading online, looks like she will pay only a one time fee of 3% of the value of her car since she is a new resident? Correct?  Looks like $750 on a $25k car.   What about renewals each year? No yearly property tax? Just a registration fee?  

If she’s moving in with a current resident before marriage and name change and all the bills are in his name, what does she do to prove residency to get her GA DL? Or does she need to? Just turning in SC DL good enough?

Thanks everyone.

When I moved to Atlanta from Florida I had to pay the ad valorum tax on my car and then it's just the $25 per year or whatever it is for registration. I have a special plate so it's like $50. They took my FL license, cut it, and sent me a new GA one. I don't recall exactly what I used to prove residency; I think it was my apartment lease paperwork. I can't really help there.

I showed them a cell phone bill and a bank statement to get my GA license when I moved here 7 years ago.

Bank statement!  Brilliant!  That’s easy.

https://dds.georgia.gov/georgia-licenseid/new-licenseid/apply-new-ga-license

Check this out.

the add valorum is a bitch, I moved from Texas where there wasn't one. Wife and I moved so we got hit with like $1200 total. BUT renewals are $25, texas they were 250+ no matter what, which is nice. Property taxes are also way less here than TX which means overall it was super worthwhile.