Welcome to Arizona, one of the most beautiful and interesting states in the union! Currently 20th in terms of population, Arizona is one of the most rapidly growing states in the country.

Moving to a new state is overwhelming enough without having to think about the your responsibility to the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD). Fortunately, the state of Arizona requires only two things when you become a resident: You must apply for a driver license and register your automobiles.

You can take care of both transactions with forms that are available online or at one of the more than 100 MVD offices.

Also, don't forget about your car insurance. Be sure you have adequate coverage for Arizona.

Arizona is a great state to live in. It spans from its place at the Four Corners, the geographic point at which it meets Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah, to the country of Mexico. Although most of the state is desert, its weather can vary from extreme summer heat in the capital of Phoenix, to light mountain snow over Flagstaff in the winter.

The Grand Canyon resides in the north of the state, and southern Lake Havasu is home to another major attraction, the relocated London Bridge.

Determining Arizona Residency

Because many residents in the state are really just technically seasonal inhabitants, it's important to know what legally constitutes "residency" before you start transferring all your documents. The following define you as such:

• You work in Arizona in an occupation that is not seasonal agricultural labor

• You have children in the Arizona school system and do not pay a nonresident tuition rate

• You own a business that has an office, base, or vehicles operating in Arizona

• You have a state license or pay the same school tuition fees as resident

• You own a business whose vehicles transport goods or passengers within the state

• You reside in Arizona seven or more months of every year

Students who are deemed "out-of-state" by their university and do not take more than seven hours of course work each semester are not residents, even if they are employed in the state. Similarly, military personnel based in Arizona, who are exempt under the Soldiers and Sailors Relief Act, are not considered residents of the state.

The MVD has prepared a wealth of information specifically for new state residents.

Other Interesting Facts About Arizona

The state's natural and economic features are often one and the same. Arizona holds the "five C's": copper, citrus, cotton, cattle, and climate, the last of which facilitates today's healthy tourism numbers. Part of the original Old West, Arizona lured pioneers with rich mineral deposits, fertile land, and open terrain. Still an agricultural state, it was once America's top producer of cotton.

Its frontiersmen made it famous with shoot-outs at the OK Corral and Tombstone, and the spirit of independence lives on today.

Arizona is also a mecca for the arts. Popular for its Native American art, which often depicts the state's natural beauty, Arizona also has thriving artist colonies in Tubac, Sedona, and around the state's major universities.

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