Proof of Residency Letter | 8 Steps Guide (Free Templates)

Also called an affidavit of residence, a ‘proof of residency letter’ is a sworn statement that proves that a person is indeed at a particular address. In many cases, this letter is required by the Department of Motor Vehicle to issue a license or when applying to park at a specific street.

The letter is for a large part written by a landlord or an employer that is known to the applicant in question. To make it more effective, it often is accompanied by supportive documents like lease agreements or the IRS Form W-4 in the case of employees. In the event of no supplemental evidence, this letter has to be notarized.

This letter may be drafted by different persons and for different reasons. Below are some of the types of the letter on the basis of these considerations:

• Department of Motor Vehicle – In this sense, the letter is used to provide proof that the stated applicant is indeed a resident of the state wherein he claims to reside. This is often necessary required when applying for a driver’s license.
• Employer – This is drafted by an employer to verify that an individual resides in the specific address at the specified timeframe. This type is mainly drafted if the affected person is employed at the time that the letter is required.
• Family Member – If the dispute entails the child or a minor, the parents or guardians may draft this kind of letter and address it to the concerned party. The letter vouches for the residence of the child or minor in the specified address at the time of its drafting.
• Landlord – This differs not significantly from the employer above. Instead, it is drafted by a landlord rather than an employer for much the same purpose. In case the party concerned has his own home, the letter may be drafted by the head of the residence chair.
• Notary – This is more than just a letter. Instead, it is sworn and hence carries more weight. Beyond that, it contains almost no new information other than that which is already known about the residency of the affected individual.
• School – It proves that a student is or has been a member of the given school or educational institution which he claims to have or is attended. This type comes handy mainly when applying for in-state tuition grants or scholarships.

To prove your residency, there are steps you have to take. In this section, we delineate these steps and how significant they are in this kind of venture.

Step I: Determine the kind of Residency Letter

Determine the kind of letter you have to draft. The conditions underlying each letter depends largely on the kind of need it is supposed to serve. For instance, the proof for applying for in-state tuition demands that the applicant must have resided in the state for no less than a year before applying. That of motor vehicle registration requires that the applicant only is residing in the state at the moment.

Step II: Draft the Proof of Residency letter

Having determined the kind of letter to draft, go ahead and do just that. Use formal language and make sure that every bit of information you furnish is backed by clear evidence, are accurate and to the point. You must also take cognizance of the prevailing circumstances in your state.

Step III: Attach the necessary bits of evidence

As we have already stated, every information you furnish in the letter has to be backed strongly. Do that at this stage. These ought to be certified copies as you will have to retain the original for yourself. Some of the admissible supportive documents are:

• Bank statements
• Paychecks
• State-issued IDs
• Mortgage statements
• Cellphone bills
• Residential lease agreements
• Driver’s licenses
• Real Estate Deeds
• Vehicle Title Registration
• Health Insurance Cards
• Voter Registration Card
• Tax Returns Forms
• Utility Bill Receipts

Step IV: Notarize the Letter (Optional)

Though not a must, you are strongly advised to notarize the letter. Doing this is likely to give it the formal character it badly needs. In this way, the letter is also likely to be trusted by the various authorities that may land it.

Step V: Submit to the relevant authorities

After you are through with drafting the letter to proceed to submit it to the relevant authorities, this is preferable via certified mail or couriers. You have to receive an acknowledgment from the courier service that they have indeed delivered the letter to the intended recipient.

This document, in a nutshell, comprises the following points or contents:

Full Legal Name

It contains your full legal name. This is how your name appears in the state documents and other public registration records.

Current Address

This is where you live in presently and where you are intent on proving that you actually live in.

Duration of stay at current residence

For how long you have been staying at the present address as a full-time resident? Be sure to accompany this with the necessary documentation and support.

Other occupants

Who else apart from you lives in this address? And how are you related to them? Furnish other relevant details like their official names, dates of birth, and their relationships with you.

Notary Public Language

If you choose to notarize the letter, this will showcase the notary seal of approval.

Relevant Signatures

Append the relevant signatures of the people involved in drafting the letter. Accompany the signatures with the dates when the same letter was drafted.

To write this letter, there are steps you have to follow. In the below segment, take a look at them:

Step I: Obtain the necessary template (if need be)

Some letters of these kinds may require you to download and fill in the templates. This is also necessary if you have never drafted this letter before. Go to your state’s public office to download the template. Ignore this step if you are well-versed or have some experience in drafting such a letter.

Step II: Draft the declaration statement

Move now to draft the declarations statement. Incorporate the statements we have delineated to you above. Be sure to place precise details in the letter. Those details also have to be factual and devoid of any exaggerations. Needless to say, you must be ready to back them when called upon to do that.

Step III: Supply the relevant bits of evidence

You should supply every bit of evidence to prove the claims you may have made in the letter. This entails providing documents and other attachments that verify that the various pieces of information you have written are true and accurate. They include the statements and documents we have already revealed above.

Step IV: Append the relevant signatures

Append all the relevant signatures. These include the ones for yourself and that of the witnesses who are aware of your residency status. Accompany these signatures with the dates when the same were appended. You may also rubber-stamp the letter to give it some official character.

Step V: Notarize the document

Though not a must, you are also strongly advised to notarize the letter. This simply means you are bringing in a notary expert to vouch for the details that are contained in the letter. The notary public should likewise append his signature, date, and stamp the affidavit before submission.

You will need this letter in many circumstances. Below are but a few examples to drive the point home:

Application for Scholarships

Many scholarships demand that you provide legal proof of your present residence before qualifying for the same. The same requirement also applies to the case of in-state tuitions. That is because these resources are, for a large part, limited to certain parts or locales of the entire country.

Enrolment in Public Schools

Public schools often tend to favor those who reside in the same areas as them when advancing financial supports of whichever kinds. You will hence need to verify that your child resides in the area in which the school is located. That requires that you obtain this proof and submit it to the relevant authorities.

Eligibility for Driving Licenses

Before the driver’s licenses are issued, the applicant must prove that he stays in the place he claims to. This requires that you draft proof of residence letter and then attach the relevant documentation. That is the only way in which the state department in charge of that may issue the licensure.

Registration for Government Benefits

Just like scholarships and in-state tuition, the government benefits are also often dished out in a manner that favors those who are legally resident in the state or territory wherein that benefit is dished out. To qualify for this, you will hence have to prove your own residency.

Verifying Details for Child Support

This document is widely used when handling matters to do with the welfare of a child. It is required after a divorce for the purpose of registering a child. It may also be necessary after a divorce to facilitate disputes or matters to do with child support going forward.

Free Templates

We examine two of the most commonly asked questions about this subject matter:

How you state your proof of residency makes or breaks a situation. It is hence incumbent upon you to learn how to draft this letter well. Reading the explanations, we have displayed above is, no doubt, a critical way of setting out. Do not forget to seek the intervention of a solicitor if you are stuck.