Residence

Personal presence at some place of abode.

Although the domicile and residence of a person are usually in the same place, and the two terms are frequently used as if they have the same meaning, they are not synonymous. A person can have two places of residence, such as one in the city and one in the country, but only one domicile. Residence means living in a particular locality, but domicile means living in that locality with the intent to make it a fixed and permanent home. Residence merely requires bodily presence as an inhabitant in a given place, whereas domicile requires bodily presence in that place and also an intention to make it one's permanent home.

This distinction is relevant for members of the military, who may move frequently during the course of a typical career; college students, whose state of domicile may affect whether they are eligible for scholarships and grants from a state university; and retired individuals, whose domicile will determine where they pay taxes. Domicile determines where a person votes and where a person's driver's license is issued.