None of those documents reliably state my city of residence. At best they document where I once lived, but not even that is guaranteed.

You are legally required to update those within 10 days of moving.

Not updating your DL after changing your address is a crime* in all US states. I'm not as familiar with law elsewhere, but would be surprised if that's not true most other places.

*There are exceptions for active duty military personal and other limited exceptions.

That's pathetic. It would mean you can't live anywhere without a street address, such as a camp site or a ship. You also can't be a nomad.

So much for "land of the free".

Unless you’re wild camping, campsites have addresses. So do marinas where a ship would need to be docked more or less regularly to establish residency.

As for being a nomad, you don’t need a driver’s license or any kind of ID to wander if you’re willing to sleep rough. If you want to drive on public roadways though, you better have a primary address where the courts can send someone if you kill someone in a traffic accident and bail.

Docking is expensive, so no. It's also only needed once per 5 years or so for maintenance.

Government fining you a ticket doesn't mean your address has to be on the drivers license. They could register the number plate to an SSN for instance.

[delayed]

Bailing from a traffic incident is a crime itself. Good luck getting away with that.

And why would someone not get their SSN if they're old enough to drive?

- some resident aliens (if not authorized to work), B-1/B-2 Visitors, WB/WT (Visa Waiver Program), nonresident aliens

- their spouses and dependents e.g. F-2 Dependents, J-2 Dependents, H-4 Dependents: of H-1B, H-2A, H-2B, or H-3 visa holders.

- Undocumented immigrants: Individuals without lawful status who have a US tax filing requirement.

Read "Who's eligible for an ITIN" https://www.irs.gov/tin/itin/individual-taxpayer-identificat...

In some places in the U.S. it is (or at least was until recently) illegal to be healthy and unemployed.

For most situations where you don't have a permanent address, your address is either the place where you receive mail or the courthouse.

And if you don't have a place to receive mail?

Receiving mail is a requirement for participating in the legal system, which is a requirement for citizens.

Laws of the government can't override laws of physics. If you don't have a place where you can receive mail, do they just arrest you or what?

If you fail to comply with legally delivered court messages (to your registered mail address), then yes the police is going to fetch you.

America is one of the least free countries — they think they're free because the guns=free principle is drilled into them since birth, but it's a lie.

It is a law but rarely enforced, also some places like Washington are primarily digital meaning you update your DL address online but they don’t print a new ID unless you request it or your DL is expired

What kind of tyranny do you live in? None of the documents I have on me say where I live.

It's pretty standard in a lot of Europe, one is required to update ones license with each change of address (although many people don't).

Along with such weird (to us) things as applying for an exit visa from your current town when you want to move to a new town...

Which parts of Europe have a town of where the person lives on their driving license? And what do you mean by “us”?

My Spanish identity card has my full address. Not sure if the DNI does as well, or only the foreign resident version.

> And what do you mean by “us”?

US folks are pretty used to being able to up and drive across the country with a suitcase, without filing any paperwork (at least till the taxman comes knocking next April)

I ask you about drivers license, you tell me about the national ID.

You did not ask about driver's licenses. You asked about "document I have on me".

Many people in many countries carry their national ID card in instances where Americans would carry their driver's license.

(And, to be clear, if you are American and drive, your driver's license contains your address.)

Have to get your vehicle registered in your new state as well (if you own one) as well as your driver’s license. God help you if your vehicle is towed and your license/vehicle is not registered in the current state. Absolute mess.

UK driver's licence has my full home address on it. Come to think of it I think my Polish one used to as well.

Germany has the full address the ID card and the issuing office (containing the city) on both the driving license. They are also digital so who knows what they also store on them.

Australia and UK goes the full distance. Your full address: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driver%27s_licences_in_Austral...