Automotive

Car Registration In Montana: Renewal, Fees And More

To drive lawfully in Montana, you should first register your car. The procedures for vehicle registration in Montana may vary depending on whether the car owners are permanent or temporary residents. All residents must produce the car title, evidence of auto insurance, and payment for numerous fees and taxes; temporary workers must also show their current out-of-state vehicle registration.

The state of Montana allows residents and those working in Montana to register their automobiles with the county where they reside and work. Therefore, not only buying normal vehicles but also writing exotic cars in Montana is relatively easy and cost-effective here.

How To Register Your Car In Montana

New residents in Montana have 60 days after legal residence to register their car with the County Treasurer’s Office. If a citizen of this state works in Montana, they must also register their automobile.

Individuals relocating to Montana for employment but do not intend to stay permanently should check the “Temporary Residents” section.

Individuals in Montana must visit their County Treasurer’s Office and produce the following documents to register a vehicle:

  • A car registration application has been completed.
  • Insurance documentation.
  • The title of the car.
  • Submit your old state’s registration certificate.

Registration Rates In Montana

Vehicle registration fees vary depending on the type, size, age, value, and length of registration. The prices listed below apply to passenger automobiles and pickup trucks weighing less than one ton.

All of the costs stated below are for a 12-month registration. Other periods should be compounded or pro-rated based on the period whereby the vehicle will be registered. The following are the Montana car registration fees:

  • Vehicles under four years old: $217.
  • Vehicles aged 5 to 10 years: $87.
  • Vehicles older than 11 years: $28 (if the car is not permanently registered).

Car Registration For Non-Residents

Some out-of-state vehicle owners choose to use a Montana LLC to acquire a car without paying income tax on it. They form an LLC in Montana and then purchase and register a vehicle in the LLC’s name. They often register in a Montana county without a local-option tax. Some individuals also wish to avoid paying hundreds of dollars in sales tax when purchasing a RV. They can avoid paying sales tax if they buy and register their RV in Montana, a state that does not have a general sales tax on all types of vehicles, including RVs.

Many other states dislike this strategy since they rely primarily on automobile registration fees and tax income.

If a person has already registered a car in another state, the Montana DMV will seek confirmation of sales tax payment. However, Montana is not currently cracking down on shell businesses formed solely to acquire automobiles in the state since state law does not require anybody to identify the LLC’s business objective when registering the LLC.

In conclusion, most car owners, especially exotic car owners, opt to have their cars registered in Montana to avoid paying the heavy tax bills.

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