Make it official!
A title is a document that establishes the legal owner of a vehicle. And it's not just automobiles. Titles are required for the following: motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, camper, motorboat, personal watercraft, sailboat, or snowmobile.
A motor vehicle cannot be titled in Montana without also being registered—the two processes occur simultaneously.
Check out the process outlined here for titling, registering, and getting license plates all in one place.
More Titling Needs
If you have recently moved to Montana and need to transfer your title, or if an out-of-state- party is holding the title for your vehicle, it is still possible to transfer the title to Montana.
- Ask your County Treasurer for a Foreign Title Transfer (MV63). Complete and sign the form.
- Mail the form to the secured party, asking that your out-of-state title be released to your county treasurer’s office.
- When the county treasurer’s office receives the secured party’s request and the out-of-state title, you will then complete a title and registration in your local Montana county treasurers office. The New Montana title can then be sent to the out-of-state secured party if requested.
Fill out the Application for Replacement Certificate of Title (MV7). Mail the completed form and a $10.30 fee for all motor vehicles, including boats and trailers, to the Vehicle Services Bureau.
If you purchase a vehicle from someone and no record of the title can be found, you may apply for a bonded title in accordance with §61-3-208, MCA. If a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, or pole trailer is 30 years old or older, no bond is required.
Documents required:
- Proof of ownership (for example, notarized bill-of-sale, cancelled check, purchase invoice)
- Vehicle Identification Number Inspection Certificate (MV20) completed by law enforcement
- Application for Break/Bond title (MV10)
- Include the circumstances through which you acquired ownership
- Disclose any security interests (liens)
- Determine the vehicle value
- This value is determined through the National Appraisal Guide (NADA) as of January 1 for the year in which you are applying
- If the vehicle value is determined to be over $1,000, obtain a bond equal to the determined value through an insurance company
- A copy of the NADA guide showing the vehicle value is required
- If the vehicle value is determined to be $1,000 or less, no bond is required
- If a NADA guide is not available for the vehicle, complete Statement of Fact (MV100) certifying that information and enter the vehicle value as determined by the applicant
- If the vehicle value is determined to be over $1,000, obtain a bond equal to the determined value through an insurance company
- This value is determined through the National Appraisal Guide (NADA) as of January 1 for the year in which you are applying
Determine where to submit the application
- Will you be driving this vehicle?
- Yes, submit to your County Treasurer's office. All title, registration and license plate fees are required.
- No, submit to the vehicle services bureau or your County Treasurer’s office. Title fees are required.
The Vehicle Services Bureau will review:
- The circumstances through which ownership was acquired including proof of ownership.
- Disclosure of any security interests
- Value as determined by the NADA guide and corresponding bond
- If submitted documents including vehicle value and corresponding bond are determined to be accurate, a title may be issued with the words “BONDED TITLE” and the expiration date of the bond printed on its face.
- After the bond expires, a new Montana title may be issued without the bond designation and expiration date. The bond expiration date is located on the face of the Montana title. The registered owner must submit the title or if the title is lost, the Application for Replacement Certificate of Title (MV7) and applicable title fees to the Vehicle Services Bureau or County Treasurer's office.
Do you see an error on your title?
- Complete a Statement of Correction (MV11AB)
- Include any documents that support the request for correction if needed.
- Send it to the Vehicle Services Bureau at the address on the form.
A security interest is an interest in personal property that secures payment or performance of an obligation. For example, if someone took out a “title loan” on a vehicle and did not meet the specified repayment schedule, the lender could collect its security interest by taking the vehicle. However, a lender cannot collect on a security interest if the owner of the vehicle has not acknowledged the security interest by signing the title or Security Interest Action (MV81B).
Security Interest Filing Fees – $8.24 for a security interest on all motor vehicles, including boats, trailers and snowmobiles. Security interests on newly purchased vehicles or vehicles new to Montana are filed at the County Treasurer’s office.
Collateral Security Interests – A lending institution files a security interest against a vehicle currently titled in your name through the Vehicle Services Bureau. Since Montana is not a title holding state, the Montana title is mailed to the registered owner, and the lending institution receives a Notice of Security Interest/Lien Filing/Lien Release/Repossession form with which it can either release a security interest or apply for a repossession title.
How to Have a Security Interest Removed from a Title
- a completed Notice of Security Interest/Lien Filing/Lien Release/Repossession form or the generic Release of Security Interest or Lien (MV37A) or
- a security interest/lien release on letterhead with a complete vehicle description and lien information
A new Montana title is not automatically issued once the secured parties have released their interest.
Should the owner wish to have a new title issued without the security interest showing, the owner must send the original title and $10.30 (U.S. funds only) to the Vehicle Services Bureau. The bureau then issues a clear title. If the bureau does not have a security interest/lien release on file, the title is returned to the owner with a letter asking to have the title returned along with a security interest/lien release.
How to Find Out if a Security Interest is Filed on a Vehicle
- Visit https://mt.vitu.com/vehicle/ to search the vehicle record