Wheel ScoutWhat a Montana plate lookup shows
A license plate points to one car. We turn the Montana plate into the car's 17-character VIN, show you the year, make and model, then read its history: salvage, flood and rebuilt brands, title history by state, odometer readings and theft records. You also see the factory specs and the safety recalls for that model year before you pay. What it never shows is the owner: the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act keeps names and addresses in DMV records private, and we don't sell them.
What a Montana plate looks like
Montana's standard plate has been issued since January 2010: a solid blue background, a white outline of the state, white lettering and the Treasure State slogan, with a bison skull between the county number and the plate number. Owners can also choose older designs from 1989, 1991, 2000 and 2006, so not every Montana car wears the blue plate. The plate is metal with a reflective background, and on standard plates the outline of the state doubles as the border.
The first number on a Montana plate is the county. State law assigns every county a number that goes in front of the registration number: Silver Bow is 1, Cascade is 2, Yellowstone (Billings) is 3, and the list runs to Lincoln County at 56. State law says a car can only carry the number of the county where it is domiciled, so a plate that starts with 3 tells you the car is registered in the Billings area. Type the plate with or without the dash; we find the car either way.
- Two plates. Montana requires one plate on the front and one on the rear, each held on with two fasteners. Motorcycles and trailers carry one rear plate. If a car's body has nowhere to mount a front plate, the owner can pay a $25 inspection fee and get a waiver certificate from the Highway Patrol, which has to stay in the car.
- Plates are replaced every five years. Plates issued since 2010 have to be swapped for new ones at renewal once they are five years old. A badly faded plate is worth a question about when the car was last renewed.
- Plates belong to the seller. The MVD says the plates belong to the seller, not the car, so in a sale between two people the seller takes them off. The buyer gets new plates when titling the car; the new-issue plate fee is $12.
- Temporary permits. A county treasurer or dealer can issue a temporary registration permit that is good for 40 days or until the car is registered, whichever comes first. The state fee is $19.50; counties collect it with the 3% MVD administrative fee, so Flathead County lists it at $20.09. Flathead County sells only one per purchase, and the buyer needs a signed bill of sale or the signed-over title to get one.
- The 90-day permit. If a buyer cannot surrender the old title for reasons outside their control, the same county office that issued the 40-day permit can issue a 90-day permit for $24 while the title is sorted out.
Montana title brands: what the lookup can show
Montana marks a title when the car has been declared a salvage vehicle and when it has been rebuilt. Our $5 report reads the NMVTIS record that Montana reports into, so brands put on by Montana and by other states both show up. The MVD's online title status search at mvdmt.gov shows the state's record for a Montana-titled car; our report adds the records from the other 49 states, the total-loss history from insurers, and the theft check.
| Salvage vehicle | Montana law defines it as a car damaged by collision, fire, flood, accident, trespass or another event where the owner or insurer decides the cost of parts and labor makes it uneconomical to repair. There is no fixed percentage of value in the statute. The state issues a salvage certificate instead of a regular title. A salvage vehicle cannot be driven on public roads except under a temporary permit to and from the inspection. |
|---|---|
| Rebuilt salvage | Once the car is repaired, the owner presents the car, the salvage certificate, receipts or bills of sale for the component parts and the source of those parts to an MVD employee or a designated peace officer. The inspection fee is $18.50. The inspector checks the VIN and that every major part has a paper trail with no sign of theft; it is not a safety inspection. The new title carries the words "rebuilt salvage" on its face. Skipping this process is a misdemeanor with a fine up to $500. |
| Flood | Flood is named in Montana's salvage definition, and NMVTIS carries flood brands from other states. A flood car bought cheaply at auction in a Gulf state and retitled here will show its history in the report even if the Montana paper is clean. |
| Junk, odometer, theft | Junk brands from other states, odometer brands and active theft records come through NMVTIS and the national theft database. Montana requires an odometer statement on the title for 2011-and-newer cars until they are 20 years old, so a reading that drops between owners is a flag. |
Montana's salvage inspection only checks that the car is what the paper says it is. Nobody at the state checks that the repair was done well. If a car shows a rebuilt salvage brand, the report tells you what happened and when; a mechanic tells you whether it was fixed right.
What a Montana title transfer costs
Montana has no sales tax, so there is no tax on the price you pay for the car, whether you buy from a dealer or an individual. What you pay at the county treasurer's office is the title fee, registration based on the car's age, and your county's option tax if it has one. Amounts below are from state law and the Yellowstone and Flathead county treasurers' published pages. A 3% administrative fee is added to every MVD transaction, so the $12 title fee comes to $12.36.
| Title fee | $12 for a car, van, SUV or truck of one ton or less ($12.36 with the 3% fee); $10 for other vehicles. The $12 rate runs through June 30, 2028, when the law drops it to $7. |
|---|---|
| Annual registration | Set by the car's age, not its price: $217 a year if the car is 4 years old or less, $87 if it is 5 through 10 years old, $28 if it is 11 or older. A light vehicle with an original MSRP over $150,000 that is 10 years old or less pays $825 on top. A $9 state parks fee (optional) and a $10 Highway Patrol salary and retention fee are collected with it. |
| Permanent registration | Once a car is 11 years old the owner can register it permanently for a one-time $87.50 plus five times the county option tax and a $5 insurance verification fee. The permanent registration dies with the sale: when you buy a permanently registered car, the state cancels it and you title and register the car yourself. |
| County option tax | A county can charge up to 0.7% of the car's depreciated value each year if its voters approve; Yellowstone County charges one-half percent. The value starts at the original MSRP and falls on a state schedule (90% of MSRP for a new car, 9% at 16 years, never below $500). Your county treasurer has the final word on your county's rate. |
| Late penalty | $10 if you title the car more than 40 days after the sale, paid before the county will register it. |
| Gift or family transfer | There is no sales tax to waive, so a gift costs the same title and registration fees as a purchase. |
If you are buying a car with Montana plates in another state, make sure the seller's name or company matches the title and that your own state will accept the paperwork.
Montana forms and deadlines
| The title | The seller signs the assignment and writes the buyer's name and address on it. Since October 2025 the signatures no longer need a notary, for individuals or businesses (House Bill 165). Titles printed after October 1, 2025 have no notary block, and older titles are accepted with the notary section blank. |
|---|---|
| Odometer statement | Required on the title for a 2011 or newer car until it is 20 years old. Cars from 2010 and earlier are exempt. |
| Form MV24, Bill of Sale | A bill of sale does not replace the title, but the county accepts a signed one to issue a temporary permit, and it protects both sides. It needs the year, make, model and VIN, the names and addresses of both parties, the price and the signature of every seller. |
| Buyer's deadline | Apply for title and register the car at the treasurer's office in your home county within 40 days of the sale. After 40 days the $10 late penalty applies. |
| Lender on the title | If a lienholder holds the title, the county needs the physical title. Flathead County has a lienholder letter form for requesting it; the lien must be released before the transfer. |
| Seller's record | The MVD tells sellers to keep a written record of the sale, such as a photocopy of both sides of the signed-over title, and to take the plates off: a seller who leaves them on can be liable for tickets after the sale. |
| Insurance | The MVD says no proof of insurance is needed to register, but state law requires liability insurance and you must carry proof of it when driving. Have a policy on the car before you drive it home. |
| Bonded title | If the seller has no title at all, the buyer can apply with a sworn affidavit and, for a car under 30 years old worth more than $1,000, a surety bond equal to its value. The state holds the bond for three years in case a prior owner or lender makes a claim. Easier to walk away. |
Inspections in Montana
Montana has no periodic safety inspection and no emissions test for personal vehicles. Nothing in the registration process checks the brakes, tires or exhaust, and a current Montana registration says nothing about the car's condition.
The only state inspection you will meet is a VIN inspection, and it is about identity, not safety. A salvage car has to pass one before it can be retitled as rebuilt salvage ($18.50, done by an MVD employee or a designated peace officer), and a car with no front plate mounting needs a $25 Highway Patrol inspection for the waiver. The inspector can seize a car whose VIN plate is altered, missing or does not match the title.
What to do instead: pay a shop for a pre-purchase inspection before the money changes hands. In Montana that is the only mechanical check the car will ever get.
Before you meet a Montana seller
- Run the plate or the VIN here first, before the deposit. Match the year, make, model and trim to the car in front of you, and look for a salvage or rebuilt salvage brand.
- Check the county number. The first number on the plate should match where the seller says they live. A Yellowstone (3) plate on a car being sold in Missoula (4) is not wrong, but it is a question to ask.
- Match the VIN on the dashboard, the driver door sticker and the title. Montana's own inspectors seize cars whose VIN plates do not match the paper.
- Match the name on the title to the seller's ID. If the title is in a company name, the person signing needs to show they can sign for it.
- Check for a lender. If a lienholder is printed on the title, the county will not transfer it without the release.
- Permanently registered car? The registration does not come with it. Budget for the title fee and your own registration on top of the price.
- Get a bill of sale (MV24) with the seller's signature. You need it for the 40-day permit, and the title no longer has a notary to vouch for the signature.
- Book a shop inspection. Nobody in Montana government has looked at this car's brakes.
Where these Montana facts come from
Read on the state's own pages on October 31, 2026. Fees and rules change; the county tax office has the final word on the day you file.
- Montana Code 61-3-220: certificate of title, voluntary transfer, 40 days and $10 penalty
- Montana Code 61-3-212: rebuilt salvage vehicle inspection and title
- Montana Code 61-3-223: salvage vehicle inspection fee
- Montana Code 61-3-224: temporary registration permits (40-day and 90-day)
- Montana Code 61-3-301: front and rear plates, front-plate waiver, county of domicile
- Montana Code 61-3-321: registration fees by vehicle age
- Montana Code 61-3-332: standard plates and county numbers
- Montana Code 61-3-562: permanent registration
- Montana MVD: Buying and Selling Vehicles in Montana (2026)
- Montana MVD: frequently asked questions (notary, plates, insurance)
- Yellowstone County Treasurer: motor vehicle fee schedule
- Flathead County Treasurer: motor vehicle FAQ (notary change, temporary permits)
Look up a plate from another state
The reports
Works for Montana plates and every other state. You see the car before you pay.
Basic history report
By VIN or license plate · official NMVTIS record · shows right away
- Salvage, junk, flood and rebuilt title brands
- Title history by state, with dates
- Odometer readings and rollback flags
- Total-loss records from insurers
- Theft check
- Market value for the car
Full vehicle history report
By VIN or license plate · Not instant: emailed or texted to you within two hours
- Every owner, how they used it (personal, lease, rental or fleet) and where
- Accidents and damage reports
- Title brands: salvage, junk, rebuilt, flood, fire, hail, lemon
- Odometer readings over time, checked for rollbacks
- Service and maintenance history
- Open recalls and common owner complaints for the model
Montana license plate lookup questions
How do I look up a Montana license plate?
Type the plate above with Montana selected, including the county number at the front. We turn it into the car's VIN and show the year, make and model at no charge, then the $5 report shows its title brands, odometer readings, total-loss records and theft check.
How much does it cost to transfer a car title in Montana?
The title fee is $12 ($12.36 with the MVD's 3% administrative fee), plus registration based on the car's age: $217 a year for a car 4 years old or less, $87 for 5 through 10 years, $28 for 11 and older, or a one-time $87.50 permanent registration for a car 11 or older. Add your county's option tax if it has one, and new plates at $12. Title it within 40 days to avoid the $10 late penalty.
Is there sales tax when you buy a car in Montana?
No. Montana has no sales tax, so there is no tax on the purchase price. The only value-based charge is the county option tax, up to 0.7% of the car's depreciated MSRP each year in counties that have voted for it. Yellowstone County charges one-half percent; many counties charge nothing.
Does Montana require a vehicle inspection?
No. Montana has no safety inspection and no emissions test for personal vehicles. The only state inspection is a VIN inspection for salvage cars being retitled ($18.50) and for front-plate waivers ($25). Get your own pre-purchase inspection at a shop.
What does a rebuilt salvage title mean in Montana?
The car was declared a salvage vehicle, meaning the owner or insurer decided it was uneconomical to repair, and was then rebuilt and passed an MVD inspection of its VIN and parts receipts. The title says "rebuilt salvage" on its face. The inspection confirms the car's identity and that the parts were not stolen; it does not check the quality of the repair.
Does a Montana title still need to be notarized?
Not anymore. House Bill 165 removed the notary requirement on Montana titles in October 2025, for individuals and businesses. Titles printed after October 1, 2025 have no notary block, and older titles are accepted with the notary section left blank.
Can I find the owner of a Montana plate?
No. The federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act keeps owners' names and addresses in Montana MVD records private, and no legitimate plate lookup shows them. You see the car, not the person.
Who runs vehicle titles in Montana?
The Motor Vehicle Division of the Montana Department of Justice issues titles and plates. You do the transfer in person at your county treasurer's motor vehicle office, which also collects the registration fees and any county option tax.
More ways to check a car
Find the deal, then check it.
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The basic history report uses NMVTIS data from an approved NMVTIS data provider. NMVTIS records come from states, insurers and salvage yards; not every event is reported to it. Vehicle specs and recalls come from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Wheel Scout is not affiliated with any marketplace or government agency. Wheel Scout is not affiliated with the Montana Department of Justice, Motor Vehicle Division (MVD).