In a Montana private sale the seller signs the current title over to you (a bill of sale does not replace it), pulls the plates, and you title and register at your county treasurer's office within 40 days of the sale date. Montana has no general sales tax on the purchase, but you still pay a title fee -- $12.36 for most light vehicles on the MV1 form -- plus registration that can include a county option tax based on depreciated MSRP. Wait past day 40 and a late fee applies.
I checked the Montana MVD FAQ, the June 2026 Buying and Selling Vehicles PDF, the light-vehicle fee tables, the MV1 title application, and the Department of Revenue sales-tax page on October 16, 2026. County treasurers run the counter; MVD sets the statewide rules. Notary stamps are gone for individual transfers as of early October 2025, which still surprises sellers holding older blank titles.
What has to be on the signed title
MVD's Buying and Selling Vehicles guide says every field on the assignment must be completed in blue or black ink. White-out or scratch-outs void the title. The buyer's name and address go on the title, and the person who signs as buyer must match that name. Sellers disclose mileage for vehicles newer than nine years. As of October 2, 2025, individuals no longer need a notary on a Montana title; titles printed after October 1, 2025 simply omit the notary block, and older titles are accepted without that section filled.
You cannot legally sell a vehicle in Montana unless it is already titled and registered to you. If a lien still shows, bring a lien release from the lender. Keep a photocopy of both sides of the reassigned title. Private sales are not reported to the state until the buyer titles the car -- leave your plates on and you can inherit parking tickets you never earned.
Forty days at the county treasurer
The MVD FAQ gives buyers 40 days from the sale date to apply for title and registration at the county treasurer in their county of residence. A late fee hits after that. Plates stay with the seller. The buyer uses a temporary registration permit, or shows the bill of sale or closed title to law enforcement, until new plates are issued. Expect roughly 30 days of paperwork time before permanent plates are ready in a typical case; if the design you want is not on the shelf, the treasurer can issue a 40-day temporary permit.
Out-of-state titles follow a foreign-title path when a lienholder still holds the paper. Salvage and rebuilt brands change the whole process -- read our Montana salvage and rebuilt title rules before you chase a bargain. VIN mismatches are a dead stop; see VIN verification for title transfer.
No sales tax -- still budget registration and county option tax
Montana's Department of Revenue states the state does not have a general-use sales tax. That does not make the treasurer visit free. The MV1 title application lists $12.36 for light vehicles, trucks and buses under one ton (fee includes the 3 percent administration charge), and $10.30 for other vehicles, plus $8.24 to file each security interest. Light-vehicle registration rates by age run $217 (0-4 years), $87 (5-10 years), or $28 (11 years or older) before county option tax and plate add-ons. Counties may tax a depreciated share of MSRP; the schedule lives on the light vehicle fees page. Our used car sales tax guide shows how other states charge purchase tax instead.
History check before the handshake
Montana will title what the paperwork supports. It will not warn you about a flood brand that washed through another state. Search NMVTIS and buy your own report. Our CARFAX for private-party deals post flags the lines worth a second look. CarVins resells official CARFAX and AutoCheck under license and is not affiliated with those brands or Experian. In mid October 2026 our guest price is usually about $5.50 a report, members about $4.50, and the two-report bundle near $6.75, versus retail around $39.99 to $44.99; pay whatever checkout shows. CARFAX outlines report contents.
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