How to Sell a Car in Montana Privately? (State Guide)

The buyer has 40 days from the sale date to register the car at their local County Treasurer’s office. Montana law requires titling and registration to happen at the same time.

For penalties, a $10 late fee applies when the buyer waits longer than 40 days to title and register. If the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, they can complete it the next business day.

Title notarization in Montana is not required, under House Bill 165, effective October 1, 2025, the signature acknowledgment requirement was stricken, so a notary is no longer needed to transfer a title between individuals.

If you have an older title with a notary section printed on it, you can leave it blank. The County Treasurer’s office will accept it.

In Montana, a private sale needs the signed title, while a licensed junk or wrecking buyer can take the vehicle on a notarized bill of sale or release of ownership in place of a title.

If you need a title in your name first, MCA 61-3-208 authorizes a bonded title (Break/Bond, Form MV10) when no record of the title can be found, and Title 75, chapter 10, part 5 lets licensed wrecking facilities take a vehicle for parts or scrap. To apply, use Form MV10 Application for Break/Bond Title, used to apply for a bonded title when no title record exists.

A bill of sale is required for all private vehicle sales in Montana. Use the official Form MV24, available as a fillable PDF from the Montana MVD website.

Notarization is not required for a standard private sale. Both the buyer and seller sign the form, and each party should keep a copy.

Yes, but you need to coordinate the lien release with your lender first. In Montana, the lienholder completes a Release of Security Interest or Lien (Form MV37A) or provides a release on official letterhead, Montana is not a title-holding state so the owner holds the title while the lender holds a security interest filing.

You can’t sign the title over to a buyer until the lien is cleared.

If you owe more than the car’s worth, you’ll need to pay the difference.

Montana inheritance requirements depend on probate: if probated, the personal representative provides certified Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration with the title and Form MV1, if not probated and the estate is under $50,000, the heir uses Form MV12 with a copy of the death certificate.

For the estate threshold, estates of $50,000 or more require a probate-appointed personal representative, estates under $50,000 may use an Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property.

Contact your local County Treasurer’s office to confirm the exact documents required for your situation.

It depends on how the title reads. If your names are joined by “AND,” both owners must sign the title to complete the transfer. If it says “OR,” either owner can sign alone.

Check the title carefully before you meet with a buyer. If one co-owner isn’t available, the sale will be delayed until both have signed.

Don’t try to fix it yourself with white-out or cross-outs. Any correction attempt voids the title entirely under Montana law.

You’ll need to apply for a duplicate title using Form MV7. The fee is $10.30, dropping to $5 on July 1, 2026. Processing takes up to four weeks, so plan ahead to avoid delays with your buyer.

Your obligations as the seller are the same regardless of where the buyer lives. Sign the title, complete Form MV24, and remove your plates.

The buyer is responsible for registering the vehicle in their home state.

Some states require a VIN inspection before they can register an out-of-state vehicle, so let the buyer know they should check their home state’s requirements.

No. Montana license plates stay with the seller, not with the car. Remove them before the buyer drives away.

You can transfer your plates to another vehicle you own, or destroy them. The buyer gets new plates when they register at their County Treasurer’s office.

None required. Your signed title and completed Form MV24 bill of sale serve as proof that you transferred ownership.

Keep copies of both documents. If a parking ticket or fine comes in after the sale, your paperwork shows when the car changed hands.