Montana / light vehicles

Montana vehicle registration fee calculator

For ordinary 12-month renewals, Montana charges a light-vehicle registration rate of $217, $87 or $28 by age. A vehicle aged ten years or less with original MSRP above $150,000 adds $825. The state also collects a $10 Highway Patrol fee; the $9 parks and fishing access fee can be declined by owner election. County charges still affect the final bill.

Reviewed October 1, 2026 against Montana Code Annotated 61-3-321 and Montana MVD guidance.

Estimate an ordinary annual renewal

Transaction type RenewalKeep current plates PurchaseNew or used · title + plates

Registration period / transaction date

Use the registration period start for dated fuel surcharges; some state fields separately ask for expiration or assessment year. Blank uses today. Unpublished successor fees require an agency assessment.

Montana light-vehicle age band

MVD age is registration calendar year minus model year. This is the 12-month registration rate before county and other fees.

Original manufacturer suggested retail price ($)

For vehicles aged 0–10 years, an original MSRP over $150,000 adds $825 under MCA 61-3-321(2)(b). This is not the current resale value.

Parks and fishing access fee

The $9 fee is collected unless the owner elects out at annual registration.

Optional road and bridge fee

MCA 61-3-321(21) adds $5 only if the owner elects to pay it.

For an ordinary 12-month light-vehicle renewal, select age using registration calendar year minus model year. Enter original manufacturer MSRP to check the high-price surcharge.

View receipt

Result links include your entered amounts. Share only with people you choose.

Itemized estimate

Partial

Montana renewal

Known subtotal$10.00

Montana Highway Patrol feeMCA 61-3-321(20), annual light-vehicle renewal$10.00

Not included or unresolved

Choose the Montana light-vehicle age band
Confirm whether the $9 state parks and fishing access fee is paid or the owner elected out
Confirm the optional $5 road and bridge fee election
Administrative charge, insurance, plate and other transaction costs need the full MVD transaction calculation
County option tax or fee can vary by county and depreciated MSRP; it is not assumed zero
24-month and permanent registration elections use different payment schedules

Shows state components supported by statute. County option tax, administration, plates and other charges still need the agency bill.

Confirm with the official agency

Source links and the review date appear on this page. Methodology: dmvfeecalc.com/methodology/

Example: a seven-year-old light vehicle with original MSRP of $30,000, the $9 parks fee paid and no optional $5 road fee has a known state subtotal of $106.00. County tax and administrative charges can still apply.

Age bands and high-MSRP exception

Zero through four years old: $217 annual registration rate.
Five through ten years old: $87 annual registration rate.
Eleven years or older: $28 annual registration rate.

Montana MVD calculates age as registration calendar year minus model year. A 2019 model registered in 2026 is seven years old. Under MCA 61-3-321(2)(b), original manufacturer MSRP greater than $150,000 adds $825 when the light vehicle is ten years old or less. Exactly $150,000 does not trigger it. Current resale value is not the statutory MSRP.

Mandatory and elected fees

MCA 61-3-321(20) adds $10 for the Highway Patrol on a light-vehicle registration. Subsection (19) collects $9 for state parks and fishing access unless the owner certifies the opt-out at annual registration. Subsection (21) collects another $5 only if the owner elects the road and bridge contribution. The calculator asks about both elections.

The MVD also lists administrative, insurance-verification and plate costs where applicable. Their transaction details can change the bill, so this page leaves them unresolved.

County option tax and different registration terms

Counties may impose an option motor-vehicle tax that depends on the vehicle's original MSRP and Montana's detailed age-depreciation schedule. The schedule differs for automobiles, trucks, vans and SUVs. The county rate also matters, so a generic statewide percentage would be misleading. The MVD schedule explains the vehicle-type depreciation factors and links county information.

A 24-month registration requires the two-year rate and other applicable charges. An eligible vehicle aged at least 11 years can instead elect permanent registration, which has a different one-time county-tax treatment and limits for some specialty plates. Ask the county treasurer before making that election. After receiving the actual amount, record it in the agency quote worksheet.

Montana primary sources

Montana Code Annotated 61-3-321: light-vehicle age rates, high-MSRP exception and mandatory/elected fees.
Montana MVD light-vehicle fees: age, terms, administration and county depreciation.
Montana MVD county treasurers: local bill confirmation.

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Updated 2026-10-02 · Published by DMV Fee Calculator Editorial Team.

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