Last checked October 30, 2026.
Once you move to Montana you have 60 days to get a Montana driver license and to title and register your vehicles; the license costs $40.50 for eight years. There’s no sales tax on anything you buy to set up your home, and no new-resident fee on vehicles.
First 60 days
| Task | Deadline | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montana driver license (Class D, 8 years) | Before driving, once you’ve lived here more than 60 days | $40.50 ($44.50 with a motorcycle endorsement) | MT Dept. of Justice; MCA 61-5-103 |
| Title and register each vehicle | Within 60 days of becoming a resident | Registration $217 (0–4 years old), $87 (5–10) or $28 (11+), plus a 3% administrative fee and your county’s option tax; no separate new-resident fee | MT Dept. of Justice; MVD fees |
| Title and new plates | With registration | About $12 each in Yellowstone County’s published fee schedule, which may be dated; check your county treasurer | Yellowstone County |
| Permanent registration (vehicles 11+ years old) | Optional | One-time fee instead of yearly renewals | MT Dept. of Justice |
Setting up your home
- Utilities. Find out who serves your address: NorthWestern Energy covers most of western and central Montana, Montana-Dakota Utilities much of the east, and electric co-ops serve many rural areas. See utilities and heating for who serves each town.
- Heating. If your home heats with propane, arrange delivery before winter. Montana residential propane averaged $2.17 a gallon in the week of October 19, 2026 (EIA).
- Internet. Outside the larger towns, check which providers reach your address before you sign a lease or buy.
- No sales tax. Furniture, appliances and vehicles carry no sales tax, except a resort tax on some purchases in a few tourist towns (details).
If you buy a home
- Apply for the homestead rate. Your primary residence qualifies for a much lower property tax rate, but you have to apply; for 2026 the window ran December 1, 2025 to March 1, 2026. See property tax.
- No transfer tax. Montana’s constitution bans taxes on the sale of real property (buying a home).
Later milestones
| Milestone | When | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Resident hunting and fishing licenses | After 180 consecutive days living in Montana, with a Montana driver license or ID, Montana vehicle registration, Montana voter registration if you’re registered, and a Montana tax return if you’re required to file | Montana FWP |
| Register to vote | Regular registration closes 30 days before an election; late registration is in person | Montana Secretary of State |
| First Montana income tax return | The spring after you move; part-year residents file too | Montana income tax |