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Montana car registration fee calculator

How much does it cost to register a car in Montana? $217 a year for a car 0-4 years old ($87 at 5-10, $28 at 11 and older), plus your county's option tax on the depreciated MSRP, $10 Highway Patrol and $9 state parks fees and a 3% administrative fee. A new $30,000 car in Yellowstone County pays $406.85 with title and plates. Montana has no sales tax. Electric cars add $130 a year.

Your vehicle

The county option tax uses a different depreciation table for cars, SUVs, vans and trucks.
Electric $130 and plug-in hybrid $70 a year under 6,000 lbs, at first registration and every renewal.
$
The county option tax is figured on the depreciated MSRP. Montana has no sales tax, so the price you paid doesn't matter.
The calendar year the fee is due minus the model year.
%
Up to 0.7% of the depreciated value. Some counties charge a flat fee instead; leave blank if you don't know it.
Estimated total
$406.85

Example for a $30,000 car. Enter your own price to update it.

  • Registration (1 yr)Age 0-4$217.00
  • County option tax0.5% of $27,000 (90% of MSRP)$135.00
  • Title fee$12.00
  • Plates$12.00
  • Highway Patrol fee$10.00
  • State parks feeUnless you opt out in writing$9.00
  • MVD administrative fee (3%)3% of $395.00$11.85

What you'll pay later

Renewal at today's rates: $366.68/yr

5-year total: not shown, because the registration fee and county option tax drop as the car ages.

Estimate only, at today's rates for the same car.

Estimate only. Rates checked October 21, 2026 · Montana. Confirm with the Montana Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) and county treasurers.

Montana vehicle fees at a glance (2026)

Registration, car or light truck$217/yr age 0-4, $87 age 5-10, $28 age 11+
County option taxUp to 0.7% of depreciated MSRP (Yellowstone County 0.5%)
Per-vehicle fees$10 Highway Patrol, $9 state parks (opt-out), 3% MVD admin fee
Electric / plug-in hybrid fee$130 / $70 a year under 6,000 lbs
Title and plates$12 title (light vehicle), $12 plates
MotorcyclePermanent: $53.25 one-time + $16 safety fee
Sales taxNone

Download this fee summary (PDF)

What this estimate does and does not include

  • Montana has no sales tax on vehicles. Instead, registration is by age ($217 / $87 / $28) plus a county option tax, voter-approved, of up to 0.7% of the MSRP depreciated by the MVD table (or a flat fee). Yellowstone County charges 0.5%; for other counties enter the rate or leave the tax out.
  • Depreciation: only the first years of the MVD table were confirmed (cars 90% at age 0 and 80% at age 1; SUVs 98%, vans 93%, trucks 96% at age 0). For other ages and body types the county option tax shows as not available.
  • The 3% MVD administrative fee (MCA 61-3-111) is figured on the whole transaction, following the Yellowstone County schedule; the calculator shows it as its own line.
  • Cars 11 years and older can be registered permanently for a one-time $87.50 plus 5 times the county option tax (and $10 Highway Patrol, $6 parks); permanent registration ends when the car is sold. It isn't calculated here. A luxury surcharge of $825 a year applies when the MSRP is over $150,000 and the car is 10 years old or newer.
  • Motorcycles are registered permanently, once: $53.25 street use or $114.50 street and off-highway, $16 safety fee, $10 Highway Patrol, $10 title and a $12 plate, + 3%. There is no yearly renewal.
  • Electric and plug-in hybrid fees: $130 / $70 under 6,000 lbs and $190 / $100 from 6,000 to 10,000 lbs, every year. From July 1, 2028 the EV fee for residents drops 30%; title fees drop to $7 / $5 on the same date.
  • Not included: trucks over 1 ton, motor homes, trailers, the optional $5 fee, specialty plates. No late renewal fee is published. Titling more than 40 days after the sale costs $10.
Official sources · Last checked October 21, 2026 · Next monthly check: November 2026

Montana registration questions

How much is car registration in Montana?

$217 a year for a car 0 to 4 years old, $87 at 5 to 10 and $28 at 11 or older, plus the county option tax, $10 Highway Patrol fee, $9 state parks fee and 3% admin fee. A one-year-old $30,000 car renews for $366.68 in Yellowstone County.

How much are the fees on a new $30,000 car in Montana?

$406.85 in Yellowstone County: $217 registration, $135 county option tax (0.5% of $27,000), $12 title, $12 plates, $10 Highway Patrol, $9 state parks and $11.85 admin fee (3%). There is no sales tax.

Does Montana have sales tax on cars?

No. Montana has no general sales tax. The old 1.5% new-vehicle tax was repealed; the age-based registration fee and county option tax replaced it.

Do electric cars pay extra in Montana?

Yes: $130 a year for an electric car under 6,000 lbs ($190 from 6,000 to 10,000 lbs) and $70 for a plug-in hybrid ($100), at first registration and every renewal.

How much is motorcycle registration in Montana?

Motorcycles are registered once, permanently: $53.25 for street use plus a $16 safety fee, $10 Highway Patrol fee, $10 title and $12 plate, plus 3%: $104.29.

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