Motor Vehicle Department
**Attention: For quickest response times, contact us by email at DOJMVDLewis&ClarkCounty@mt.gov
Renewal Line: Open 7:00am-5:00pm. Please stand in line behind the blue sign.
Up to Two Titles and Plate Orders: Open 7:00am-4:30pm. First come, first served. Please, take a ticket.
Wait times are dependent on the number of customers ahead of you and the number of titles or personalized plate transactions they may have. Title work and personalized plates take approximately 15-20 minutes per transaction to complete due to system constraints and required information.
Wait times can exceed 2 hours, please plan accordingly.
Schedule an Appointment:
Schedule Title Work Appointment Online - Does not work with Internet Explorer
Schedule Title Work Appointment by Phone - Call 406-447-8328.
* IMPORTANT * Plan to arrive 5-10 minutes prior to your scheduled time. Another customer will be served if you are not available at your appointment start time.
Hours
Monday-Friday (except Holidays), 7:00am to 5:00pm
The department is open during the noon hour; however, some windows may be closed due to staffing availability to accommodate lunch breaks.
Title work is not processed after 4:30pm.
How long is the line?
Check out the Motor Vehicle Department Webcam to see how long the title and registration lines are.
Online Services & Information
To schedule an appointment:
www.schedulicity.com/scheduling/LCCAUQS
Montana Registration Renewal:
https://app.mvdmt.gov/vrr/renewal/index.html
Out of State/Military Temporary Permit Request, e-mail: DOJMVDLewis&ClarkCounty@mt.gov
Information for Buying or Selling a Vehicle in Montana:
Quick reference
Information for Vehicle Title and Registration:
https://mvdmt.gov/
Required Documents for Vehicle Registration (Tax Exemptions, License Plate Requirements, Heavy Use Tax, Registration Purpose Only, Special Mobile Equipment):
https://mvdmt.gov/vehicle-registration/
License Plate Information:
https://mvdmt.gov/license-plate-information/
Sponsor Plate Fees & Designs:
https://mvdmt.gov/license-plate-information/sponsored-license-plates/
Title Manual & Forms:
https://mvdmt.gov/forms-manuals-vehicle-title-registration/
Renew Existing Montana Registration
Renew Existing Montana Registration
A renewal decal (or tab), that will make your license plate current, will be issued each year after the fees are paid. If you keep your address updated, a courtesy renewal notice will be mailed directly to you from the State of Montana. Nevertheless, if none is received, each driver is still responsible for timely registration renewal. If your registration receipt has an expiration date, you have until the last day of the following month to renew your registration.
Have you moved? Changing your address at the Post Office or with the State at the Drivers Services does not update the Motor Vehicle System. If you have moved, and not submitted a change of address with the County Motor Vehicle Department your renewal done on the web may be sent to an incorrect address. A $10.30 duplicate tab fee may be charged if your address has not been updated. Find more information on updating your address with the Montana Motor Vehicle Division here.
Online Renewal:
Motor Vehicle Registration Renewals
- Current mailing address must match expiring registration, otherwise come in to renew and update address.
Renew by Mail:
- Current mailing address must match expiring registration, otherwise come in to renew and update address. Address on postcard does not necessarily mean address has been updated with Motor Vehicle Department.
- Mail postcard and check/money order to:
Lewis & Clark MVD, 316 N Park Ave, Rm 142, Helena, MT 59623
Renewal Line:
Red Drop Box:
- If you don't have time to wait in line you may drop your payment in the Red Drop Box located near the door of the office. Please include:
- Renewal notice(Blue Postcard). Check to see if expiring registration's address matches the front of the card.
- Check/Money Order for exact amount.
- Renewals will be processed and mailed out the following day.
Title Transfers
Private Sale Montana Titles:
- Up to Two Montana Titles or personalized/specialty plate (sponsor plate for trailer, Amateur Radio plates, etc.) orders may be processed.
Make sure the following are complete:
- All sellers listed on the title have signed in front of a notary.
- Odometer information has been completed for street legal vehicles weighing 1 ton or less that are less than twenty years old.
- Please make an appointment for more than three Montana titles and personalized or specialty plate (sponsor plate for a trailer, Amateur Radio plates, etc.) orders.
Out-of-State Title Transfers
If you are coming from another state, please register your vehicles as soon as you establish residency in Montana, or before your out-of-state registration expires, whichever comes first. In order to register your vehicle, you will need to provide us with the Certificate of Title. If the Certificate of Title to your vehicle is being held by a lien holder, the Motor Vehicle Department will provide you with a Foreign Title Transfer form(MV-63).
This will allow the Certificate of Title to be transferred to a Montana Title and then returned to your lien holder.
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Procedures now require your vehicle registration file to include your driver's license number or, in the case of a corporation, your federal identification number. For this reason, your driver's license will be requested when registering your vehicle. An out of state driver's license will require two proofs of physical residency. Documents allowed for proof of residency can be found at https://mvdmt.gov/required-documents/. At least one person (not a business entity) listed on the title must be a Montana resident.
Up to two out of state titles may be processed. You may also make an appointment for up to three transfers.
Please make an appointment for more than three Out of State titles or personalized/specialty plate (sponsor plate for a trailer, Amateur Radio plates, etc.) orders.
Dealership Purchases
- A letter will be sent to notify you that the dealership has delivered the paperwork to our office, and it is ready to process.
- You may take a ticket and wait or make an appointment to transfer the title and registration.
- Please make an appointment for more than three Dealership titles or personalized/specialty plate (sponsor plate for a trailer, Amateur Radio plates, etc.) orders.
Replacement Titles:
To be issued a duplicate of your Montana title, please visit State of Montana Vehicle Services Bureau at 302 N Roberts (Scott Hart/DOJ Building). The cost is $10.30 and will be issued the same day.
State office may also process by drop off Non-Probate Estate Titles and Break/Bonds titles if registration is not required for the vehicle.
License Plates
License plates are issued to the registrants. The plates are not transferable between individuals, such as on a sale of the vehicle to another person, but the registrants may transfer their plates to their replacement vehicle. Such transfer of plates between vehicles owned by the same person must be done through the Motor Vehicle Department. Motorized vehicles require two plates at all times, except motorcycles, which require only a rear plate.
Missing or Damaged Decal
Missing or damaged decals may be replaced by going through the renewal line. The cost of the replacement is $10.30.
Missing or Damaged Plates
Missing or damaged standard and most sponsor plates maybe replaced by going through the renewal line. The cost depends upon type of plate chosen and vehicle type (motor vehicle, motorcycle, trailer, etc.) starting at $20.60.
To replace a personalized plate (plate with chosen text) or amateur radio plate, please make an appointment.
Personalized Plates
If you would like to have personalized license plates, they are available to you for an additional fee. Unique options are possible using your choice of up to seven numbers and letters, providing the combination is not offensive or in bad taste and has not already been issued to someone else. The initial cost starts at $36.05 for plate manufacture and then $10.30 annually in addition to normal registration fees.
Specially designed plates for veterans, colleges, military units and others are also available at their own initial and annual rates. To view current plate designs and their fees, please visit:
https://mvdmt.gov/license-plate-information/
Address Changes
Address changes to your Montana Driver License must be made through the Montana Department of Justice Motor Vehicle Division by filling out a Change of Driver License Address (Electronic Record) form 34-0300 and delivering or mailing the completed paperwork to the address indicated on the form.
Lewis and Clark County can no longer make these changes during vehicle registration. For more information on driver license change of address or other Montana Driver License related forms visit https://mvdmt.gov/address-change/.
Taxes and Fees
Registration costs are based on state established fee schedules and a county option tax. This tax is based on the manufacturer's suggested retail price, depreciated according to the schedule established by law. To access the state fee schedule, go the following website:
https://mvdmt.gov/vehicle-registration/light-vehicle-registration-and-fees/.
Payment
The Lewis and Clark County Motor Vehicle Department accepts cash, personal checks and money orders made out to Lewis and Clark County in the exact amount of your registration. Please do not send cash through the mail. No counter/starter checks are accepted. Master card and Visa are accepted in the Motor Vehicle Department. The credit card companies assess a card fee of $1.25 and 2% on your transaction cost.