How to Sell a Car in Montana

The steps and process for selling a vehicle online are different in every state. Learn how to sell your used car or truck privately in Montana.

Whether you live in Glacier Country, Missouri River Country, Yellowstone Country, Central Montana, Southeast Montana, or Southwest Montana, if you are thinking about privately selling your used car or truck, you’ve come to the right place. With an estimated 350,000 registered trucks and cars in the state of Montana, it’s no wonder that thousands of private vehicle sellers from the Treasure State have used Autotrader to sell their car. Below, we’ve outlined the five steps and forms required for how to sell a car in the state of Montana so you can sell your car quickly for the most cash.

Remember, most states consider the vehicle title a legal document, so the legal names (no nicknames) of both parties involved should be used, along with legible handwriting using black or blue ink. Mistakes, errors, and using White-Out may void the document so be careful and take your time filling it out.

The Montana DOT website has a nice landing page with tips for selling a vehicle in Montana. It includes a link to a very helpful checklist for Selling Your Vehicle in Montana walking you through each step. At the bottom of the checklist, there’s a Buyer’s Acknowledgement of Delivery of Vehicle & Title that the buyer should fill out and sign for the you, the seller, to keep. This step is optional, but we recommend taking that extra step so that you have evidence of sale and delivery of the vehicle to the buyer.

Step 1: Allow the buyer to have the car inspected by a third party
Step 2: Organize and gather all related vehicle documentation
Step 3: Bill of Sale
Step 4: Transfer the title
Step 5: Remove your plates and cancel your insurance

Step 1: Allow the buyer to have the car inspected by a third party

Many vehicle shoppers who buy a car privately pay for a pre-purchase vehicle inspection conducted by a qualified and licensed auto mechanic of their choosing. Although the buyer pays for this inspection, the seller and buyer must agree on when and where the inspection is to be held. If the inspection does find any issues with the car, it is a good idea for you as the seller to keep the report for your records. Montana does not require this inspection and doesn’t have any forms that need to be filled out, but it’s a good idea for the buyer to have the inspection performed prior to the purchase.

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Step 2: Organize and gather all related vehicle documentation

Find all maintenance records, the owner’s manual and other paperwork related to the vehicle. If you can provide the buyer with extensive and detailed maintenance records, this will help provide the buyer with confidence that you’ve maintained the car in a proper and regular manner. You may even want to consider including a vehicle history report from a service like CarFax or AutoCheck.

The most important document when selling a car is the certificate of title. If there is a lien on the title, the lienholder must release interest in the vehicle before the car is sold. This can be achieved either by the seller paying off the car or by the lienholder providing a letter of lien release. If you can’t pay off the car, then a Release of Security Interest or Lien (form MV37A) signed by your lienholder must be filed with your county treasurer’s office.

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Step 3: Bill of Sale

Montana requires a bill of sale to be filled out by the buyer and the seller for private vehicle purchases. The official form for this is MV24 which records information like the purchase price, the odometer reading, and the VIN of the vehicle in question. This document needs to be signed by both the buyer and the seller in the presence of a notary. If you’re not sure where to find a notary, Montana has a handy online notary finder you can use to search for a notary by city. When the buyer has a notarized bill of sale in hand, the process of getting it registered in the new owner’s name can proceed.

In response to the rise in odometer fraud cases in Montana and across the U.S., the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) odometer disclosure requirements were updated in December 2020 impacting certain private vehicle sales in Montana: For a vehicle transfer that occurs from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2030, any vehicle of model year 2011 or newer (2012, 2013, etc.) will require an odometer disclosure. Starting on January 1, 2031, any vehicle that is less than 20 model years old will require an odometer disclosure. Previously, the NHTSA required disclosure was for only the first 10 years. Cars older than 2010 are exempt from odometer disclosures. Montana provides this Odometer Disclosure Statement on theie official DMV website.

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Step 4: Transfer the title

If the vehicle’s title has been lost, stolen or badly damaged, you can get a replacement/duplicate Montana title by filling out form MV7. With that form filled out plus a $10.30 fee you can get a duplicate title by filing the form at your local county treasurer’s office.

When selling a car privately in Montana, the buyer and the seller both need to fill out the relevant sections on the back of the title. This information includes the legal name, address, and signature of the buyer and the seller(s) along with the date of the sale, and the odometer reading. When this is filled out accurately and legibly, it makes it easy for the buyer to transfer registration and acquire a new plate. All sellers listed on the title must sign over the vehicle title in front of a notary. Owners can have their signature notarized without the buyer’s presence. The buyer will have 40 days from the date of sale to complete the transfer of ownership.

If there is more than one owner showing on the title, the following number of signatures will be required based on the connection between the names: And – All persons listed must sign. Or – Either seller can sign, only one signature required. And/Or - Both sellers must sign. If no connection listed, it will default to “and” and all owners (sellers) must sign.

If you’re wondering about gifting a car to a relative, you can follow the same process that is outlined here to transfer the title. For inheriting a car, it’s mostly the same process, but you’ll need to file documentation of the inheritance with the county along with the title of the vehicle in question.

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Step 5: Remove your plates and cancel your insurance

The seller must remove their license plates before handing the vehicle over to the buyer. If you do not do so, you may be liable for any violations after the buyer has taken possession of the vehicle. After the sale is complete, you can keep your plates, destroy them, or transfer them to another vehicle you own. Contact your county treasurer’s office for more information on transferring plates.

If you have a classic car or personalized plates that you want to transfer to the buyer, you can do so by completing form MV100. This is a Statement of Fact which relinquishes all rights to the plates. Make sure to cancel your insurance as soon as possible after you’ve removed your plates so you don’t continue paying to insure a car that you no longer own.

For more information, visit the Montana MVD website.

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Questions about selling your car in Montana? We have answers.

What paperwork do I need to privately sell a car in Montana?

Is a Bill of Sale required for selling a car in Montana?

Do I remove my license plate when I sell a car in Montana?

Does a bill of sale have to be notarized in Montana?

Does a vehicle title have to be notarized in Montana?

Do I have to submit a notice of sale?