Free Montana Boat Bill of Sale
Montana boats combine two of the best deals in the country and hide them behind one bureaucratic twist. The deals: zero sales tax on the purchase, and PERMANENT registration — a one-time payment under MCA 61-3-321 with no annual renewals, marked by a white "PERM" decal. The twist: none of it happens at Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Titles (certificates of ownership) and registration both run through the county treasurer's office in the buyer's home county, under the Motor Vehicle Division system — FWP writes the numbering and on-water rules but does not process ownership. Motorboats, PWCs, motorized pontoons, and sailboats 12 feet and longer all title and register this way.
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Montana Boat Bill of Sale — What You Need to Know
Sales Tax Details
No sales tax in Montana — a boat purchase is tax-free. Better still, Montana registration is PERMANENT (one-time, under MCA 61-3-321): pay once at the county treasurer and there are no annual renewals for qualifying vessels.
Inspection Requirements
No title-related inspection. Montana does run aquatic invasive species (AIS) check stations — boats crossing into Montana must stop at open stations, a transport rule rather than a sale requirement.
Montana Boat Sale — Step-by-Step Checklist
- Verify the HIN on the hull against the Montana certificate of ownership before money changes hands.
- Write the bill of sale with HIN, make, model, year, length, engine details, price, date, and both signatures — no tax is due, but the treasurer works from these numbers.
- Seller signs the Montana title (certificate of ownership) over to the buyer.
- Buyer takes the signed title and bill of sale to the COUNTY TREASURER in their home county — not an FWP office.
- Buyer pays the one-time permanent registration fee — no annual renewals follow (MCA 61-3-321).
- Affix the white "PERM" decal and validation decals the treasurer issues.
- Bringing the boat in from out of state? Stop at any open aquatic invasive species (AIS) check station on the way in — it's mandatory for boats crossing into Montana.
Common Pitfalls
- Driving to an FWP office with title paperwork — FWP regulates boating but the county treasurer processes titles and registration.
- Budgeting for annual renewals — Montana boat registration is permanent and one-time; sellers advertising "registered through next year" are underselling it.
- Believing Montana doesn't title boats — it does: motorboats, PWCs, pontoons, and 12-ft+ sailboats all carry a certificate of ownership that must be signed over.
- Skipping the AIS check station with a freshly bought out-of-state boat — Montana treats that as a violation regardless of the sale paperwork.
Pro Tip
Montana boats: title and permanent one-time registration at the county treasurer, zero sales tax, a white PERM decal — and FWP only meets you on the water, not at the counter.