Montana Vehicle Registration by County (2026)
Montana has no sales tax, so you pay an age-based registration fee ($217 / $87 / $28) plus a county local-option tax — usually 0.5% of the car's value. A few counties charge nothing (Flathead is the biggest). Find your county below.
Local-option rates verified July 2026 from the Montana Association of Counties and MCA § 61-3-537. The tax column is the local-option tax on a car with ~$20,000 in depreciated value.
| County (seat) | Local-option tax | On a $20,000 value |
|---|---|---|
| Yellowstone (Billings) | 0.5% | $100 |
| Gallatin (Bozeman) | 0.5% | $100 |
| Missoula (Missoula) | 0.5% | $100 |
| Flathead (Kalispell) | None | $0 |
| Cascade (Great Falls) | 0.5% | $100 |
| Lewis and Clark (Helena) | 0.5% | $100 |
| Ravalli (Hamilton) | 0.5% | $100 |
| Silver Bow (Butte) | 0.5% | $100 |
| Lake (Polson) | 0.3% | $60 |
| Lincoln (Libby) | 0.5% | $100 |
| Park (Livingston) | 0.5% | $100 |
| Madison (Virginia City) | 0.5% | $100 |
| Jefferson (Boulder) | 0.5% | $100 |
| Sanders (Thompson Falls) | 0.5% | $100 |
| Custer (Miles City) | 0.5% | $100 |
Counties shaded green charge no local-option tax — the cheapest registration in the state.
Frequently asked questions
Does Montana have a sales tax on cars?
No. Montana has no general sales tax, so there's no vehicle sales or use tax. You pay an age-based registration fee plus a county local-option tax — that's essentially the whole cost.
What is Montana's county local-option vehicle tax?
A tax counties may levy on the vehicle's depreciated value — up to 0.7% by law, though most Montana counties charge 0.5%. A few charge nothing (Flathead is the largest), and Lake County charges 0.3%. It's collected by the county treasurer along with your registration.
Which Montana county has the cheapest car registration?
The five counties that charge no local-option tax — Flathead (Kalispell/Whitefish), Big Horn, Deer Lodge, Granite, and Richland — are the cheapest, since you pay only the flat statewide age-based fee. Flathead is by far the largest of them.
How much is registration in Montana?
The statewide age-based fee is $217/year for a vehicle 0–4 years old, $87 for 5–10 years, and $28 for 11+ years (or $87.50 for permanent registration). On top of that, most counties add the local-option tax below.