County Logo

Yellowstone County
Motor Vehicle Department

Tax and Fee Schedules

For more information on registration fees and requirements, please visit the Montana State Motor Vehicle Web Site.

Related Links

TRB Title Manual Online
(Adobe .pdf document)

Online Renewals

License Plates

Tax/Fee Schedules

FAQ's

Downloadable Forms

Driver's Licenses

Motor Vehicle Home

County Home



 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tax Schedule for Passenger Vehicles 
The taxable value for passenger cars, pickup trucks, vans and sport utility vehicles previously registered in Montana is based on the manufacturers’ suggested retail price, depreciated according to a set schedule as the vehicle ages. The County Option Tax is calculated at one half percent of the taxable value of the vehicle (calculators and depreciation table below).

Permanant Registrations
Effective January 1, 2006, Motorhomes 11 years old or older may be permanently registered at the owner's option.

Required to register permanantly: Trailers (including travel trailers), boats, snowmobiles, off highway vehicles, motorcycles, quadricycles.

Allowed to register permanantly if 11 years old or older: Light vehicles, motorhomes, and collector vehicles with qualifying collector plate.

Not allowed to register permanantly: Large trucks, light vehicles and motorhomes 10 years old and newer, vehicles with restricted license plates or exemptions.

Transfer of ownership: Permanant registrations do not stay with the vehicle. Registration ends whenever there is a change in ownership. So, in addition to titling fees, new owner(s) must register anew, paying all required taxes and fees. Unless required by vehicle type (TL, SN, OHV, BT, MC), a new owner has the option to register the vehicle on an annual or permanant basis.

Late renewals: If an owner wishes to register a qualified vehicle permanantly, however, has not completed renewal for the current year, and the vehicle was not 11 years old at the time of scheduled renewal, the owner must complete renewal for that registration period before the vehicle can be permanantly registered. Since the vehicle was not 11 years old in its original renewal period, the vehicle may not be permanantly registered until vehicle registration is brought current. Then a second registration may be processed for permanant registration.

Permanant registration requests beyond typical renewal period: If a customer has already recieved an annual registration adn requests to permanantly register before the vehicle's next grace period, the customer may register permanantly, but no credit is given for the fees already paid.

RPO: Light vehicles will not be allowed permanant registration even if age qualified, as those non-resident vehicles that use the RPO process must also verify current registration in their home state. An RPO is never issued for a snowmobile, boat, or off highway vehicle as other mechanisms provided by FWP exist in statue for non-resident use. Motorcycles, quadricycles and trailers (including travel trailers) are registered permanantly when issued an RPO, as there is no provision in statute to register them otherwise.

Light Vehicle (1 ton or less) - Annual Registration Fees
Fee Codes Fee Descriptions Fees MCA Statute
61-LVREG Light Vehicle Registration Fee
4 years old or less
5-10 years old
11 years old and older
$217.00
$87.00
$28.00		 61-3-321(2)(d)
14-COOPT County Option Tax - Calculate Variable 61-3-503
61-3-537
72-MHPFEE MHP Salary and Retention Fee $5.00 61-3-321(19)
84-LTMVPK Light MV FWP Park Fee (Optional) $4.00 61-3-321(18)
Other Fees (if applicable):
01-GVWTAX GVW Tax - Light Trucks
Variable by class - see 61-10-206		 1/2 ton = $7.00
3/4 ton = $12.50
1 ton = $17.50		 61-10-201
70-NEWISS New Issue Plate Fee $5.00 61-3-321(12)

 

Light Vehicle (1 ton or less) - Permanant Registration Fees
(Optional for light vehicles and collector vehicles with
qualifying collector plates 11 yrs old or older)
Fee Codes Fee Descriptions Fees MCA Statute
61-LVREG Light Vehicle Registration Fee
11 years old and older
$87.50		 61-3-562(1)(a)
14-COOPT County Option Tax - Calculate
(Variable X 5)		 Variable 61-3-562(1)(a)(l)
72-MHPFEE MHP Salary and Retention Fee $5.00 61-3-321(19)
84-LTMVPK Light MV FWP Park Fee (Optional) $4.00 61-3-321(18)
Other Fees (if applicable):
01-GVWTAX GVW Tax - Light Trucks
(Vehicle Ton/Fee X 5)
Variable by class - see 61-10-206		 1/2 ton = $35.00
3/4 ton = $62.50
1 ton = $87.50		 61-3-562(2)
70-NEWISS New Issue Plate Fee $5.00 61-3-321(12)

A 16-year depreciation schedule has been established in law.

Depreciation Table - Age & Type of Vehicle:

Age in years
Automobile
Truck
Van
Sport Utility 
Age = current year minus the model year of the vehicle
-1
100%
100%
100%
100% 
0
90
96
93
98 
1
80
91
86
94 
2
69
86
78
90 
3
58
80
69
84 
4
49
73
60
76 
5
41
66
52
67 
6
33
57
45
57
7
26
49
38
48 
8
21
43
32
39 
9
17
37
27
33 
10
14
31
22
29 
11
12
26
18
25 
12
10
22
15
22 
13
9
18
13
21 
14
9
15
11
19 
15
9
13
9
17 
16
9
12
9
15 

To calculate the county option tax, use the calculators below (do not use commas). This information is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate.

Enter the MSRP* and the percentage from the depreciation table provided above to calculate the Taxable Value of the vehicle. Then enter the taxable value and the county option (.5%) and calculate to find the amount of county option tax you owe.
*Do not* use commas when entering numbers!

Example: a vehicle (car) with the MSRP of 29,000 that is 6 yrs old depreciates to 33%, giving a taxable value of 9,570. One half percent (.5) of 9570 is 47.85, which is the County Option Tax owed.

Percentage from depreciation table
MSRP*

Taxable Value
*MSRP is the Manufacterer's Suggested Retail Price.
You can obtain this from your car dealer or a New Car Cost Guide.

County Option (.5)
Taxable Value (above)

County Option Tax

Fees for Other Vehicles
Motor Homes are registered based on the age of the vehicle. Calculate the vehicle age by subtracting the current year minus the model year. Renewal fees are as follows:

Motor Homes - Annual Registration

Fee Codes Fee Descriptions/Criteria 2006 MCA Statute
09-CHFLAT Less than 2 years old $282.50 61-3-321(7)(a)(i-iv)
2 yrs but less than 5 $224.25
5 yrs but less than 8 $132.50
8 years and older $97.50
Other Fees (if applicable):
72-MHPFEE MHP Salary and Retention Fee $5.00 61-3-321(19)
70-NEWISS New Issue Plate Fee $5.00 61-3-321(12)

Motor Homes - Permanant Registration
(optional for Motor Homes 11 years old and over)

Fee Codes Fee Descriptions/Criteria 2006 MCA Statute
09-CHFLAT 11 yrs & older $237.50 61-3-321(7)(c)(i)(A)
MHP Salary and Retention Fee $5.00 61-3-321(19)
72-MHPFEE
Other Fees (if applicable):
01-GVWFEE Only if used as a commercial vehicle and issued with Truck plates Varies 61-10-201
70-NEWISS New Issue Plate Fee $5.00 61-3-321(12)

All trailers (including travel trailers), boats, motorcycles, quadricycles, off highway vehicles and smowmobiles are required to register permanently.

Motorcycles/Quadricycles and Off Highway Vehicles

Motorcycles & Quadricycles - Permanent Registration
Fee Codes Fee Descriptions/Criteria 2006 MCA Statute

05-MCFLAT
OR
05-MCOHV

Motorcycle - Street Legal Only
OR
Motorcycle/Off-Highway Vehicle Combination Use		 $53.25
OR
$114.50 		61-3-321(8)(a)
57-MCSAFE Motorcycle Safety Fee $16.00 61-3-321(8)(b)
72-MHPFEE MHP Salary and Retention Fee $5.00 61-3-321(19)
Other Fees (if applicable):
68-CFKADM Chrome for Kids Administration Fee* $5.00 61-3-321(8)(b)
70-NEWISS New Issue Plate Fee $5.00 61-3-321(12)

Off-Highway Vehicles - Permanent Registration
Use this table for motorcycles/quadricycles that are not street legal

Fee Codes Fee Descriptions/Criteria 2006 MCA Statute

45-OHFLAT

 Off Highway Flat Fee $61.25 61-3-321(5)(a)
72-MHPFEE MHP Salary and Retention Fee $5.00 61-3-321(19)

Trailers - Permanent Registration

Fee Codes Fee Descriptions/Criteria 2006 MCA Statute

63-TLFLAT

 < 6,000 lbs $61.25 61-3-321(3)(a)
=/> 6,000 lbs $148.25 61-3-321(3)(b)
72-MHPFEE MHP Salary and Retention Fee $5.00 61-3-321(19)
Other Fees (if applicable):
70-NEWISS New Issue Plate Fee $5.00 61-3-321(12)

Travel Trailers - Permanent Registration

Fee Codes Fee Descriptions/Criteria 2006 MCA Statute

18-RTFLAT

 < 16 feet $72.00 61-3-321(9)(a)
=/> 16 feet $152.00 61-3-321(9)(b)
72-MHPFEE MHP Salary and Retention Fee $5.00 61-3-321(19)
Other Fees (if applicable):
70-NEWISS New Issue Plate Fee $5.00 61-3-321(12)

Boats/Personal Watercraft/Motorized Pontoons -
Permanent Registration
Fee Codes Fee Descriptions/Criteria 2006 MCA Statute

40-BTFLAT

 10' to < 16' - motor/sail/PW/MP $65.50 61-3-321(10)(a)(i)
16' to < 19' motor/sail/mp $125.50
19' or > motor/sail/MP $295.50
Motorized Canoe or Rubber Raft Above fees apply per length of boat

Snowmobiles - Permanent Registration
Fee Codes Fee Descriptions/Criteria 2006 MCA Statute

16-SNFLAT

 Personal Use $60.50 61-3-321(11)(a)
Business - Rental Use Exclusively    
1st year $40.50 61-3-321-(11)(b)(i)
2nd year $20.00 61-3-321-(11)(b)(ii)
  3rd year (perm reg required) $60.50 61-3-321(11)(c)

Any questions or comments regarding the web site may be directed to the webmistress.