Montana Boat Registration Summary
Montana boat registration summary is a free resource designed to inform the boating public about registration requirements, recording methods, and title search guidelines for the State of Montana. The data is maintained as an open wiki forum where readers are encouraged to participate by sharing knowledge and experiences with this particular state. Simply click on the "Wiki-Share" link to contribute further details or suggest a revision.
This information is subject to change and should be confirmed with the respective agency.
Comments - Suggestions - Revisions .... Wiki-Share
State of Montana
Department
of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks
Boat Registration Website
Registration Overview
Montana issues registrations and titles for all non-exempt boats operating within its jurisdiction. These are administered through the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks in Deer Lodge. This state does not title or register outboard motors. However, motor information can be listed on the boat registration records. Montana assesses an annual registration fee in lieu of sales or use tax. There are approximately 51,207 boats registered in the State of Montana. This accounts for 0.4% of all nationwide registrations.Registration Requirements
Unless otherwise exempt, sailboats 12 feet long and longer and all motorboats and personal watercraft must be registered in Montana. Non-motorized sailboats less than 12 feet long and manually propelled boats, regardless of length, are exempt from registration and taxation. Coast Guard documented boats are exempt from registration. Boats duly registered in another state or country are exempt for 90 consecutive days. Visit the DFWP website for a complete listing.Marking Requirements
Montana boat registration numbers begin with an "MT" designation which is followed by four numbers and then two letters. These must be displayed on all non-documented boats along with registration sticker tabs. Coast Guard documented vessels may not display state registration numbers. However they must display an owner designated vessel name and a hailing port. An official documentation number must also be affixed to a visible interior location in the hull itself or an integral part of the hull. All vessels manufactured after 1972 are required to have a 12 digit hull identification number affixed to the vessel by the manufacturer. State assigned hull numbers prefixed with the letters "MTZ" are available for home made boats and those without factory designations. An inspection of the boat must be performed by a Montana law enforcement official if there is a hull number discrepancy.Ownership and Liens
Montana issues titles on all registered boats except for those which are Coast Guard Documented. This state also has provisions for bonded titles and conditional registrations when there is insufficient proof of ownership. Security interests in state titled boats are recorded with the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. These will be shown on both the registration and title certificates when applicable. All titles with active security interests are sent directly to the secured party. Security interests in boats that are neither titled or USCG documented are recorded with the Secretary of State as Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) filings. Tax liens may be flagged on boat registration records, recorded as UCC filings, shown on state revenue records, or filed with a county clerk's office. There are no provisions for recording mechanic's liens or other non-secured claims against state titled boats. If the vessel is USCG documented, a lender's security interest must be perfected by filing a preferred vessel mortgage. These are recorded with the National Vessel Documentation Center and priority is attained according to the date filed. Other maritime liens can be filed in the same manner although they function as notifications only. All mortgage and lien filings are indexed on the vessel's underlying abstract of title.Boat Title Searches
Boat title and registration records in Montana are administered by the Motor Vehicle Division. Online boat record searches, which are the same as for vehicles, can be accessed on their website. However, this service is very restrictive for non-owners or out of state residents. The Motor Vehicle Division will check for hull identification numbers and verify registration certificates in hand by telephone. If you need a print-out, it will be necessary to complete their record request form, which is the same as for vehicles. Uniform Commercial Code searches are available online from the Secretary of State. However, if there are any suspected state or federal tax liens, it may be advisable to use a public record vendor as they have a much broader access to such filings. Ownership, mortgage, and lien search recordings for USCG documented vessels can be obtained by ordering an abstract of title and a copy of the certificate of documentation from the National Vessel Documentation Center. However, these are encoded and can be difficult to interpret, especially on older vessels with numerous recordings. It may be worthwhile to contact a professional vessel documentation company for assistance in this regard. Non-recorded maritime liens may also be a factor when conducting boat title research in Montana. These include liabilities for items such as services, equipment, fuel, storage, parts, supplies, and damages which can become attached to the boat itself regardless of ownership. One of the most useful tools for doing this kind of research is our premier boat history search database. It is a gathering of eight nationwide databases into a single interface which can be searched by numerous criteria. These include records for stolen boats, marine lien claims, boating accidents, pollution incidents, auctioned boats, factory recalls, and documented vessels. Yacht brokers, documentation companies, and attorneys do not warrant or guarantee titles. It is therefore incumbent on the owner to stand behind any such representations. Of course it will be of no consolation if a guarantor is insolvent, non-cooperative, or can not be located. This calls for a thorough background check to ensure the owner's wherewithal for making good on any hidden liens or title deficiencies.Advertisement
