How to Complete the Montana Statement of Fact Form

Montana’s Statement of Fact, Form MV100, is a sworn, notarized document you file with the Motor Vehicle Division to correct, explain, or clarify something in a vehicle or vessel’s title record.1Montana Department of Justice – Motor Vehicle Division. MV100 – Statement of Fact You use it when standard title and registration paperwork has no place to explain what actually happened: a misspelled name, a transposed VIN digit, a nickname on one document and a legal name on another, a seller who forgot to sign, a homemade trailer with no manufacturer’s certificate. Because you sign it under penalty of law, everything you write carries the weight of a statement made under oath.

When MV100 Is the Right Form

The form itself lists the situations it covers. Pick the one that matches your circumstances before you start writing, because the box you check shapes how the MVD reads your narrative.1Montana Department of Justice – Motor Vehicle Division. MV100 – Statement of Fact

  • Statement of error, for a misspelled name, wrong VIN, or incorrect year, make, or model on a title or registration.
  • One and the same statement, confirming that two different names on documents belong to the same person (Robert Jones on the title, Bob Jones on the bill of sale).
  • No interest statement, declaring that a named person has no ownership claim to the vehicle.
  • Relinquishment statement, formally giving up your interest so another person can title the vehicle.
  • Cancellation of sale statement, documenting that a sale was reversed and the vehicle returned.
  • No security interest or lien to file statement, confirming there is no loan or lien against the vehicle.
  • Letter of consent, granting someone else permission to take a specific action on your title record.
  • Legal signature statement, clarifying a discrepancy between the signature on documents and your actual legal signature.
  • Special mailing authorization, directing the MVD to mail a title to an out-of-state address.
  • Address update on your customer record.
  • Letter of explanation, for anything that doesn’t fit the categories above.

Name mismatches are among the most common reasons people file. A “one and the same” statement resolves maiden names, nicknames, or a legal name change that hasn’t caught up everywhere, and the form has a dedicated field where you specify exactly how the name should appear on the corrected title. Businesses use the same statement when a vehicle was titled under an abbreviated trade name but the registered entity uses its full legal name.

One boundary worth naming: if the titled owner has died, MV100 is not the primary form. Montana handles that through Form MV12, a non-probate transfer available when the entire estate is worth $100,000 or less.2Montana Department of Justice – Motor Vehicle Division. MV12 – Application for Title of Vehicle by Non-Probate Transfer MV100 may still ride along with MV12 to explain a complication such as a name difference between the title and death certificate.

What to Gather Before You Start

Have these ready before you open the form:

  • Vehicle identifiers: year, make, and the 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number (or Hull Identification Number for boats), taken from your current registration or the vehicle itself.
  • The Montana title number, if a title already exists. This links your statement to the correct MVD file.1Montana Department of Justice – Motor Vehicle Division. MV100 – Statement of Fact
  • Supporting documents: a bill of sale, weight receipt for a homemade trailer, manufacturer’s certificate of origin, death certificate, or any paperwork that backs up what you’re telling the state.
  • A clean version of your explanation. Keep it short and specific. “The seller’s last name was entered as ‘Thomson’ but should be ‘Thompson’ per the attached driver’s license” is the right level of detail.

Filling Out and Notarizing the Form

Download Form MV100 from the Montana Motor Vehicle Division website.1Montana Department of Justice – Motor Vehicle Division. MV100 – Statement of Fact The PDF is fillable, so you can type your entries before printing. Start with the vehicle identifiers at the top, check the box for the type of statement you’re making, and write your narrative in the space provided.

Do not sign at home. Montana requires your signature to be witnessed by a commissioned notary public, who will verify your identity and apply an official seal. Without notarization the form is invalid and the MVD will reject it. A Montana notary can charge up to $10 per notarial act.3Montana Secretary of State. Notary Help Center Banks, UPS stores, and county clerk offices are common places to find one. Bring a valid photo ID.

The narrative section is where most rejections happen. Write in plain, direct sentences. State what is wrong, what the correct information should be, and how you know. For a transposed VIN digit, identify which digit is wrong and what it should be. For a relinquishment, name the person who should receive your interest. Skip legal jargon. Leave out anything unrelated to the specific correction. Vague or contradictory explanations are the fastest way to get the form kicked back.

Honest uncertainty is fine. If you don’t know an exact odometer reading or aren’t sure whether a lien was fully satisfied, say so in the narrative rather than guessing. The MVD can work with a hedged statement. It cannot work with a wrong one.

Where to File and What It Costs

Take the signed, notarized MV100 and all supporting documents to your local county treasurer’s motor vehicle office.4Montana Motor Vehicle Division. Vehicle Registration Hand-delivering lets the clerk review everything on the spot and flag problems before the paperwork goes to the state. You can mail documents to the MVD in Helena instead, but errors caught by mail add weeks.

MV100 itself has no filing fee. The action it supports usually does. A replacement title costs $10.30, which includes the 3% administrative surcharge under § 61-3-111, MCA.5Montana Department of Justice – Motor Vehicle Division. MV7 – Application for Replacement Certificate of Title A statement of correction carries the same $10.30 fee.6Montana Department of Justice – Motor Vehicle Division. Statement of Correction Add the notary fee of up to $10 on top of that.

Plan for a wait. Corrected or replacement titles generally arrive by mail within four to six weeks. Keep a copy of everything you submitted, including the notarized MV100, until the new title is in your hands.

Penalties for False Statements

The form’s penalty warning points to Montana Code § 45-7-203, unsworn falsification to authorities. Knowingly making a false statement on MV100 exposes you to a fine of up to $500, up to six months in county jail, or both.7Montana State Legislature. Montana Code 45-7-203 – Unsworn Falsification to Authorities A conviction also creates a permanent criminal record and can unwind the title transaction that triggered the filing, leaving you worse off than before you started. Only state facts you can verify, and where you can’t verify, say so.