Montana Bill of Sale: MV24 Form, Notarization, and Odometer

In Montana, a bill of sale is Form MV24, the Motor Vehicle Division’s official record of a private transfer of a vehicle, boat, snowmobile, or other personal property between a seller and a buyer. It captures who sold what to whom, for how much, and when.¹ For most private sales, the signed-over certificate of title handles the ownership transfer on its own. The MV24 steps in when the title isn’t available, when the buyer needs a temporary permit, or when either party simply wants a written record of the deal.

When You Need an MV24

The certificate of title is the primary ownership document in Montana. The bill of sale supplements it, and in a few situations replaces it. You need an MV24 when:

The title isn’t available. If a vehicle was last titled in Montana, is currently registered, and is being sold to a Montana resident, the seller can use a completed MV24 in place of the physical title. The form includes an electronic title acknowledgment section where the seller certifies ownership and authorizes the transfer through Montana’s electronic records system.²
The buyer is applying for a bonded or break title. When Form MV10 is used because no title exists, a notarized MV24 is part of the required paperwork.¹
The buyer needs a 40-day temporary registration permit. A signed bill of sale showing the vehicle’s year, make, model, and VIN is one of the documents the county treasurer accepts to issue the permit.³
You’re giving the vehicle as a gift. The transfer process is the same, and listing the price as $0 on an MV24 creates a written record that no money changed hands.
You want a seller’s record of the sale. The Motor Vehicle Division recommends keeping documentation showing the buyer’s name, address, the vehicle details, purchase price, and date. A photocopy of the reassigned title works; the MV24 is the state’s preferred alternative.²

Even in a clean title transfer where the MV24 isn’t strictly required, a bill of sale protects both parties. If the vehicle is towed, ticketed, or involved in an accident after the sale, the seller’s copy proves they no longer owned it.

What Goes on the Form

The MV24 is a single-page form you can download from the Montana Motor Vehicle Division website. County treasurers will flag anything incomplete, so take your time.

Both parties must list a full legal name, address, and an identification number. The form accepts a driver’s license number, Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN), tribal ID, or corporate ID.¹ For the property itself, you need the year, make, and model, plus the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) for cars and trucks or the Hull Identification Number (HIN) for boats.

Purchase price and date of sale are both required. Both buyer and seller sign and date the form. If the seller is relying on the electronic title transfer feature because the physical title isn’t in hand, there is an additional certification section where the seller confirms ownership and authorizes the electronic transfer.¹ A separate section covers whether the vehicle is mechanically functional, with its current value if it is not. Everything on the MV24 is signed under penalty of law.

Odometer Disclosure Is a Separate Form

The MV24 has no odometer field. For vehicles that are 2011 model year or newer and less than 20 years old, the seller must separately complete an Odometer Disclosure Statement (Form MV90A) or record the odometer reading on the certificate of title when one is available.⁴ The disclosure includes the mileage at transfer and a seller certification about whether the reading is accurate, exceeds the mechanical limit, or doesn’t reflect actual miles driven.

Exempt from odometer disclosure:

Vehicles from the 2010 model year or older.
Vehicles 2011 or newer that are 20 years old or more.
Non-self-propelled vehicles such as trailers, campers, and sailboats.
Heavy vehicles with a gross weight rating over 16,000 pounds.

Skipping the odometer form when it’s required will hold up the title transfer at the county treasurer’s office. Handle it at the same time you complete the MV24.⁴

When Notarization Is Required

Montana does not require notarization for most private vehicle sales. This surprises people, because many states still do and older Montana law once did too. For a standard private sale where the seller signs over the title, no notary is needed.

Notarization on the MV24 is required in two situations: when the bill of sale accompanies an Application for Break/Bond Title (Form MV10), or when the seller is using the form’s electronic title acknowledgment section to authorize an electronic records transfer.¹ The requirement is printed directly on the form, so check your situation before scheduling an appointment.

If you do need notarization, Montana allows it to happen online. A notary physically located in Montana can conduct the session over video with a signer anywhere in the United States, provided identity verification and recording requirements are met.⁵

What the Buyer Does Next

Once the sale is complete, the buyer takes the signed title (or the MV24 if the title is unavailable), along with any required odometer disclosure, to the county treasurer. In Montana, the county treasurer handles vehicle title and registration rather than a separate DMV office. The buyer applies for a new certificate of title, registers the vehicle, and pays applicable fees at that visit.⁶

The treasurer also verifies that the buyer has valid motor vehicle liability insurance through Montana’s online verification system before issuing registration and plates. If the buyer can’t surrender the previously assigned title due to circumstances beyond their control, the treasurer can issue a 90-day temporary registration permit while the title situation is resolved.⁶

If you need to drive the vehicle before registration is processed, you can get a 40-day temporary registration permit. The permit is valid for 40 days from issuance or until the vehicle is registered, whichever comes first. It displays in a plastic pouch where plates normally go. The fee is $19.50 for Montana residents when the county treasurer issues it, and $24.50 for nonresidents who acquire a vehicle in Montana or for permits issued through the state’s electronic interface.³ Only one temporary permit is allowed per transaction, so don’t let the 40 days expire.

Montana has no state sales tax on private vehicle purchases. Counties may, however, impose a local option tax of up to 0.7% of the vehicle’s retail value, with that revenue going to the county. Not every county levies it, so your total depends on where you register.⁷

What the Seller Keeps

Sellers get into trouble when they hand over the keys and walk away without records. Keep at minimum a photocopy of the reassigned title or a completed copy of the MV24 showing the buyer’s name and address, the vehicle’s identifying information, the sale price, and the date.²

That record is your evidence that ownership transferred on a specific date. If the buyer never registers the vehicle and it racks up parking tickets or gets impounded, your copy is what separates you from the bill. The same goes if the vehicle is in an accident after the sale.

Livestock Sales Use Different Rules

If you’re selling cattle or horses rather than a vehicle, the MV24 doesn’t apply. A livestock bill of sale, or the most recent brand inspection, serves as proof of ownership for cattle and horses in Montana.⁸ The seller signs it and describes the animals by number, class, age, sex, weight, and any brands or markings.

Before any change of ownership, the seller must arrange and pay for a brand inspection by a state stock inspector. This applies to cattle and horses sold privately, at auction, or before crossing county lines. A narrow exception allows the inspection to be skipped when livestock change ownership without leaving the premises and the transfer is between family members or between a family member and the family’s business entity.⁹ Outside that exception, skipping the inspection is a violation of state law regardless of whether a bill of sale exists.

1
Montana Department of Justice Motor Vehicle Division. MV24 Bill of Sale
2
Montana Motor Vehicle Division. Tips for Selling a Vehicle in Montana
3
Montana Code Annotated. Montana Code 61-3-224 – Temporary Registration Permit Issuance Placement
4
Montana Code Annotated. Montana Code 61-3-206 – Odometer Disclosure Requirements on Transfer of Vehicle
5
Montana Code Annotated. Montana Code 1-5-603 – Requirements for Certain Notarial Acts
6
Montana Code Annotated. Montana Code 61-3-303 – Original Registration Process Fees
7
Montana State Legislature. Montana Motor Vehicle Fees
8
Montana Department of Livestock. Inspection Requirements
9
Montana Code Annotated. Montana Code 81-3-211 – Inspection of Livestock Before Change of Ownership