here’s the answer. According to the Montana Department of Justice
Montana Department of Justice
The Montana Department of Justice is a state law enforcement agency of Montana. The Montana Attorney General heads the agency.
What do the numbers on Montana license plates mean?
What do the numbers on Montana license plates mean? In the 1930s, the state legislature devised a system that could be used to identify vehicles by the county in which they were registered. The commonly held belief is that the numbers were assigned based on the population of each county during the 1930 U.S. census. Click to see full answer.
What license plates are available in Montana?
The following license plates are available:
- Vintage plates for vehicles that: Are at least 30 years old. AND Were made no earlier than 1934.
- Pioneer license plates for vehicles that: Were made in 1933 or earlier. AND Are used only for display and collection, not for everyday transportation.
- Original Montana plates for: Vehicles that are at least 30 years old AND intended as a collectors' item. ...
Do you have to have 2 license plates in Montana?
To display Original license plates on a vehicle used for general transportation, the vehicle must be 25 years old or older. The applicant must have a set of two Original Montana license plates and: complete the top section of the Application to Display Original Montana License Plates (Form MV97) and have law enforcement complete the bottom section
How do you look up license plate numbers?
Who Can Lookup Ohio License Plate Numbers
- Most anyone can lookup license plate information via the FOIA
- You must first read and agree to the terms and conditions of the license plate search
- Enter the full license plate number and state of registration
- Search the license plate database
- Results may include vehicle information, VIN number, safety and recall data & more
What do the letters in the plate numbers mean?
Registration area prefix The first letter in the 1981 series of license plates represents the prefix, which denotes the following region where the vehicle was registered. The letter S is used to indicate a government-owned vehicle.
What does Montana 10 mean on license plate?
The “10” after Montana is for the issue year of the design, a feature that was used through the '80s. The separator between the county prefix and the plate number is the familiar silhouette of a bison skull.
What is 35 on Montana license plate?
Sanders Thompson FallsLicense Plate NumberCountyCounty Seat35SandersThompson Falls36Judith BasinStanford37DanielsScobey38GlacierCut Bank52 more rows
How was Montana county numbers determined?
In the 1930s, the state legislature devised a system that could be used to identify vehicles by the county in which they were registered. The commonly held belief is that the numbers were assigned based on the population of each county during the 1930 U.S. census.
What Montana license plate is 7?
like a 7-1234 license plate means the car is from Flathead County, where Kalispell is the county seat.
What does F mean on a number plate?
F - Forest and Fens. G - Garden of England. H - Hampshire and Dorset. K - No official region.
What does 5 Mean on a number plate?
The use of Roman Numerals in Plate Design The main Roman numerals used when creating a car registration include V, X, L, and M. V, is the Roman symbol for 5, X means 10, L means 50, and M is 1,000. The Roman numeral that cannot be used in the language of plate speak is I meaning 1.
What does a 64 plate mean?
Vehicles registered on or after 1st September 2014 will be on a 64 plate. The 64 series were initially released in June 2014. You don't need to own a vehicle to buy a '64' plate.
What does 64 mean in a license plate?
Age identifierYear1 March to end August1 September to end February2013/1413632014/1514642015/1615652016/17166618 more rows
Why do wealthy folks register cars in Montana?
But what if there was a way where you only had to pay a few thousand dollars in taxes and fees? Enter, Montana Car Registration. The biggest reason why people register their car in Montana is that the state requires no sales tax on personal property — which includes your luxury vehicle.
How many different types of Montana license plates are there?
In addition to administration and production costs, the plates also require a donation to be given. Currently, there are 235 specialty plates available and there's an average of six to eight new designs introduced bi-annually.
Why does Montana have so many different license plates?
They each have a special 'fee' to get, which is almost pure profit for the state. There are many of them to get extra money from as many people as possible.
Why people have Montana license plates?
Two of the predominant reasons are to avoid taxes and also avoid emissions issues. Wherever you live, go to a Cars and Coffee or supercar gathering, and you'll see Montana license plates.
What year is a 10 plate?
2010New Style Age Identifier For UK Number PlatesPlateFromTo10March 2010September 201060September 2010March 201111March 2011September 201161September 2011March 201293 more rows
How many different types of Montana license plates are there?
In addition to administration and production costs, the plates also require a donation to be given. Currently, there are 235 specialty plates available and there's an average of six to eight new designs introduced bi-annually.
Why do so many exotic cars have Montana plates?
A legal loophole lets owners of expensive cars avoid taxes and emissions standards in other states.
What is a specialty license plate in Montana?
In 2001, the 57th Montana Legislature passed the Generic Specialty License Plate Act, allowing the Department of Justice to issue specialty license plates sponsored by qualified organizations or governmental bodies. These plates are specially designed with distinctive backgrounds, colors or phrases that identify the sponsoring organization. The number format differs from the standard issue plate in that it has three letters and three numbers without a county designator. Under the Act, the Motor Vehicle Division determines if an organization or governmental body is qualified as a specialty plate sponsor and sets guidelines that govern the appearance of any specialty plate. Prior to the Act, the approval of license plates was left to the Legislature with the body voting on every group, mainly military groups, that wanted to offer plates. In 2002, the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial and Glacier National Park plates were the first specialty plates offered to the public.
Why were license plates made from soybeans?
During 1944, license plates were manufactured from pressed soybean fiberboard due to a shortage of steel caused by the war. Goats, cows, and mice reportedly enjoyed the taste of these plates, with some vehicle owners losing their plates to a snack for the animals. Steel was replaced by aluminum in 1960.
What is the 10 after Montana?
The “10” after Montana is for the issue year of the design, a feature that was used through the ’80s. The separator between the county prefix and the plate number is the familiar silhouette of a bison skull.
How many plates were made in 1928?
Approximately 127,215 plates were manufactured in 1928. In 1933, the prefix number was revised to designate the county in which that vehicle was registered. The words “PRISON MADE” were stamped into plates during the years 1939-1957.
What year was the Mon on the prison plates?
The 1915-1916 plates displayed “MON,” the year, and the plate number. A prefix number was assigned in 1926, which designated population centers as they existed in 1914. The first prison-made plates were issued in 1928, and “MONTANA” was spelled out; plates prior to 1928 were manufactured out of state.
What year was the first standard issue plate to be printed on metal?
The 2006 plate was the first standard issue plate to be printed on, rather than stamped in, metal. The printing process, used to create specialty plates, is faster than stamping. You can see how involved the old embossing process was in these diagrams.
When did Montana start offering alternate license plates?
Montana offered its first alternate license plate, the Amateur Radio Operator plate, in 1958. Personalized (vanity) license plates were first issued in 1974. The red, white, and blue bicentennial plates were presented in 1976 for the nation’s 200th birthday, and validation stickers were used until 1991.
How often do license plates change in Montana?
The MT MVD changes the standard license plate design every 5 years. The most recent plate has a blue background, a white state outline, and white letters and numbers. As of after January 1, 2010 any license plate that is 5 years old or older, or will become 5 years old during the next registration cycle must be replaced.
How to get a new license plate?
Renewing your license plate can be done online. If you get a new car, you can transfer your plate so that you keep the same license plate number. If you need replacement tags, you must apply in person at a MVD office .
How to get a replacement license plate in Montana?
If your license plate or expiration sticker is lost, stolen, or damaged, you can get a replacement from the MT MVD by going in person to your local county treasurer's office.
How long is a Montana car tag good for?
When you buy a car from a Montana dealer, you will most likely be issued a temporary registration permit. The tag is valid for 40 days so that you can drive your vehicle while waiting for permanent license plates.
Where to register a license plate in Montana?
To apply for a license plate in Montana, you must register your vehicle in person at your county treasurer's office.
Can you get a refund for a lost license plate?
Should you surrender your license plates and tags for any reason (such as moving out of state or acquiring new plates for another vehicle), you may be eligible for a refund on the remaining portion of the registration fees paid to the vehicle.
Does Montana have a free license plate search?
The Montana MVD does NOT offer a free license plate search or a search for personalized plate number options. However, depending on the type of license plate or vehicle information you need, you can: Contact the police to report an abandoned vehicle or other violation.
What is a TRP license plate?
When motorists purchase a vehicle from a car dealership, the dealer can provide them with a temporary registration permit (TRP), which is a short-term MVD license plate. Otherwise, drivers may obtain this permit from their county treasurer’s office.
What is a Montana registration tag lookup?
When drivers perform a Montana MVD car tag lookup, they can learn more about the vehicle’s past performance , including any safety recalls or traffic collisions the car has been associated with. Moreover, a license plate lookup provides motorists with information about a vehicle’s previous owners, manufacturer, type of engine and more.
How often do you need to renew your license plate in Montana?
Car owners must renew license plate decals every 12 or 24 months to show that they paid all of the yearly vehicle registration taxes and fees.
What are the options for Montana registration plates?
When vehicle owners apply for new registration plates in Montana, they can choose from a variety of options, including standard plates, alternate standard plates, military plates, organizational plates or personalized plates. Additional car registration plates include antique plates, veteran plates, sponsored plates, physical disability tags or amateur radio operator plates. However, most drivers wish to obtain a basic car tag, and thus generally settle for a standard license plate.
How long does it take to get a license plate?
Furthermore, drivers who need to get a license plate must decide between a 12 or 24-month registration period. In some cases, car owners may be eligible to apply for a permanent registration. However, this procedure is most common for motorists whose vehicles are older than 11 years.
How often do you need to replace a car tag in Montana?
In addition to replacing car tags with damages or mutilations, you must obtain new registration plates every five years. Thus, if your MT registration credentials are older than five years, you must replace them through the MVD.
Do you have to remove tags before selling a car?
On the other hand, if you do not transfer your existing car registration tags to a newly-acquired vehicle, you must remove your license plates before selling or disposing of the old vehicle.
What county had a car registration code of 9 in 1930?
For example, Powder River County was assigned a vehicle registration code of 9, but its population in the 1930 census was only 3,909 people, making it the 46th most-populous county at the time. Gallatin County, then ranked ninth in population, received a plate code of 6.
What county has a blue license plate?
census. Silver Bow County, having the largest population at the time, was given a code of 1. Cascade County was next, then Yellowstone County, which is why most of the standard blue license plates in the Billings area start with a 3.
Do the numbers change when driving across the state?
Driving across the state, you'll notice the numbers change from town to town, which should give some insight into why the numbers are there.
Standard Plates
Antique Plates
- Vintage and Pioneer plates, authorized by § 61-3-411, MCAof the Montana Code Annotated, are available for vehicles that are: 1. more than 30 years old 2. used solely as collectors’ items, rather than for general transportation A Montana titlemust be issued in the applicant’s name before Vintage or Pioneer plates can be issued. 1. Complete an Applic...
Military Plates
- Eligibility – Under § 61-3-458, MCA special military or veteran license platesmay be issued to: 1. active military personnel 2. veterans 3. the surviving spouse of an eligible veteran if the spouse has not remarried, as determined by the military 4. those eligible for a Gold Star Label Button because a family member died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces Montana residents who a…
Sponsored Plates
- License plates sponsored by qualified organizations, colleges or governmental bodies are designed with distinctive backgrounds, colors or phrases that identify the sponsoring organization. Sponsored plates are authorized under § 61-3-4, MCA. You must register your vehicle annually to have sponsored plates, with these exceptions – by paying a one-time contrib…
Other Plates
- Amateur Radio Operator plates are available to a vehicle owner who holds an unrevoked and unexpired official amateur radio station license and operator’s license. The plates display the owner’s amateur radio call letters assigned by the federal communications commission. How to Apply for and Renew an Amateur Radio Plate 1. Present proof of ownership of your amateur radi…
Collect Sample Plates
- For individuals who collect license plates, current Montana plates are available from the Vehicle Services Bureau by completing the Order Form for Sample License Plates (Form MV6) and paying the applicable fee. Some sponsoring organizationsalso sell sample license plates to collectors. Contact the organization of your choice.
Temporary Registration Permits
- When you purchase a vehicle or choose a license plate that is not immediately available, the vehicle dealer or your county treasurer’s office issues a temporary registration permit (TRP). This permit allows you to drive the vehicle until you receive your new registration and plates. The temporary permits are generated electronically, with a unique number and a detachable proof of …
Replace A Lost, Stolen, Or Damaged Plate
Transfer Or Surrender Montana Tags
- When you buy a new car, you can transfer your license plates only to another car that you own. License plates CANNOTbe transferred to the buyer of your old car. If you request a new license plate design, a personalized plate, or a special plate, you will have to surrender your old platewhen you get the new one.
Fees For Montana License Plates
- The MT MVD charges fees for new and replacement license plates: 1. Newstandard license plate: $10. 2. Replacement: 2.1. License plate with a new number: $10.30. 2.2. License plate with your current number: $15.45. 2.3. Decal for permanently registered plates: $10.30. 2.4. Decal for renewable plates: $1. NOTE: The license plate fees above DO NOTinclude registration fees, whic…
Search For A License Plate
- The Montana MVD does NOToffer a free license plate search or a search for personalized plate number options. However, depending on the type of license plate or vehicle information you need, you can: 1. Contact the policeto report an abandoned vehicle or other violation. The police can run the license plate and contact the owner. 2. Order a vehicle ...