Trailer registration
Trailer registration in Montana: the agency, the required documents, and the exact steps, sourced from Montana Motor Vehicle Division (MVD), Department of Justice.
Who to contact
Montana Motor Vehicle Division (MVD), Department of Justice
Visit the official Montana pageStep by step
Apply for a Montana title and register the trailer through the County Treasurer's office.
New residents must title and register within 60 days of establishing residency.
Pay the one-time permanent registration fees (all trailers are permanently registered).
Use MVD Online Services to estimate fees.
What to bring
Fees & renewal
Fees
Not published on the official page as of September 2, 2026 — confirm the exact fee with Montana Motor Vehicle Division (MVD), Department of Justice.
Renewal
Renews permanent.
Good to know
Per the MVD trailer page: 'Under Sec. 61-3-321(3)(a-b), MCA all trailers must be permanently registered.' The single decal for trailers is the same as the decal for permanently registered light vehicles. Fees include a 3% administrative fee; exact dollar amounts vary by county and were not captured (fees volatile).
More for Montana
General guidance
Most states require any trailer towed on public roads to carry a title or registration, but the agency, the paperwork, and whether the rule depends on trailer weight vary by state. Pick your state below for the sourced, step-by-step process.
Nearly every state asks for a title, a manufacturer’s certificate of origin, or a bill of sale before it will issue a registration or plate. A homemade or older trailer without a title usually needs a separate title-application process before registration.
A number of states only require registration above a set gross weight, or price the fee by weight class. Check your state’s page below for whether a weight threshold applies before you assume a small utility trailer is exempt.
Most states issue the trailer plate through a county tag office, license plate agent, or DMV field office rather than by mail from the state capital. Confirm the exact office in the state guide below before you drive over.
Common questions
Yes — Montana requires registration for this vehicle type. Montana Motor Vehicle Division (MVD), Department of Justice handles it; see the steps above.
Montana lists a permanent renewal cadence for this vehicle type.
It depends on the state and, in several states, on the trailer’s weight. Some states exempt trailers under a set gross weight from registration entirely, while others require every trailer towed on public roads to carry a plate. Check your state’s guide below — never assume a small trailer is exempt without confirming with the agency listed there.
Homemade trailers and some older trailers were never titled. Most states have a bonded-title or title-application process for exactly this situation — it usually starts at the same agency that handles trailer registration. The state guide below names that agency.