Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 15. TAXATION

CHAPTER 18. OWNERSHIP INTERESTS IN LAND SOLD FOR TAXES

Part 2. Issuing a Tax Deed

Tax Deed -- Fee

15-18-211. Tax deed -- fee. (1) Except as provided in 15-18-219 and subsection (3) of this section, if the property tax lien is not redeemed in the time allowed under 15-18-111, the county treasurer shall grant the assignee a tax deed for the property. The deed must contain the same information as is required in a tax lien certificate under 15-17-125 and an assignment certificate under 15-17-323, except the description of the property must be the full legal description.

(2) (a) Except as provided in subsection (2)(b), the county treasurer shall charge the assignee $25 for making the deed plus all actual costs incurred by the county in giving the notice or assisting an assignee in giving the notice required in 15-18-212. The fee must be deposited in the county general fund.

(b) If the tax deed is issued to the county, no fee may be charged for making the deed.

(c) Reasonable costs incurred by the county in searching the county records to identify persons entitled to notice are considered part of the actual costs of the notice provided in subsection (2)(a).

(3) If no assignment has been made, the county treasurer may not issue a tax deed to the county unless the board of county commissioners, by resolution, directs the county treasurer to issue a tax deed.

(4) Deeds issued to assignees or the county must be recorded by the county clerk as provided in Title 7, chapter 4, part 26, except that when the county is issued the tax deed, the county clerk may not charge a fee for recording the deed.

History: En. Sec. 20, Ch. 587, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 21, Ch. 110, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 21, Ch. 67, L. 2017; amd. Sec. 6, Ch. 317, L. 2019.