Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 61. MOTOR VEHICLES

CHAPTER 4. SALES AND DISTRIBUTION OF MOTOR VEHICLES

Part 1. Dealers

Used Vehicles -- Transfer To And From Dealers

61-4-111. Used vehicles -- transfer to and from dealers. (1) Except as provided in 61-4-124(6), a dealer or wholesaler who intends to resell a used motor vehicle, power sports vehicle, or trailer and who operates the motor vehicle, power sports vehicle, or trailer only for demonstration purposes:

(a) is exempt from registration under 23-2-515, 23-2-616, 23-2-804, or 61-3-302(3) when applying for a certificate of title; and

(b) may transfer or receive ownership of a motor vehicle, power sports vehicle, or trailer by use of a dealer reassignment section on a certificate of title. However, when the allotted number of dealer reassignment sections on a certificate of title has been completed, ownership of the motor vehicle, power sports vehicle, or trailer may not be transferred until an application for a certificate of title has been submitted by the dealer or an authorized agent to an authorized agent or the department and a new certificate of title has been issued.

(2) Upon the transfer of a used motor vehicle, power sports vehicle, or trailer to a person other than a dealer or wholesaler, a temporary registration permit may be issued under 61-3-224 to the person to whom the used motor vehicle, power sports vehicle, or trailer was transferred if the dealer is an authorized agent, as defined in 61-1-101. In addition, the following acts are required of the dealer on or before the times set forth in this subsection:

(a) Within 30 calendar days following the date of delivery of the motor vehicle, power sports vehicle, or trailer or within 120 calendar days if a temporary registration permit is issued pursuant to 61-3-303(4)(b), the dealer shall forward to an authorized agent or to the county treasurer of the county where the owner of the motor vehicle, power sports vehicle, or trailer is domiciled:

(i) the assigned certificate of title or, if a certificate of title for the motor vehicle, power sports vehicle, or trailer has not been issued in this state, a copy of the then-current registration receipt or certificate in the dealer's possession; and

(ii) an application for a certificate of title executed by the new owner in accordance with the provisions of 61-3-216 and 61-3-220.

(b) Transmission of the documents by the dealer to the county treasurer or an authorized agent may be accomplished either by personal delivery, by first-class mail, or by electronic means, as authorized by the department.

(c) If the dealer is unable to forward the certificate of title or, if applicable, registration receipt within the time set forth in subsection (2)(a), the dealer is subject to the provisions of 61-4-119.

(3) Upon compliance by the dealer with the requirements in this section, title to the motor vehicle, power sports vehicle, or trailer is considered to have passed to the purchaser as of the date of the delivery of the motor vehicle, power sports vehicle, or trailer to the purchaser by the dealer, and the dealer has no further liability or responsibility with respect to the processing of registration.

History: En. Sec. 3, Ch. 138, L. 1971; amd. Sec 2, Ch. 399, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 53-109.1; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 118, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 503, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 342, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 299, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 74, Ch. 477, L. 2003; amd. Secs. 104, 160, Ch. 596, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 39, Ch. 329, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 14, Ch. 196, L. 2013; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 435, L. 2017; amd. Sec. 12, Ch. 389, L. 2021.