Montana Code 61-3-320. Registration — custom vehicle, street rod, originally equipped older vehicle, kit vehicle, or specially constructed vehicle
61-3-320. Registration — custom vehicle, street rod, originally equipped older vehicle, kit vehicle, or specially constructed vehicle. (1) (a) A custom vehicle or street rod:
Terms Used In Montana Code 61-3-320
- Bus: means a motor vehicle designed for carrying more than 10 passengers and used for the transportation of persons and any other motor vehicle, other than a taxicab, designed and used for the transportation of persons for compensation. See Montana Code 61-1-101
- Custom vehicle: means a motor vehicle other than a motorcycle that:
(a)(i) was manufactured with a model year after 1948 and that is at least 25 years old; or
(ii)was built to resemble a vehicle manufactured after 1948 and at least 25 years before the current calendar year, including a kit vehicle intended to resemble a vehicle manufactured after 1948 and that is at least 25 years old; and
(b)has been altered from the manufacturer's original design or has a body constructed from nonoriginal materials. See Montana Code 61-1-101
- Kit vehicle: is a motor vehicle assembled from a manufactured kit either as:
(a)a complete kit, consisting of a prefabricated body and chassis, to construct a new motor vehicle; or
(b)a kit with a prefabricated body to be mounted to an existing motor vehicle chassis and drivetrain, commonly referred to as a donor vehicle. See Montana Code 61-1-101
- Light vehicle: means a motor vehicle commonly referred to as an automobile, van, sport utility vehicle, or truck having a manufacturer's rated capacity of 1 ton or less. See Montana Code 61-1-101
- Manufacturer: includes any person engaged in the manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers, semitrailers, pole trailers, travel trailers, motorboats, sailboats, snowmobiles, or off-highway vehicles as a regular business. See Montana Code 61-1-101
- Motor home: means a motor vehicle:
(a)designed to provide temporary living quarters, built as an integral part of or permanently attached to a self-propelled motor vehicle chassis or van;
(b)containing permanently installed independent life support systems that meet the NFPA 1192 standard on recreational vehicles; and
(c)providing at least four of the following types of facilities:
(i)cooking, refrigeration, or icebox;
(ii)self-contained toilet;
(iii)heating or air conditioning, or both;
(iv)potable water supply, including a faucet and sink; or
(v)separate 110-volt or 125-volt electrical power supply or a liquefied petroleum gas supply, or both. See Montana Code 61-1-101
- Motor vehicle: means :
(i)a vehicle propelled by its own power and designed or used to transport persons or property on the highways of the state;
(ii)a quadricycle if it is equipped for use on the highways as prescribed in chapter 9; or
(iii)a golf cart only if it is equipped for use on the highways as prescribed in chapter 9 and is operated pursuant to 61-8-391 or by a person with a low-speed restricted driver's license. See Montana Code 61-1-101
- Motorcycle: means a motor vehicle that has a seat or saddle for the use of the operator and that is designated to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground. See Montana Code 61-1-101
- Not used for general transportation purposes: means the operation of a motor vehicle registered as a collector's item, a custom vehicle, a street rod, or a custom-built motorcycle to or from a car or motorcycle club activity or event or an exhibit, show, cruise night, or parade, or for other occasional transportation activity. See Montana Code 61-1-101
- Owner: means each person who holds the legal title to a vehicle. See Montana Code 61-1-101
- Specially constructed vehicle: means a motor vehicle, including a motorcycle, that:
(i)was not originally constructed under a distinctive make, model, or type by a generally recognized manufacturer of motor vehicles;
(ii)has been structurally modified so that it does not have the same appearance as similar vehicles from a generally recognized manufacturer of motor vehicles;
(iii)has been constructed or assembled entirely from custom-built parts and materials not obtained from other vehicles;
(iv)has been constructed or assembled by using major component parts from one or more manufactured vehicles and that cannot be identified as a specific make or model; or
(v)has been constructed by the use of a kit that cannot be visually identified as a specific make or model. See Montana Code 61-1-101
- State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Montana Code 1-1-201
- Street: means the entire width between the boundary lines of every publicly maintained way when any part of the publicly maintained way is open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel. See Montana Code 61-1-101
- Street rod: means a motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, that:
(a)was manufactured prior to 1949 or was built to resemble a vehicle manufactured before 1949, including a kit vehicle intended to resemble a vehicle manufactured before 1949; and
(b)has been altered from the manufacturer's original design or has a body constructed from nonoriginal materials. See Montana Code 61-1-101
- Truck tractor: means a motor vehicle designed and used primarily for drawing other vehicles and not constructed to carry a load other than a part of the weight of the vehicle and load drawn. See Montana Code 61-1-101
- Vehicle: means a device in, on, or by which any person or property may be transported or drawn on a public highway, except devices moved by animal power or used exclusively on stationary rails or tracks. See Montana Code 61-1-101
(i)that is more than 30 years old may be registered under 61-3-411 as a collector’s item; or
(ii)may be registered, depending on the vehicle type, as a motor home, a bus, a truck having a manufacturer‘s rated capacity of more than 1 ton, a truck tractor, or a light vehicle upon payment of the registration fee required in 61-3-321, the applicable fee or fee in lieu of tax provided for in 61-3-529 or 61-3-562, and, if applicable, any local option tax or fee under 61-3-537 or 61-3-570.
(b)The owner of a custom vehicle or street rod that is originally registered under subsection (1)(a) or that was registered prior to January 1, 2006, may be authorized to operate the custom vehicle or street rod while displaying only one license plate on the rear exterior of the vehicle if the owner certifies that the custom vehicle or street rod is not used for general transportation purposes and pays an additional $10 fee, to be deposited in the state general fund.
(c)(i) Upon original registration of a custom vehicle or street rod under subsection (1)(a)(i), a custom vehicle or street rod must be assigned a set of pioneer or vintage license plates, as described in 61-3-411(2), or a set of original Montana license plates or collector reproduction license plates, as allowed under 61-3-412.
(ii)Upon original registration of a custom vehicle or street rod under subsection (1)(a)(ii) and unless the owner has applied for personalized license plates, special license plates for military personnel, veterans, or spouses, collegiate plates, or generic specialty license plates or has met the requirements of subsection (1)(b), a set of standard license plates must be assigned to the vehicle under 61-3-331.
(iii)Upon original registration of a custom vehicle or street rod under subsection (1)(a)(ii) and if the owner of a custom vehicle or street rod has met the requirements of subsection (1)(b), a single license plate, including a personalized standard license plate, special license plate for military personnel, veterans, or spouses, collegiate plate, or generic specialty license plate, if otherwise available to the vehicle owner or vehicle type, may be issued for the custom vehicle or street rod.
(d)The owner of an originally equipped motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, that is more than 30 years old and that is not registered as a collector’s item under 61-3-411 may be authorized to operate the motor vehicle while displaying only one license plate on the rear exterior of the vehicle, as if it were a custom vehicle or street rod, if the owner:
(i)certifies that the originally equipped motor vehicle is not used for general transportation purposes;
(ii)pays any fees required under 61-3-321, 61-3-529, or 61-3-562 and, if applicable, a local option tax or fee under 61-3-537 or 61-3-570, plus an additional $10 fee, to be deposited in the state general fund; and
(iii)is otherwise eligible, based on the owner’s status and the vehicle type, for one of the single license plate options available to an owner of a custom vehicle or street rod under this subsection (1).
(2)(a) The owner of a kit vehicle shall pay the registration fees provided for in 61-3-321 and, if applicable, any local option tax or fee under 61-3-537 or 61-3-570.
(b)Upon original registration of a kit vehicle and unless the owner has applied for special license plates, collegiate plates, or generic specialty license plates, standard license plates must be assigned and issued to the kit vehicle under 61-3-331.
(3)(a) Depending on whether the specially constructed vehicle is a motor home, bus, truck having a manufacturer’s rated capacity of more than 1 ton, truck tractor, or light vehicle, the owner of a specially constructed vehicle shall pay the registration fees provided for in 61-3-321, any registration fee or fee in lieu of tax provided for in 61-3-529, and, if applicable, any local option tax or fee under 61-3-537 or 61-3-570.
(b)Upon original registration of a specially constructed vehicle and unless the owner has applied for special license plates, collegiate plates, or generic specialty license plates, standard license plates must be assigned and issued to the specially constructed vehicle under 61-3-331.