Montana Code 23-2-511. Operation of unnumbered motorboats or sailboats prohibited — display of registration and validation decals
23-2-511. Operation of unnumbered motorboats or sailboats prohibited — display of registration and validation decals. (1) A motorboat on the waters of this state that is propelled by a motor or an engine of any description or a sailboat on the waters of this state must be properly numbered and display valid registration and validation decals. A person may not operate or give permission for the operation of any motorboat or sailboat on the waters of this state unless the motorboat or sailboat is numbered and displays valid registration and validation decals in accordance with this part and applicable federal law or with a federally approved numbering system of another state and unless:
Terms Used In Montana Code 23-2-511
- Certificate of number: means the certificate issued by the department of justice, an authorized agent, as defined in 61-1-101, or a county treasurer to the owner of a motorboat or sailboat, assigning the motorboat or sailboat an identifying number and containing other information as required by the department of justice. See Montana Code 23-2-502
- Identifying number: means the boat number set forth in the certificate of number and properly displayed on the motorboat or sailboat. See Montana Code 23-2-502
- Motorboat: means a vessel, including a personal watercraft or pontoon, propelled by any machinery, motor, or engine of any description, whether or not the machinery, motor, or engine is the principal source of propulsion. See Montana Code 23-2-502
- Operate: means to navigate or otherwise use a motorboat or a vessel. See Montana Code 23-2-502
- Person: means an individual, partnership, firm, corporation, association, or other entity. See Montana Code 23-2-502
- Sailboat: means a vessel that uses a sail and wind as its primary source of propulsion. See Montana Code 23-2-502
- 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
- Waters of this state: means any waters within the territorial limits of this state. See Montana Code 23-2-502
(a)the certificate of number assigned to the motorboat or sailboat is in effect;
(b)the identifying number set forth in the certificate of number and the valid license decals are displayed on the motorboat or sailboat; and
(c)a temporary permit has been obtained from the county in which a motorboat is being operated if that county requires a temporary permit for out-of-state motorboats, as provided in 7-16-2121.
(2)Upon transfer of ownership of a motorboat or sailboat, the transferred motorboat or sailboat may be operated on the waters of this state for 40 consecutive calendar days immediately following the transfer of ownership without displaying the registration and validation decals required by subsection (1) if when the motorboat or sailboat is operated during those 40 consecutive calendar days, a temporary registration permit has been issued under 61-3-224 and is shown to a warden or other officer upon request.