Montana Code 61-3-302. Residents operating motor vehicles under licenses issued by any state other than Montana forbidden — vehicles exempt from registration — exceptions
61-3-302. Residents operating motor vehicles under licenses issued by any state other than Montana forbidden — vehicles exempt from registration — exceptions. (1) (a) A resident of the state of Montana who owns a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, or pole trailer may not operate the motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, or pole trailer with license plates issued by any other state than Montana.
Terms Used In Montana Code 61-3-302
- Dealer: means a person that, for commission or profit, engages in whole or in part in the business of buying, selling, exchanging, or accepting on consignment new or used motor vehicles, trailers, semitrailers, pole trailers, travel trailers, motorboats, sailboats, snowmobiles, off-highway vehicles, or special mobile equipment that is not registered in the name of the person. See Montana Code 61-1-101
- For hire: means an action performed for remuneration of any kind, whether paid or promised, either directly or indirectly, or received or obtained through leasing, brokering, or buy-and-sell arrangements from which a remuneration is obtained or derived for transportation service. See Montana Code 61-1-101
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- 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 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
- Nonresident: means a person who is not a Montana resident. See Montana Code 61-1-101
- Owner: means each person who holds the legal title to a vehicle. See Montana Code 61-1-101
- person: means an individual, corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture, state agency, local government unit, another state government, the United States, a political subdivision of this or another state, or any other legal or commercial entity. See Montana Code 61-1-101
- Pole trailer: means a vehicle without power designed to be drawn by another vehicle and attached to the towing vehicle by means of a reach or pole or by being boomed or otherwise secured to the towing vehicle and ordinarily used for transporting long or irregularly shaped loads such as poles, pipes, or structural members capable generally of sustaining themselves as beams between the supporting connections. See Montana Code 61-1-101
- Property: means real and personal property. See Montana Code 1-1-205
- Semitrailer: means a vehicle, with or without motive power, other than a pole trailer, designed for carrying property and for being drawn by a motor vehicle and constructed so that some part of its weight and that of its load rests on or is carried by another vehicle. 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
- Trailer: means a vehicle, with or without motive power, other than a pole trailer, designed for carrying property and for being drawn by a motor vehicle and constructed so that no part of its weight rests on the towing vehicle. 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
- Wholesaler: means a person that for a commission or with intent to make a profit or gain of money or other thing of value sells, exchanges, or attempts to negotiate a sale or exchange of an interest in a used motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, travel trailer, motorboat, snowmobile, off-highway vehicle, or special mobile equipment only to dealers and auto auctions licensed under chapter 4, part 1. See Montana Code 61-1-101
(b)(i) A person who has resided in Montana for more than 60 consecutive days is considered to be a resident for the purpose of vehicle titling and registration laws, and a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, or pole trailer owned by the person must be titled and registered under the laws of Montana prior to operation in this state after the 60-day period.
(ii)A person serving or retired from serving aboard the USS Montana is considered, at the election of the person, a resident for the purpose of motor vehicle titling and registration laws and may apply for a USS Montana specialty license plate pursuant to 61-3-479(1)(a)(ii). Residency is not conferred for any other purpose.
(2)A motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, or pole trailer driven or moved upon a highway in this state and owned by a nonresident of this state is exempt from registration under this chapter if:
(a)the vehicle is properly registered in and displays valid license plates of the jurisdiction in which the nonresident owner resides; and
(b)(i) the vehicle is not used for the transportation of persons or property for hire, compensation, or profit;
(ii)the nonresident owner is not employed or engaged in a commercial or business enterprise in this state; or
(iii)the vehicle is used for the exclusive purpose of filming motion pictures or television commercials and does not remain in the state for a period in excess of 180 consecutive days in a calendar year.
(3)A motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, or pole trailer that is owned by a manufacturer, a dealer, a wholesaler, or an auto auction and that is held for sale is exempt from registration under this part even though the motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, or pole trailer is incidentally moved on the highway and is used for purposes of testing or demonstration or is used by a manufacturer solely for testing.
(4)A junk vehicle, as defined in Title 75, chapter 10, part 5, being driven to an auto wrecking graveyard for disposal is exempt from the provisions of this chapter.