Within the Registration Upgrades section, you'll see that three registration upgrades are available:
Charity license plates,
Personalized license plates, and
Permanent registration (for vehicles 11 years or older).
Charity license plates
Montana offers a variety of license plate designs that support Montana non-profits.
You can support one of these organizations and obtain one of these beautiful plates. (See pricing here.)
(You will keep your plates at the end of your visit - Montana law requires plates to be removed from a vehicle upon sale.)
While Montana offers dozens of charity plate designs, we offer the four designs above at this time.
Personalized license plates
You can choose custom lettering for your license plates. (See pricing here.)
Applicants must submit three lettering choices, and the meaning of each.
The Montana DMV will check them against existing license plates and issue the first approved one, in order of submitted preference.
Unfortunately, we cannot check the availability of custom lettering ahead of time.
Custom lettering must follow the rules below:
Number of characters
Minimum: 2 alpha-numeric characters, cannot be all spaces or all numbers
Maximum:
Standard plate: 7 characters
Charity plate: 6 characters
Small plate (motorcycle and small trailer): 6
Miscellaneous requirements
The letter 'O' cannot be used. Instead, the number '0' may be used
The ampersand character (&) is allowed
Each space counts as a full character
Spaces cannot be used at the beginning or end of lettering choice
Montana has the right to refuse lettering
The department may refuse to issue any lettering that may carry connotations offensive to good taste and decency, or which are misleading, or a duplication of license plates provided for elsewhere in Montana law statute.
Personalized license plates are custom made, and take 4-6 weeks to be issued. You will receive a 90-day temp tag that will allow you to drive while your plates are in production.
Permanent registration
Permanent registrations never have to be renewed.
Registrations for motorcycle and trailer vehicle types are permanent by default.
All other vehicle registrations are annual by default.
Vehicles 11 years and older may be permanently registered for an additional fee. (See pricing here.)
Time limitations on registration upgrades
Registration upgrades will be available until we receive your vehicle’s prior title.