Free Montana Trailer Bill of Sale Template
A Montana trailer bill of sale has to name the same buyers as your title application. Fill in the details with a guided form and download it in minutes.
- Download as PDF and Word
- E-sign included
What Is a Montana Trailer Bill of Sale?
A Montana trailer bill of sale records a private trailer sale. The Motor Vehicle Division publishes its own version as form MV24, and it works in tandem with the title application rather than standing alone.
Do the Names Have to Match in Montana?
Exactly, yes. The division states that the certificate of title application, form MV1, must show the same buyers listed on the bill of sale, form MV24.
The same discipline runs through the title itself. All owners must sign it, the buyer must sign it, and the person who signs has to be the buyer written on the title. Montana law requires the buyer’s name and address to appear there.
A mismatch between the two documents is the most ordinary reason a county treasurer sends a file back, and it is entirely avoidable.
Montana Requirements for a Trailer Transfer
Montana is unforgiving about how the paperwork is physically completed.
Blue or black ink only
All fields must be completed in blue or black ink. White-out, or any attempt to erase or scratch out an entry, voids the title outright.
The county keeps the right to refuse
Montana county and state authorities reserve the right to reject any form that has been altered, which is stated on the title application itself.
Forty days to transfer
As the buyer you have 40 days from the sale date to transfer ownership, by applying for the title and registering at the county treasurer’s office in your county of residence. A late fee applies beyond that.
Trailers over thirty years old
Where no record of a title can be found, a bonded title is available under section 61-3-208 of the Montana Code. For a trailer, semitrailer, or pole trailer that is 30 years old or older, no bond is required at all.
Proving ownership without a title
Acceptable proof in that situation includes a notarized bill of sale, a cancelled cheque, or a purchase invoice, alongside an identification number inspection form completed by law enforcement.
Do it together if you can
The division suggests the seller and buyer attend the county treasurer’s office together, so the seller can sign off in front of the clerk and the buyer can finish the transaction and collect plates.
Mileage on newer units
Sellers complete the mileage disclosure on anything with a model year of 2011 or newer, which catches recent travel trailers and fifth wheels rather than a bare utility trailer.
Tip
Write the buyer’s full legal name identically on both documents. Montana ties the MV24 to the MV1 by name, so a shortened first name on one and a full one on the other is enough to stall a transfer that is otherwise complete.
How to Transfer a Trailer in Montana
Everything runs through your county treasurer rather than a state counter.
- Complete the bill of sale in blue or black ink, with no corrections.
- Have the seller complete and sign the title, naming you as buyer with your address.
- Complete the certificate of title application, form MV1, using the identical buyer names.
- Keep documentation of the sale with the buyer’s name and address as the seller’s record.
- Apply at the county treasurer’s office in your county of residence within 40 days.
Fees are set by statute and change from time to time, so confirm current amounts with the county treasurer before you go.
What to Include in the Document
Record the year and make, the identification number, the purchase price, the date of sale, and the full names, addresses, and signatures of both parties.
Take a second copy away with you. The division advises sellers to keep documentation of the sale showing the buyer’s name and address as their own record of the transaction.
Neither side should sign a form that has been altered.
