Mont. Code Ann. » TITLE 61. MOTOR VEHICLES · CHAPTER 3. CERTIFICATES OF TITLE, REGISTRATION, AND TAXATION OF MOTOR VEHICLES · Part 3. Registration
Montana Code Annotated

Mont. Code Ann. § 61-3-301 (2026)

Registration -- License Plate Required -- Display -- Definition

✓ current as of May 2026
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  1. MCA Contents
  2. TITLE 61
  3. CHAPTER 3
  4. Part 3
  5. 61-3-301 Registration -- license plate required -- display -- definition

TITLE 61. MOTOR VEHICLES

CHAPTER 3. CERTIFICATES OF TITLE, REGISTRATION, AND TAXATION OF MOTOR VEHICLES

Part 3. Registration

Registration -- License Plate Required -- Display -- Definition

61-3-301. Registration -- license plate required -- display -- definition. (1) (a) A person may not operate a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or travel trailer upon the public highways of Montana unless the motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or travel trailer is properly registered and has the proper license plates conspicuously displayed on the motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or travel trailer. A license plate must be securely fastened to prevent it from swinging and may not be obstructed from plain view.

(b) (i) Except as provided in 61-4-120, 61-4-129, and subsections (1)(b)(ii) through (1)(b)(iv) of this section, all motor vehicles must have one license plate displayed horizontally on the front and one license plate displayed horizontally on the rear of the motor vehicle.

(ii) A motorcycle, quadricycle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or travel trailer must have a single license plate displayed on the rear of the vehicle, which may be displayed horizontally or vertically if available space does not permit horizontal display.

(iii) A custom vehicle or a street rod registered under 61-3-320(1)(b) or (1)(c)(iii) may display a single license plate firmly attached to the rear exterior of the custom vehicle or street rod.

(iv) If a person is not able to comply with the requirement that a front license plate be displayed because of the body construction of the motor vehicle, the person may submit to the highway patrol an application for a waiver along with a $25 inspection fee. A certificate of waiver must be issued upon inspection of the vehicle by a highway patrol officer. The certificate must at all times be carried in the motor vehicle and must be displayed upon demand of a peace officer. Money collected from the inspection fee must be deposited in a highway revenue account in the state special revenue fund to the credit of the department of transportation.

(c) A person may not display on a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or travel trailer at the same time a number assigned to it under any motor vehicle law except as provided in this chapter.

(d) A low-speed electric vehicle or a golf cart operated by a person with a low-speed restricted driver's license must have special license plates, as provided in 61-3-332(9), displayed on the front and rear of the vehicle.

(2) A person may not purchase or display on a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or travel trailer a license plate bearing the number assigned to any county, as provided in 61-3-332, other than the county where the vehicle is domiciled or the county where the trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or travel trailer is domiciled at the time of application for registration.

(3) It is unlawful to:

(a) display license plates issued to one motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or travel trailer on any other motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or travel trailer unless legally transferred as provided by statute;

(b) repaint old license plates to resemble current license plates; or

(c) invert or reverse a license plate. License plates displayed horizontally must be readable from left to right. License plates displayed vertically must be readable from top to bottom.

(4) As used in this section, "conspicuously displayed" means that the required license plates are obviously visible and firmly attached by two separate fasteners to:

(a) the front bumper and the rear bumper of a motor vehicle that is subject to subsection (1)(b)(i) and is equipped with front and rear bumpers; or

(b) a clearly visible location on the rear of a trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, travel trailer, or motor vehicle that is subject to subsections (1)(b)(ii) through (1)(b)(iv).

History: En. Subd. 6, Sec. 1, Ch. 158, L. 1933; re-en. Sec. 1759.5, R.C.M. 1935; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 154, L. 1937; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 73, L. 1941; amd. Sec. 10, Ch. 127, L. 1969; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 18, L. 1974; R.C.M. 1947, 53-119; amd. Sec. 31, Ch. 421, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 15, Ch. 516, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 148, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 525, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 15, Ch. 409, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 23, Ch. 515, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 280, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 458, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 65, Ch. 542, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 48, Ch. 596, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 55, Ch. 44, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 24, Ch. 329, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 413, L. 2009; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 209, L. 2011; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 231, L. 2011; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 110, L. 2017; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 118, L. 2021; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 464, L. 2023; amd. Sec. 14, Ch. 47, L. 2025.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 22 cases (3 in the last 5 years), 1986–2025 · leading case: State v. Lacasella, 2002 MT 326 (Mont. 2002).
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State v. Lacasella, 2002 MT 326 (Mont. 2002). · cites it 84× “After following the vehicle onto westbound Interstate 90, he initiated an investigatory stop to determine if the vehicle was being driven on a state highway in violation of § 61-3-301, MCA, which requires that license plates be conspicuously displayed on both the front and rear…”
State v. Rutherford, 2009 MT 154 (Mont. 2009). · cites it 38× “In relation to this argument, we note Rutherford does not deny that the trailer hitch obstructed the license plate. Further, he has provided no authority to *392 support the proposition that a factory-installed trailer hitch cannot lead to an obstructed license plate in…”
State v. Haldane, 2013 MT 32 (Mont. 2013). · cites it 31× “¶10 Haldane was arrested and charged with the following three offenses: (1) DUI in violation of § 61-8-401, MCA; (2) Driving with an Obstructed Plate in violation of § 61-3-301, MCA; and (3) Operating a Motor Vehicle without Liability Insurance in violation of § 61-6-301, MCA.”
State v. Martinez, 2003 MT 65 (Mont. 2003). · cites it 5× “Section 61-3-301, MCA. New owners of hansfesred vehicles are afforded a grace period in which to complete vehicle registration.”
State v. Thomas, 2008 MT 206 (Mont. 2008). · cites it 12× “¶ 13 Section 61-3-301(1), MCA, requires that all vehicles operated on Montana's public highways must be registered and must have the proper license plates conspicuously displayed on the front and rear ends of the vehicle.”
State v. Henderson, 1998 MT 233 (Mont. 1998). · cites it 10× “Section 61-3-317, MCA, provides a twenty-day grace period in which to register a recently transferred vehicle, during which time the owner may operate the vehicle on the state's streets and highways provided that at all times during that period a temporary vehicle purchase…”
State v. Cooper, 2010 MT 11 (Mont. 2010). · cites it 8× “¶ 16 Indeed, as I write this (in early January) and look out from my office over a parking lot filled with hundreds of cars, many of them have a rear license plate obscured by snow.”
State v. Fisher, 2002 MT 335 (Mont. 2002). · cites it 4× “¶13 We first address the State’s claim that Aguilar had a particularized suspicion that Fisher was in violation of vehicle registration laws set forth in §§ 61-3-301, -317, MCA. Section 61-3-301(1), MCA, makes it a misdemeanor to operate a motor vehicle ■without a “conspicuously…”
City of Billings v. Skurdal, 730 P.2d 371 (Mont. 1986). · cites it 3× “Skurdal’s constitutional rights were not violated by requiring him to carry a motor vehicle license, a driver’s license, and proof of vehicle insurance.”
State v. Reams, 945 P.2d 52 (Mont. 1997). · cites it 2× “Additionally, Reams was charged with driving with a revoked driver’s license, a misdemeanor, in violation of § 61-5-212, MCA, (Count 2); operating a motor vehicle without mandatory liability insurance, a misdemeanor, in violation of § 61-6-301, MCA, (Count 3); and operating an…”
State v. Folda, 885 P.2d 426 (Mont. 1994). · cites it 8× “Defendant Dean Wade Folda was convicted in Yellowstone County Justice Court of four counts of operating a motor vehicle without liability insurance, in violation of § 61-6-304, MCA; four counts of operating an unregistered motor vehicle, in violation of § 61-3-301, MCA; and one…”
City of Hamilton v. Mavros, 943 P.2d 963 (Mont. 1997). · cites it 2× “d amended complaint of the crimes of domestic abuse in violation of § 45-5-206, MCA, a misdemeanor, and, in the alternative, with the crime of *49 assault in violation of § 45-5-201, MCA, a misdemeanor, as against Janet Ohl; and two additional counts of assault in violation of §…”
Show all 22 citing cases →
Mont. Code Ann. § 61-3-301(1): 3 cases
State v. Thomas, 2008 MT 206 (Mont. 2008). “¶ 13 Section 61-3-301(1), MCA, requires that all vehicles operated on Montana's public highways must be registered and must have the proper license plates conspicuously displayed on the front and rear ends of the vehicle.”
City of Billings v. Skurdal, 730 P.2d 371 (Mont. 1986). “Skurdal’s constitutional rights were not violated by requiring him to carry a motor vehicle license, a driver’s license, and proof of vehicle insurance.”
State v. Fisher, 2002 MT 335 (Mont. 2002). “¶13 We first address the State’s claim that Aguilar had a particularized suspicion that Fisher was in violation of vehicle registration laws set forth in §§ 61-3-301, -317, MCA. Section 61-3-301(1), MCA, makes it a misdemeanor to operate a motor vehicle ■without a “conspicuously…”
Mont. Code Ann. § 61-3-301(1)(a): 3 cases
State v. Haldane, 2013 MT 32 (Mont. 2013). “¶10 Haldane was arrested and charged with the following three offenses: (1) DUI in violation of § 61-8-401, MCA; (2) Driving with an Obstructed Plate in violation of § 61-3-301, MCA; and (3) Operating a Motor Vehicle without Liability Insurance in violation of § 61-6-301, MCA.”
State v. Rutherford, 2009 MT 154 (Mont. 2009). “In relation to this argument, we note Rutherford does not deny that the trailer hitch obstructed the license plate. Further, he has provided no authority to *392 support the proposition that a factory-installed trailer hitch cannot lead to an obstructed license plate in…”
State v. Cooper, 2010 MT 11 (Mont. 2010). “¶ 16 Indeed, as I write this (in early January) and look out from my office over a parking lot filled with hundreds of cars, many of them have a rear license plate obscured by snow.”
Mont. Code Ann. § 61-3-301(1)(b): 1 case
State v. R. Rux, 2021 MT 189N (Mont. 2021).
Mont. Code Ann. § 61-3-301(1)(b)(i): 1 case
State v. R. Rux, 2021 MT 189N (Mont. 2021).
Mont. Code Ann. § 61-3-301(1)(b)(iv): 1 case
State v. R. Rux, 2021 MT 189N (Mont. 2021).
Mont. Code Ann. § 61-3-301(3): 2 cases
State v. Lamb, 2003 MT 273N (Mont. 2003).
State v. Perry, 286 Mont. 91 (Mont. 1997).
Mont. Code Ann. § 61-3-301(4): 3 cases
State v. Rutherford, 2009 MT 154 (Mont. 2009). “In relation to this argument, we note Rutherford does not deny that the trailer hitch obstructed the license plate. Further, he has provided no authority to *392 support the proposition that a factory-installed trailer hitch cannot lead to an obstructed license plate in…”
State v. Haldane, 2013 MT 32 (Mont. 2013). “¶10 Haldane was arrested and charged with the following three offenses: (1) DUI in violation of § 61-8-401, MCA; (2) Driving with an Obstructed Plate in violation of § 61-3-301, MCA; and (3) Operating a Motor Vehicle without Liability Insurance in violation of § 61-6-301, MCA.”
City of Whitefish v. Hansen, 771 P.2d 976 (Mont. 1989).
Mont. Code Ann. § 61-3-301(l)(a): 2 cases
State v. Rutherford, 2009 MT 154 (Mont. 2009). “In relation to this argument, we note Rutherford does not deny that the trailer hitch obstructed the license plate. Further, he has provided no authority to *392 support the proposition that a factory-installed trailer hitch cannot lead to an obstructed license plate in…”
State v. Cooper, 2010 MT 11 (Mont. 2010). “¶ 16 Indeed, as I write this (in early January) and look out from my office over a parking lot filled with hundreds of cars, many of them have a rear license plate obscured by snow.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.