Who requires it
Montana Motor Vehicle Division (Department of Justice)
License & permit · Montana
Montana Motor Vehicle Dealer Bond
Montana motor vehicle dealers, brokers, wholesalers, and auto auctions must file a surety bond with the Motor Vehicle Division under MCA 61-4-101. Most businesses need $50,000. Dealers limited to motorcycles or quadricycles need $15,000. Dealers limited to motorboats, personal watercraft, snowmobiles, or off-highway vehicles—other than highway-equipped motorcycles—need $5,000. Form MV22 requires an original bond that expires December 31 of the current license year, names the State of Montana, and lists the exact dealer license type. The department must approve the bond, keep it on file, and see it renewed every year.
Common bond amount
$5,000–$50,000
$50,000 generally; $15,000 motorcycle/quadricycle-restricted; $5,000 boat/PWC/snowmobile/OHV-restricted (MCA 61-4-101).
How you file
Original bond filed with Motor Vehicle Division; expires December 31
Renewal
Renew every year; December 31 expiration; continuation certificate accepted
Who requires it
Applicants for and holders of Montana new or used dealer, broker, wholesaler, auto auction, or manufactured-home dealer licenses under MCA 61-4-101 filing with the Motor Vehicle Division.
How much is required
Use $50,000 unless the business is restricted to motorcycles or quadricycles ($15,000) or to motorboats, personal watercraft, snowmobiles, or off-highway vehicles other than highway-equipped motorcycles ($5,000). Expanding beyond a restricted class requires the matching higher amount.
How to get and file it
Confirm the amount for your vehicle class, have a surety issue a dealer bond in the full legal and DBA names with the physical business address, set expiration to December 31 of the license year, name the State of Montana (P.O. Box 201431, Helena), and file the original with the dealer application or renewal packet. Renew the bond every year. Motor Vehicle Division renewal instructions accept a continuation certificate if the amount and naming stay correct, but the bond must still expire December 31. Submit renewals so the Title and Registration Bureau receives the annual report, bond, and fees on or before December 31.
Cost note
The class amount is the required bond amount, not the premium you pay. See bond amount vs premium. Bond amount vs premium →
Requirement checklist
- Dealer, broker, wholesaler, auto auction, manufactured home
- $50,000
- Motorcycle or quadricycle only
- $15,000
- Boat, PWC, snowmobile, or OHV only
- $5,000
- Term
- Expire December 31 of the current license year; renew annually
Official sources
Frequently asked questions
Can a motorcycle-only dealer keep the $15,000 bond after adding cars?
No. The reduced faces apply only while the business remains restricted to the listed vehicle classes. Broader motor vehicle sales use the $50,000 requirement.
Does the Motor Vehicle Division accept a bond continuation instead of a new bond every year?
Yes on renewal, if the continuation keeps the correct amount, names, address, license type, and December 31 expiration. File it with the renewal packet on time.
Related Montana bond guides
Mortgage Broker / Lender / Servicer Bond
$25,000–$350,000
Montana mortgage brokers, lenders, and servicers must keep a surety bond under MCA 32-9-123. You need a separate bond for each license type—broker, lender, and servicer—even if one company holds more than one. Broker and lender amounts follow combined annual residential loan production: $25,000 up to $50 million of production, $50,000 for more than $50 million through $100 million, and $100,000 above $100 million. Servicer amounts follow unpaid loan balances as of December 31: $75,000, $150,000, $250,000, or $350,000. New broker or lender applicants with little or no history start at $25,000 under ARM 2.59.1735. Employee mortgage loan originators are usually covered by the employer’s bond. File electronically through NMLS. The surety may cancel only after thirty days’ written notice to the department through NMLS.
Debt Management Bond
$50,000
Montana credit-counseling and debt-management companies that offer debt management plans must be licensed by the Department of Justice Office of Consumer Protection. MCA 30-14-2004 requires a $50,000 bond when the applicant does not keep a Montana office with a credit counselor on site. The Office of Consumer Protection’s licensing package uses that same $50,000 Surety Bond Form. Official Form OCP-303 protects consumers, allows the surety to cancel only after ninety days’ certified-mail notice to the department, and requires claims within two years after the license ends. Debt-settlement companies follow a separate registration path and do not use this licensing bond.
Notary Public Bond
$25,000
Montana applicants for a new or renewed notary public commission must obtain a $25,000 bond under MCA 1-5-619. The statute accepts a surety bond or another form the Secretary of State accepts, from an issuer authorized in Montana, on the Secretary of State’s form. The bond covers acts during the four-year commission, and you may notarize only while a valid bond remains on file. The surety must give the Secretary of State thirty days’ notice before cancelling and must notify the office within thirty days after paying a claim. The Secretary of State’s notary guidance confirms the $25,000 amount, requires the standardized bond form that includes the statement and oath of office, and expects any bond effective date to fall within thirty days before or after the application is received.
Surety basics (not repeated here)
Universal surety concepts explained once—linked here instead of repeated on every state or bond page.
Continue with a Montana application
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Last verified 2026-08-12. This guide is based on verified educational content and official sources.
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