Registering an RV through a Montana LLC costs the LLC (from $249), our registration fee (from $649 by MSRP), and Montana's motorhome fee, which falls with age from $282.50 a year to $97.50 and becomes a one-time $237.50 permanent registration at 11 model years. Coaches over $300,000 MSRP and under 11 years pay an $800 annual luxury fee. No Montana sales tax applies.
RVs and motorhomes are the vehicles most often registered through a Montana LLC, for two reasons: Montana charges no sales tax on a purchase that can run well into six figures, and Montana offers permanent registration once a coach reaches 11 model years. The LLC is the titled owner, our Bozeman office is its registered agent, and the county treasurer registers the coach on Montana's motorhome fee schedule. Here is what each piece costs.
Why do RV owners use a Montana LLC?
- No sales tax. A $300,000 coach in a 7% state carries $21,000 in tax; through a Montana LLC it carries none.
- Permanent registration at 11 model years and older, so no annual renewal for the rest of the time you own it.
- No home base needed. Full-time travelers with no fixed state can still hold a valid registration, because the LLC's address is the registered agent's.
- One LLC can hold the coach, the tow car, and a trailer under a single $149 annual renewal.
What are Montana's motorhome registration fees by age?
Montana registers motor homes on a fee that declines with age, published by the Motor Vehicle Division under MCA 61-3-321. Age is the current year minus the model year.
| Coach age | Annual fee | Permanent option |
|---|---|---|
| Under 2 years | $282.50 | No |
| 2 to under 5 years | $224.25 | No |
| 5 to under 8 years | $132.50 | No |
| 8 to 10 years | $97.50 | No |
| 11 years and older | $97.50 | Yes, one-time $237.50 |
When does an RV qualify for permanent registration?
At 11 model years and older. The one-time fee is $237.50, after which the coach never renews as long as the same owner keeps it. Permanent registration does not transfer on a sale; the buyer registers again. Because the LLC is the owner, changing who holds the LLC's membership does not disturb the registration, which is one reason collectors and long-term travelers prefer it. Our permanent registration guide covers the rules for every vehicle class.
What is the Montana luxury motorhome fee?
Montana charges an $800 annual luxury fee on motor homes with an MSRP over $300,000 that are 10 model years or newer, in addition to the age-based registration fee. It is assessed on MSRP, not on what you paid, so a two-year-old coach bought used for $250,000 with a $340,000 sticker still pays it. At 11 years it stops. The parallel fee for cars is $825 on an MSRP over $150,000.
Does county option tax apply to RVs?
In most counties, yes. Under MCA 61-3-537, 45 of Montana's 56 counties levy a county option tax of up to 0.7% of the vehicle's depreciated value each year; six counties (Big Horn, Deer Lodge, Flathead, Granite, Phillips, and Richland) do not. The figure depends on the filing county and the coach's depreciated value, and we quote it before you pay.
What about towables, fifth wheels, and tow vehicles?
Travel trailers and fifth wheels are registered as trailers, and Montana offers permanent trailer registration with a one-time fee based on weight, so most towables never renew. The tow vehicle is a light vehicle on the car schedule: $217 a year at 0 to 4 years, $87 at 5 to 10, $28 at 11 and older, with permanent registration available at 11 years. All of them can sit under the same LLC.
What does the whole RV package cost, with an example?
Take a 2019 diesel pusher with a $350,000 MSRP registered in 2026. The LLC is $249 plus the $35 state filing fee. Standard Registration at the $250,000-and-up bracket is $1,449. Montana charges $12 for the title, $12 for plates, and $132.50 for a coach in the 5-to-under-8-year band, plus the $800 luxury fee because the coach is under 11 years with an MSRP over $300,000, plus county option tax. Total in year one is roughly $2,700 plus the county figure, against about $24,500 of sales tax the same coach would carry in a 7% state. From year two the LLC costs $149 and the coach pays its age-based fee until it reaches 11 years and goes permanent.
Montana Plate Co. is a formation and registered-agent service, not a law firm or tax advisor. Full-time travelers rarely face use tax because the coach is not kept in one state; an RV parked at your home most of the year is a different case, so ask a tax professional.
The step-by-step RV guide covers the paperwork, how it works covers the 3 to 7 business day timeline, and the quote builder prices your coach in about two minutes.
Related questions
Can a full-time RVer register in Montana with no home state?
Yes. The Montana LLC is the owner and the registered agent's Bozeman address is its address of record, so the registration does not depend on where you personally live. Full-time travelers commonly pair the LLC with a mail-forwarding service in the state they use for their driver's license.
Is Montana RV registration permanent?
It can be. Motor homes 11 model years and older qualify for a one-time permanent registration of $237.50 with no annual renewal for as long as the same owner keeps the coach. Newer coaches pay the age-based annual fee, from $282.50 down to $97.50, until they reach 11 years.
Does the luxury fee apply to a used RV?
Yes, if the coach is 10 model years or newer and its original MSRP was over $300,000. Montana assesses the $800 annual fee on the manufacturer's price, not the price you paid. At 11 model years the fee stops and permanent registration becomes available.
Can I register my truck and fifth wheel under the same LLC?
Yes. One Montana LLC can hold the truck, the fifth wheel, and the motorhome. The truck registers on the light-vehicle schedule, the fifth wheel as a trailer with a permanent option, and all of them share the same $149 annual registered agent renewal.
Montana Plate Co. is a formation and registered-agent service, not a law firm or tax advisor. This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Consult a professional about your situation.
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