Yes, a notary is required.
Yes. Every owner signs the title in front of a notary public.
In the official wording
"All owners must sign the title in front of a notary public."
From Montana DOJ: Buying and Selling a Vehicle in Montana (brochure, Sept. 2014), checked November 2026.
What else the signing needs
- Odometer
- The seller completes the mileage disclosure; the brochure says this applies to vehicles newer than nine years.
"Sellers need to complete the odometer (mileage) disclosure for any vehicle newer than nine years."
- Buyer's deadline
- The buyer has 40 days from the sale date to transfer ownership.
"As the buyer, you have 40 days from the sale date to transfer vehicle ownership to you."
- Plates
- Plates belong to the seller, who takes them off before handing over the vehicle.
"The plates belong to you, not the vehicle."
Not confirmed on the pages we read: the title fee. Check with Montana Motor Vehicle Division (Department of Justice).
Next step
The seller signs the paper title in front of a notary, usually with the buyer there too, so a local notary near both of you is simplest. We don't notarize titles by video.
Request a mobile notary in Montana
In person, we look for a notary commissioned in Montana near you; you approve the price first.
If a local notary in Montana does it: Each notarial act (acknowledgment, jurat, signature witnessing, copy certification and others), $10, under the state's fee rules (Montana notary fees).
Official sources
- Montana DOJ: Buying and Selling a Vehicle in Montana (brochure, Sept. 2014) (checked November 2026)
We are not lawyers, and this is general information, not legal advice. Checked November 2026. Rules change, and whoever receives the document decides what it accepts; we can't guarantee acceptance.
Common questions
Is notarization required to sign over a Montana car title?
Yes, a notary is required. Every owner signs the title in front of a notary public.
How long does the buyer have to title the car in Montana?
The buyer has 40 days from the sale date to transfer ownership.
Can a Montana car title be notarized online?
We don't offer that for titles. The seller usually signs the paper title with a local notary, often with the buyer there. Outside New Jersey, our mobile notary request page can look for a notary commissioned in Montana.
What does a notary charge in Montana?
Up to $10 per notarial act, under the state's fee rules. A mobile notary may add a travel fee; ask for the total first.
Keep going
- Montana car title transfer
- Seller's checklist
- Car title rules in every state
- A power of attorney in Montana
A car title in another state: Missouri · North Carolina · every state