How Do I...? Working and Living Here

How do I plan my move to Montana?

If you are interested in moving to Montana, please visit the Newcomers Guide and information on finding employment, housing, and specific Montana cities.

How do I find a job in Montana?

Visit our Employment Opportunities page.

How do I establish residency in Montana?

Montana has several different residency requirements.

For the purposes of obtaining a Driver's License, you are considered a resident after 60 consecutive days and must have a Montana license in order to operate a motor vehicle. For a commercial motor vehicle license, the requirement is 30 days. For more information on driver licensing, see Montana Codes Annotated 61-5-103 and the Department of Justice Motor Vehicle Division Driver Licensing page.

For purposes of fishing and hunting licenses, you are considered a resident after 180 consecutive days. After residency has been established, you must live in Montana at least 120 days a year; your principal home must be located in Montana; you must file state income tax returns as a resident (if required to file); vehicles operated in Montana must be licensed and titled as required by law; you can be registered to vote only in Montana; and, you can not claim residency in any other state or country for any purpose. There are different requirements for members of the armed forces. For more information, see Montana Codes Annotated 87-2-102 and the Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

For the purposes of higher education, a student must be domiciled in Montana for one year immediately preceding registration. Attendance as a full-time student is not sufficient to qualify for residence. For more information, see Montana Codes Annotated 20-25-201.

How do I order a birth/death certificate?

You may obtain a birth or death certificate application from the Department of Public Health & Human Services.

You may also contact the Department of Public Health and Human Services at:

Office of Vital Statistics
Department of Public Health and Human Services
111 N Sanders Rm 209
PO BOX 4210
Helena MT 59604
Telephone: 406-444-2685
Fax: 406-444-1803

How do I get married in Montana?

License applications can be obtained from the Clerk of the District Court in any Montana county. Complete applications cannot be filed by mail; both parties must be present in front of the Clerk. If both parties are non-residents of Montana, obtain the license application from the Clerk in the county in which the ceremony will be performed. If one party is a non-resident, his/her part can be sworn to or affirmed in the county and state in which he/she resides. County information can be obtained at: the Montana Association of Counties (MACO) website.

  • Both parties must be 18 years of age or 16 years with judicial approval.
  • The cost of the license is $53.
  • Legal documents of any previous marriages or divorces must be shown.
  • Females must have a medical certificate stating a standard serological test (for rubella) has been performed. (Certificates from other states or the military may be acceptable.)

The details of the license requirements are available in the Montana Codes Annotated, Title 40 Family Law, Chapter 1 Marriage.

Montana has many beautiful locations for holding marriage ceremonies. Check out the Travel Montana Wedding Planner for more information.

How do I find tax forms?

Individuals and businesses can download tax forms online at the Department of Revenue's Downloadable Forms website.

How do I find information about a specific Montana city?

VisitMT.com has a complete listing of communities around Montana.

How do I find information about a specific Montana city?

The Census & Economic Information Center has a great resource that lists towns and cities in alphabetical order with their corresponding county.

How do I find who handles lost accounts and property?

The Montana Department of Revenue handles unclaimed property including money, uncashed checks, drafts, utility deposits, savings and checking accounts, and a variety of other property. Montana unclaimed property is listed on the website Missingmoney.com

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