Senate committee hears bill to extend vehicle titling and temporary registration window to 60 days

Senate Bill 28, sponsored by Senator Becky Beard, received a first hearing before the Montana Senate Highways and Transportation Committee on Oct. 12, 2025. The bill would extend both the grace period for vehicle titling and the expiration of temporary registration permits (TRPs) from 40 days to 60 days and, as presented, would take effect Oct. 1.

The change, Beard said, was requested by a local government in Senate District 38 to give counties more time to confirm title work from dealerships and to provide customers 60-day stickers rather than the current 40-day stickers. "Our goal is to make it so that our citizens don't have to come repeatedly to our office for something that we don't even have in our position to help them with," said Amy Ree, speaking for the Montana County Treasurer's Association.

Nut graf: Supporters, led by county treasurers, told the committee the extra calendar time would reduce repeated trips and hardship for residents—especially low-income households with only one vehicle—while Motor Vehicle Division staff said…