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Montana: total loss threshold and rebuilt title rules
What Montana’s own pages print, word for word. Kind of rule, by our sorting: Wording, no sum to do.
This is a reference to quoted official text, not legal, tax, insurance or professional advice. Rules change; confirm with the agency before acting.
Total Loss Threshold is an independent reference. It is not a government site and is not affiliated with any state agency, legislature or insurance company.
When is a vehicle salvage or a total loss in Montana, in the state’s words?
“"Salvage vehicle" means a motor vehicle damaged by collision, fire, flood, accident, trespass, or other occurrence to the extent that the owner, an insurer, or another person acting on behalf of the owner determines that the cost of parts and labor makes it uneconomical to repair the vehicle.”
Citation as the page prints it: 61-3-210
(Montana Code Annotated 61-3-210, read November 11, 2026)
The edition, as the page prints it: Montana Code Annotated 2025
(Montana Code Annotated 61-3-210, read November 11, 2026)
Nothing to compute. We do not compute a money comparison from this quotation; the quoted words are what the state prints. States whose sentences can be computed are on the rule types page.
How do you get a rebuilt title in Montana, in the state’s words?
“the owner shall present the motor vehicle and the salvage certificate, if one has been issued, or the certificate of title, the appropriate receipts or bills of sale establishing ownership, and the source of component parts used to rebuild the motor vehicle to a department employee or designated peace officer for inspection”
“The inspection does not attest to the roadworthiness or safety condition of the motor vehicle and must be performed by an authorized employee or an authorized agent of the department or by a peace officer designated by the department.”
What fee does Montana print?
“The department shall collect an inspection fee of $18.50 from the person requesting the inspection for each salvage vehicle inspected.”
Read each fee sentence for what it covers: an inspection, a title, or something else.
What do the pages print about the title afterwards?
“the department shall issue a new certificate of title with the words "rebuilt salvage" on the face of the certificate of title.”
Where are Montana’s official pages?
- Montana Code Annotated 61-3-210
- Montana Code Annotated 61-3-212, Retitling salvage vehicles; penalty
- Montana Code Annotated 61-3-223, Salvage vehicles
Official pages we asked for and could not read:
- Montana Department of Justice, vehicle title and registration: on November 11, 2026 it refused our plain request.
Every quote above was matched word for word against its page on November 11, 2026. If one has changed, tell us.