Sell Your Junk Car in Montana
A car may be ready to leave before its paperwork is. In Montana, the cleanest sale starts with a few simple checks: whose name is on the title, whether a lien remains, what the vehicle can actually do, and whether your license plates are still attached.
Samy Junk Cars has purchased unwanted vehicles nationwide since 2009. You can request a cash offer for your Montana vehicle as it sits, with no obligation to accept. If the vehicle is purchased, free towing is included.
Before Pickup, Make Sure the Title Can Actually Transfer
Montana made one part of a private vehicle transfer simpler in 2025. The state’s vehicle-title notarization guidance says the old notarization requirement ended October 1, 2025. That does not change the basics: the seller still needs authority to transfer the vehicle, and the owners listed on the title need to complete the transfer correctly.
A lien can still stop a clean handoff. If the loan was paid off but the lien remains on the title record, deal with the release before pickup rather than while the truck is waiting. Montana MVD’s seller guidance explains why a lienholder may still have a legal interest until the lien is released.
If the title is missing, say so early. Montana has a replacement-title process, and there is a limited exception for certain currently registered Montana vehicles sold to another Montana resident. Do not assume that exception applies to every sale.
The Plates Stay With You
Remove the license plates before the car leaves. Montana MVD says the plates stay with the owner, not the vehicle, and may be moved to another vehicle only through proper registration.
Keep a written record of the sale as well. A copy of the reassigned title or another record showing who received the vehicle and when can save you from trying to reconstruct the transaction months later.
Tell Us What Actually Happened to the Car
Don’t tell us only that the vehicle is “junk.” Tell us what stopped working. A complete car with a failed transmission, keys, and four wheels is a different offer and pickup from a partly dismantled vehicle that will not roll.
- Year, make, model, and approximate mileage
- Whether it starts, rolls, steers, and has keys
- Known major mechanical, collision, or structural damage
- Missing wheels or other major components
- Current title, lien, or salvage status
- Exact pickup location and anything that could affect loading
You do not need to repair or detail the vehicle before requesting an offer. Non-running, wrecked, mechanically damaged, high-mileage, and other unwanted vehicles are covered in more detail on the vehicles and conditions we buy page.
Pickup Starts With the Exact Location
A street address is more useful than the name of the nearest town. If the car is on unpaved or soft ground, behind a gate, missing wheels, inside a building, at a repair facility, or blocked by another vehicle, say so before pickup is arranged. Free towing is included when the vehicle is purchased, but access still has to be planned around the car as it actually sits.
For more local information, see the dedicated pages for Billings, Missoula, Great Falls, Bozeman, and Butte. Elsewhere in Montana, provide the exact pickup address rather than assuming the nearest city page has the same access conditions.
Montana Junk Car Questions Worth Answering
Does a Montana vehicle title still need to be notarized?
No. Montana eliminated the title-transfer notarization requirement effective October 1, 2025. The ownership transfer still needs to be completed correctly; the change simply removed the old notary step.
What if I lost the Montana title?
Tell us before pickup. Montana MVD normally directs the owner of record to obtain a replacement title. Its vehicle-title FAQ describes a limited exception when a vehicle was last titled in Montana, is currently registered, and is being sold to another Montana resident.
What if my insurance company declared the vehicle a total loss?
Disclose that before changing or signing over anything. Montana uses separate total-loss and salvage procedures, including an owner-retained salvage process. The MVD’s vehicle title and registration forms identify the current salvage and total-loss documents. The title status you already have matters more than simply calling the car “totaled.”
Get the Ownership Details Straight Before the Car Leaves
If the vehicle no longer runs, needs a repair you do not want to make, or has been sitting longer than planned, start with the facts: condition, title, liens, exact location, and pickup access. Review the offer without obligation. If you decide to sell and the vehicle is purchased, free towing is included – and your Montana plates stay with you.