Montana
Divorce, lawyers, and free legal help in Montana — verified against official sources.
How divorce filing works in Montana
The Montana Court System runs divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment forms with FAQs. Start there before anything else.
Montana Court System — Divorce and Dissolution
Divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment forms and FAQs from the courts.
courts.mt.gov — end a marriage →Find a divorce lawyer
State Bar of Montana — For the Public
The Bar's free "Licensed Lawyer Montana" referral service: (406) 449-6577.
montanabar.org — for the public →New to hiring a lawyer? Read Start Here first — it covers what to ask and what to bring.
Free or low-cost legal help
Montana Lawhelp
Free civil legal information and DIY help, connected with Montana Legal Services Association.
montanalawhelp.org →Report Child Abuse or Neglect
Call 1-866-820-5437 — Montana DPHHS Centralized Intake, 24/7 statewide. (Phone only — no online reporting form.)
dphhs.mt.gov — report abuse →Montana Homeowner Assistance Fund
The Department of Commerce offers Mortgage Reinstatement up to $50,000 and Lien Prevention Grants up to $10,000 for owner-occupied primary residences with income at or below 100% of area median income. (Montana has no court-run foreclosure mediation program.)
commerce.mt.gov — homeowner assistance →Call 211
Free, confidential referrals to local help. Dial 211 from any phone.
211.org →Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence
Toll free 888-404-7794.
mcadsv.com →Unpaid wages in Montana
Your boss owes you pay and won't hand it over? Here's where to file and how long you have in Montana.
Where to go
Montana Department of Labor and Industry, Employment Relations Division (Wage & Hour Unit)
Time limit to file
180 days
What the floor is
$10.85 (2026)
Changing your name in Montana
Whether it's marriage, divorce, or just time for a fresh start — here's the process in Montana.
How it works
petition the District Court in your county
Typical court fee
$120 (official state fee schedule)
Newspaper notice required?
yes
Small claims court in Montana
Suing someone without a lawyer, for smaller amounts, in a simpler court. Here's how it works in Montana.
Maximum claim
$7,000
Filing fee
$20–$30
Can you bring one?
no, unless all parties have one
Clearing your criminal record in Montana
Expungement or sealing can hide eligible arrests and convictions from background checks. Here's where Montana stands.
Can records be cleared?
very limited — no adult felony expungement
What qualifies
misdemeanors once per lifetime; dismissed deferred sentences
Waiting period
5 years after sentence completion (misdemeanors)
Child support in Montana
How child support gets calculated — and when it ends — in Montana.
How it's figured
Melson formula (modified: self-support reserve, primary support allowance, then standard-of-living adjustment) Montana DPHHS Child Support Guidelines Worksheet
When it ends
emancipation or high school graduation, whichever is later, but no later than the 19th birthday
Lemon law in Montana
Bought a new car that's constantly in the shop? Montana's lemon law may get you a refund or a replacement.
Which vehicles qualify
new motor vehicles only (excludes motorcycles and trucks 10,000+ lbs GVW)
When it's legally a lemon
4+ repair attempts or 30+ business days out of service during the warranty period (2 years/18,000 miles)
What you get
refund or replacement vehicle
Tenant rights in Montana
Renting comes with rights most people never hear about until something goes wrong. Here are the key ones in Montana.
Notice before eviction
30 days to end month-to-month; 3-day notice to pay or move for nonpayment
Deposit limits & return
no statutory maximum; returned within 10 days if no deductions, otherwise 30 days with an itemized list
When the landlord won't fix things
may repair and deduct after written notice
DUI / DWI in Montana
Driving under the influence carries some of the stiffest penalties in everyday law. Here's how Montana handles it.
Blood alcohol (BAC) limit
0.08; aggravated DUI at 0.16
Typical penalties
up to 6 months in jail (24-hour minimum), $600-$1,000 fine, up to 6-month license suspension
How far back DUIs count
10-year lookback
Gun laws in Montana
Gun laws vary a lot from state to state — what's perfectly legal in one state can be a crime in another. Here's the big picture for this state. Laws change often, so double-check anything before you act.
Carrying a concealed handgun
Permitless carry (no permit required since 2021); optional shall-issue permit available for reciprocity
Carrying openly
Generally allowed without a permit
Background checks & waiting periods
Private sales: not required No waiting period.
Extreme risk protection
No red flag law on the books here.
Reciprocity
Recognizes permits from states that recognize Montana permits.
Filming the police: your rights in Montana
Federal appeals courts across the country have recognized a First Amendment right to photograph and record police officers performing their official duties in public. The U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled on it directly. The right does not protect interfering with officers, trespassing, or breaking other laws while you record.
All-party consent
State law generally requires everyone recorded to consent — but on-duty officers in public have no reasonable expectation of privacy, so courts have held that recording them is protected. (Mont. Code Ann. § 45-8-213(1)(c))
No buffer-zone law
Montana has no law setting a minimum distance for filming police. You still must not interfere with officers doing their jobs.
Montana bars recording a conversation with a hidden device 'without the knowledge of all parties' — so notifying everyone you are recording (not their approval) satisfies the law. Openly filming officers on duty is protected by the First Amendment in the 9th Circuit (Fordyce v. City of Seattle). No Montana buffer-zone law exists.
Drug & alcohol addiction help in Montana
Addiction is a health issue, and help is out there — including court programs that can send people to treatment instead of jail. No insurance needed to call.
SAMHSA National Helpline
Free, confidential referrals to treatment — call 1-800-662-4357 (English & Spanish).
Human trafficking victims in Montana
If you or someone you know is being forced to work or forced into sex against their will, you are a victim of a crime and help is available — immigration status does not matter.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Call 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 — free, confidential, for victims and anyone who suspects trafficking.
Bullying in Montana
Every state has an anti-bullying law, and every school must have a plan. If your child is being bullied, document what happens and report it in writing to the school — and know what your state’s law requires.
Homelessness help in Montana
If you are homeless or at risk of losing your housing, help is close by. Shelters, food, health care, and long-term housing programs exist in every community.
211 homeless services
Dial 211 and press 6 for homeless services in your area.
VA homeless veterans
Homeless veterans: call the VA National Call Center at 1-877-424-3838 (877-4AID-VET), 24/7.
Deed fraud & squatters in Montana
Thieves can forge a deed to steal your home’s title — many counties offer free recording alerts that notify you if anything is filed against your property. And if someone is living in your property without permission, your state has specific rules for removing them: you generally cannot just change the locks.
FBI: protect your property from deed fraud
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center alert on parcel-owner impersonation →