Proof of Montana Residency

The Montana Department of Justice, Motor Vehicle Division accepts the following documents as evidence of residency in the state of Montana for people applying for a Montana driver license or identification card. The documents must show the applicant's name and home or residential address. If mail is not received at a residential address, the document must also show a mailing address. A post office box may not be used for a residential address.

Acceptable Documents

Note: Please pay careful attention to the type of document needed, especially where it is noted that documents must be certified copies, original, or from within a specified time period.

One of these documents must be presented to an examiner at a Montana driver license station:

• any primary or secondary document as listed in Administrative Rules of Montana 23.3.131
• a U.S. or Montana income tax return for the previous year
• a Montana voter registration card
• a receipt for personal or real property taxes paid within the last year to the state of Montana or a Montana county
• a current automobile or life insurance policy or statement
• a certified copy of school records issued by the school the applicant is attending or attended within four months of the application
• a written statement from the applicant's parent, guardian or adult child that the applicant resides at the same address as the parent, guardian or adult child, along with a copy of a document permitted under this rule that shows the Montana residential address of the applicant's parent, guardian or adult child
• the original copy of a rental agreement or rent payment receipt signed by the landlord or rental agent that includes the applicant's name and residential address
• home mortgage or equity loan papers showing the applicant's name and residential address – a rural address will be accepted when there is no other physical address
• any of the following, dated or issued not more than four months prior to application:
  • a payroll check or payroll check stub
  • a bank statement
  • a utility bill or utility hook-up order
  • canceled mail addressed to the applicant
• if the applicant is homeless, a descriptive address of the location where the applicant actually resides, e.g., "under the west end of the East Street bridge." The applicant must also provide a separate mailing address and present a written statement from a social service agency on the agency's letterhead verifying the applicant's homeless status and the descriptive address given by the applicant.