Free practice test

Tests

Driving testsCitizenship testsSchool and university admissionsNursing, medicine and healthEnglish and French testsTeachingMoney, law and insuranceTrades and work certification and licensesPilots, drones, boats and radio

Countries

United StatesCanadaUnited KingdomAustraliaNew Zealand

Montana · Permit test

The Montana state identification card

Any Montana resident can get one from the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD), as long as you don’t hold a valid driver license from another state or country. A Montana state identification card replaces a driver license rather than sitting beside it: by state law you can hold one or the other, not both.

  • $17ID card fee, at any age
  • 8 yearsHow long an ID card lasts
  • In personHow you apply, with no mail option
Read the MVD’s ID card pageFree practice test

Updated November 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

How do you get a Montana state identification card?

The MVD’s steps:

  1. Book an appointment at an MVD driver exam station
  2. Fill in the form you’re given at the appointment
  3. Show proof of identity, authorized presence and Montana residency
  4. Pay the fee and have your photo taken

Your full legal name and date of birth must match the Social Security Administration’s records. The documents are the same ones you’d bring for a license.

The documents list →

Montana ID card fees

The MVD’s fee page lists:

ItemFee
ID card$17
ID card with REAL ID$42.23
Replacement ID card$10.30
ID card when you surrender a license$0
Surrendered-license ID with REAL ID$25.75

The manual adds that turning in your license more than six months before it expires gets you an ID card at no charge, while the standard fee applies inside that window.

The MVD’s ID card page gives 8 years at any age. The manual says four or eight years in one place and 12 years for a standard card in another, so ask which term you’re getting at your appointment.

REAL ID rules →

Your name on the card

The name space holds up to 28 characters, including up to three commas. Titles such as Dr., Rev., Mr. or Mrs. aren’t allowed, and you can use a hyphen only if your primary document has one.

To change your name, change it with Social Security first, then book an in-person appointment. Bring a certified marriage certificate, a court order or judgment granting the change, a divorce decree that names it, a naturalization certificate or a declaration of marriage filed with the district court clerk.

Sources: Montana Motor Vehicle Division and 4 more. Checked November 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

Explore

Everything else, in one place

OverviewPractice testWhere to learnLearner permitDriver’s licenseDriving ageRoad testDriver’s manual

MVD services

AppointmentsState ID card

Other licenses

CDLMotorcycle