To get a Montana license back after a DUI suspension, you have to finish the suspension period, close every requirement attached to it, and pay the department a $200 reinstatement fee. Until that fee is paid, the license stays suspended no matter how much time has passed (MCA § 61-2-107(1)). This page sets out the fees, the proof, and the order to do things in. It is part of our Montana DUI Guide.
Step 1: Confirm What Is Actually on Your Record
Many people have more than one action on their record after a DUI arrest: a refusal suspension, a conviction suspension, and sometimes a suspension for missing a court date or a payment. Each has its own end date and its own requirements. The length of each is in our suspension lengths table.
The Motor Vehicle Division's online services portal lets a driver view reinstatement requirements, pay outstanding fees, and upload reinstatement documents. A driving record shows the same information under "Active Sanctions," including a line for unmet requirements. Our guide on how to get your driving record explains how to read it.
Step 2: Finish the Suspension Period
A person whose license has been suspended may not have it restored until the suspension period has been completed, apart from a probationary license where the law allows one (MCA § 61-5-208(2)(a)). The conviction period runs from the date of conviction. The refusal period runs from the date of the refusal (MCA §§ 61-5-208(3)(a), 61-8-1032(2)(d)).
A conviction for driving during the suspension adds a year that starts on the last day of the earlier period (MCA §§ 61-5-212(2)(a), 61-5-208(3)(b)). That is the most common way a 6-month suspension becomes a much longer one.
Step 3: Complete the Assessment, Course, or Treatment
Every DUI conviction requires a chemical dependency assessment. A first conviction also requires an education course, and a second or later conviction requires treatment (MCA § 61-8-1009(1)). For a second or later offense this is tied directly to the license. If the year passes and treatment is not completed, the suspension remains in effect until it is (MCA § 61-5-208(2)(b)(ii), (iii)).
There is one exception. The department may restore the driving privilege if the person completed the assessment and the licensed addiction counselor who conducted it determined that treatment was not necessary (MCA § 61-5-208(5)). Either way, the department needs to hear it from the program or the court, so ask your provider how completion is reported. See our guide to DUI classes and treatment.
Step 4: Pay the Fees
| Fee | Amount | MCA |
|---|---|---|
| Reinstatement fee after a DUI conviction suspension or a refusal suspension | $200 | § 61-2-107(1), § 61-5-218(2)(a) |
| Administrative fee for an implied consent violation (test refusal) | $300 | § 61-8-1032(3)(a) |
| Reinstatement fee after most other suspensions or revocations of a noncommercial license | $100 | § 61-5-218(1) |
| Court administrative fee where the court held a license in lieu of bail | $25, paid to the court | § 61-5-214(2)(b) |
The $200 fee is in addition to any fines, forfeitures, and penalties from the conviction (MCA § 61-2-107(1)). After a refusal, the driver must pay all reinstatement and administrative fees owed before the license or privilege is restored (MCA § 61-8-1032(2)(c)). Whether more than one reinstatement fee is charged when a single arrest produced both a refusal suspension and a conviction suspension is a question to put to the division. The statutes do not answer it in so many words.
The division accepts payment through its online services for holders of a Montana license. Otherwise it takes a check or money order, payable to the Motor Vehicle Division, mailed to the Records and Driver Control Bureau, P.O. Box 201430, Helena, MT 59620-1430, with the driver's full name, date of birth, and license number if known.
Step 5: Clear Anything the Court Still Holds
A separate suspension applies when a court reports that a person failed to appear or failed to comply with a sentence, for example by not paying fines. That suspension continues until the court notifies the department that the person has appeared or complied, and no probationary license is available during it (MCA §§ 61-5-214, 61-5-215). If your record shows one of these, the fix is at the court, not at the division. Once the court sends its notice and the reinstatement fee is paid, the department reinstates the license unless the person is otherwise not entitled to it (MCA § 61-5-216).
If the License Was Revoked Instead
A felony DUI and habitual traffic offender status produce a revocation, which terminates the license. After the period ends, the Motor Vehicle Division says the person must apply for a new license, complete the applications, pay all fees, and take all applicable knowledge and skills tests.
A revocation also brings an insurance filing. The license may not be restored until the person files a certificate of insurance as proof of financial responsibility (MCA § 61-6-131(1)). This is the filing most people call an SR-22. Whether it applies after an ordinary misdemeanor DUI suspension is a separate and less clear question, which our SR-22 guide addresses.
Do Not Drive Until the Record Says So
The last day of the suspension period is not the day you can drive. Until the fee is paid and the requirements are closed, the license is still suspended, and driving on it is its own offense. When the suspension came from a DUI or a refusal, the penalty is 2 days to 6 months in jail, a fine of up to $2,000, or both. Our guide to driving while suspendedexplains the penalties. If the division's record looks wrong, get a copy of it and sort that out before you get behind the wheel.
This page explains Montana law in general as of the 2025 Montana Code Annotated and the Motor Vehicle Division's published procedures on October 9, 2026. Fees and procedures can change. It is not legal advice about your specific case.