Need a DOT inspection near you in Montana?
Montana uses the federal annual model, so you don't need a station. Bright Inspect inspects your truck where it's parked. $99 for one vehicle, with fleet discounts from 2 units.
| Item | Montana |
|---|---|
| Lead agency | Montana Department of Transportation, Motor Carrier Services Enforcement Bureau |
| Federal rules | Adopted, with a higher intrastate weight threshold |
| Who's covered intrastate | 26,001 lb or more; passenger and placarded hazmat triggers; farm exemptions may apply |
| Annual inspection | Every 12 months, by a qualified inspector |
| FMCSA-accepted state program | No |
| Ambulances | State inspection every 24 months, or a current federal annual instead |
Compare Montana with other states on the state requirements hub, or see which states run their own inspection programs.
Montana DOT's Motor Carrier Services division runs weigh stations, safety audits and the state's federal Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program work, alongside the Montana Highway Patrol. The Department of Public Health and Human Services licenses ambulances.
Yes. Montana adopts federal Parts 390 to 399 for intrastate carriers through MCA 61-10-154 and ARM 18.8.1502. Ordinary intrastate property vehicles are covered at 26,001 lb or more. That higher line doesn't apply to passenger or placarded hazmat vehicles, and some farm vehicles are exempt.
| Operation | Who's covered |
|---|---|
| Interstate | 10,001 lb or more, plus federal passenger and hazmat triggers (49 CFR 390.5) |
| Intrastate (Montana only) | 26,001 lb or more using the greater of GVWR, GVW, GCWR or GCW; passenger vehicles and placarded hazmat under federal triggers; farm exemptions may apply |
The federal annual, at least every 12 months, for every covered truck, tractor, trailer, semitrailer and bus. A trailer needs its own inspection, and an inspection that skips Appendix A items doesn't count. Montana doesn't run a state inspection station program.
| Inspection | Applies to | How often | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal annual | Every covered CMV and each combination unit | 12 months | 49 CFR 396.17; ARM 18.8.1502 |
| Ground ambulance inspection | Ambulances of Montana-licensed services | Every 24 months, unless a current federal annual or accreditation applies | ARM 37.104.517 |
The federal annual can be done by a qualified carrier employee, mechanic, repair shop or other third party qualified under 49 CFR 396.19. Montana doesn't require a state inspector. That's the model Bright Inspect is designed for: a federal annual designed to meet FMCSA annual inspection requirements, done where your vehicle is parked.
For ambulances, a DPHHS EMS inspector does the standard inspection. Montana lets a passed 49 CFR 396.17 inspection from the past 12 months replace it. Whether DPHHS accepts a technology-based annual for that purpose is still being confirmed, so check with Montana DPHHS EMS licensing or ask us first.
Keep the annual report 14 months, with proof of inspection on the vehicle. No state sticker is required for the annual. Licensed ambulances carry a state ambulance permit, a sticker or certificate showing compliance.
| Vehicle | Rule |
|---|---|
| Tow trucks | Covered at 26,001 lb intrastate, or at federal thresholds interstate. We're still confirming any Montana tow truck inspection rules. Check with MDT Motor Carrier Services directly |
| School buses | We're still confirming Montana's school bus inspection rules. Check with MDT Motor Carrier Services directly |
| Ambulances | DPHHS inspection every 24 months, or current documentation of a passed federal annual from the past 12 months (ARM 37.104.517) |
| Propane and fuel trucks | Regulated as hazmat vehicles, with cargo tank inspection and retest rules on top of the annual |
Montana Highway Patrol troopers, MDT Motor Carrier Services officers and certified civilian inspectors conduct roadside inspections (MDT safety and regulations). Federal rules let an officer cite you under 49 CFR 396.17(c) when proof of a current annual inspection isn't on the vehicle; it carries a CSA severity weight of 4. The officer gives the driver an inspection report. The carrier must certify that listed violations were corrected and return it within 15 days, and keep a copy for 12 months (49 CFR 396.9). Fines are set by state law. A valid annual decal doesn't stop an inspection when a problem is visible, and a roadside inspection doesn't replace the annual.
We're still confirming roadside fines for a missing annual inspection in Montana. Check with MDT Motor Carrier Services directly.
Stopped without proof of a current annual? See what to do when your inspection expired or failed at roadside and what happens if your annual inspection is expired. Nobody can promise to remove a violation or change a safety score; what fixes the problem going forward is a current inspection and a complete record.
Last reviewed: September 11, 2026
Bright Inspect does the federal annual where your vehicle is parked. $99 for one vehicle, with fleet discounts from 2 units.