How to Become a Montana Resident?

If you want to become a Montana resident, you must do several things first. Generally, you must prove that you have been domiciled in Montana for 12 months with a bona fide intent to make the state your permanent home. A person is presumed to lack the intent necessary to acquire Montana residency if he or she is absent from the state for more than 30 days in any 12-month period. Inconsistent or contradictory actions also may result in classification as out-of-state, such as voting absentee in another state, maintaining legal ties to a different state, participating in exchange programs that affect fee status, such as WUE, and receiving financial assistance or scholarships that require residence in a particular state.

However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. For example, members of the military on tour of duty in Montana and their spouses are classified as residents if they can demonstrate that their primary purpose for moving to the state was not education.

Montana Residency Requirements

During your 12-month period stay in Montana, you must demonstrate a genuine intent to make Montana your permanent home. You must also show that you have broken ties with your previous residence. You can prove this by submitting the following documents:

• a. A Montana driver’s license or ID card.
• b. Proof of employment in Montana. This can be a job offer or a letter from your employer.
• c. A utility hook-up request or a copy of the rental agreement signed by your landlord.
• d. A property tax statement.

Please do these things to avoid classification as an out-of-state resident, which will affect fees for admission and financial aid.

Montana DOR’s Residency Guide

What Hinders Establishing Your Montana Residency?

There are also some things that can hinder establishing residency:

• Being absent from Montana for more than 30 days in a 12-month period
• Claiming residency in another state for any purpose
• Being a student primarily in Montana for educational purposes