23-2-616. Registration and decals -- application and issuance -- use of certain fees. (1) Except for a snowmobile registered under 23-2-621, a snowmobile may not be operated on public lands by any person in Montana unless it has been registered and there is displayed in a conspicuous place on both sides of the cowl a decal as visual proof that the fee in lieu of property tax has been paid on it for the current year and the immediately previous year as required by 15-16-202.
     (2) Application for registration must be made to the county treasurer upon forms to be furnished by the department of justice for this purpose, which may be obtained at the county treasurer's office in the county where the owner resides. The application shall contain the following information:
     (a) the name and address of the owner;
     (b) the certificate of ownership number;
     (c) the make of the snowmobile;
     (d) the model name of the snowmobile;
     (e) the year of manufacture;
     (f) a statement evidencing payment of the fee in lieu of property tax as required by 15-16-202; and
     (g) other information as the department of justice may require.
     (3) The application must be accompanied by a decal fee of $5, a registration fee of 50 cents, and, if the snowmobile has previously been registered, by the registration certificate for the most recent year in which the snowmobile was registered. The treasurer shall sign the application and issue a registration receipt that must contain information considered necessary by the department of justice and a listing of fees paid. The owner shall retain possession of the registration receipt until it is surrendered to the county treasurer for reregistration or to a purchaser or subsequent owner pursuant to a transfer of ownership.
     (4) The county treasurer shall forward the signed application to the department of justice and shall issue to the applicant a decal in the style and design prescribed by the department of justice and of a different color than the preceding year, numbered in sequence.
     (5) The county treasurer may not accept any application under this section until the applicant has paid the decal and registration fees and the fee in lieu of property tax on the snowmobile for the current year and the immediately previous year as required by 15-16-202.
     (6) All money collected from payment of the decal fees and all interest accruing from use of this money must be forwarded to the state treasurer and placed in the state special revenue fund to the credit of the department, with $2.50 designated for use in enforcing the purposes of 23-2-601 through 23-2-644 and $2.50 designated for use in the development, maintenance, and operation of snowmobile facilities. All money collected from payment of the registration fee must be forwarded to the state treasurer and deposited in the general fund.
     (7) The county treasurer shall credit all fees in lieu of tax collected on snowmobiles to the county motor vehicle suspense fund provided for in 61-3-509.

     History: (1) thru (6)En. Sec. 2, Ch. 435, L. 1971; amd. Sec. 19, Ch. 391, L. 1973; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 494, L. 1973; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 249, L. 1974; amd. Sec. 13, Ch. 417, L. 1977; amd. Sec. 17, Ch. 421, L. 1977; amd. Sec. 44, Ch. 566, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 53-1025; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 363, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 26, Ch. 712, L. 1979; (7)En. Sec. 17, Ch. 712, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 277, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 421, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 398, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 351, L. 1993.