Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced the Montana Motor Vehicle Division is extending its fee waiver for driver license and identification card renewals and replacements through September 30, following a strong response to the program that saw more than 18,000 Montanans add the new citizenship marker to their credentials in July alone.
The waiver, originally set to run only through July 31, was first announced in June to mark America’s 250th birthday and encourage Montanans to add the black eagle-in-flight citizenship marker to their credentials. Since July 1, 91% of MVD customers chose to add the marker, and more than 148,000 Montanans now carry the credential statewide.
“Now, more Montanans have the opportunity to update their credentials and get the citizenship marker added to their ID at no cost,” Knudsen said. “We’re giving back to Montana taxpayers. It’s great we could keep this fee waiver going longer.”
MVD Administrator Laurie Bakri said the response across the state had been remarkable and encouraged eligible residents to schedule an appointment with their local MVD office before the extension expires.
The citizenship marker stems from Senate Bill 91, passed by the 2025 Montana Legislature and sponsored by Sen. Theresa Manzella, which required Montana driver licenses and ID cards to display citizenship status. MVD also launched a new driver services system under Knudsen that has shortened appointment wait times, with some offices now offering same- or next-day appointments.
Knudsen also released a public service announcement encouraging Montanans to take advantage of the waived fees.
What to Know
The fee waiver runs through September 30, 2026 and covers Montanans who visit an MVD office to add the citizenship marker to their driver license, REAL ID or CDL. Waived fees range from $10.30 to $68.50 depending on the credential type. A $25 REAL ID fee still applies to new or renewed REAL ID credentials and will not be waived. Fees are not waived for visa holders renewing without the citizenship marker.
To add the marker, you may need to bring one of the following documents: a valid U.S. passport, a government-certified U.S. birth certificate, a Certificate of Citizenship or Naturalization, or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad.
Schedule an appointment at cars.dojmt.gov or learn more at mvdmt.gov/citizenship-marker.
