Attorney general says MVD will waive renewal and replacement fees in July for Montanans adding the state’s new eagle-in-flight citizenship marker
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced that the state’s Motor Vehicle Division will waive certain driver license and identification card fees throughout July for residents who add the state’s new citizenship marker to their credentials, timing the offer to coincide with the 250th anniversary of American independence.
The waived fees, ranging from $10.30 to $68.50 depending on the credential, apply to Montanans who visit MVD offices to add the black eagle-in-flight marker to a driver license, REAL ID or commercial driver license. The marker, created under a law the Montana Legislature passed in 2025, denotes U.S. citizenship on state-issued identification.
“Join us in celebrating 250 years of America’s freedom with a Montana driver license that proudly displays the new citizenship marker,” Knudsen said. “We’re happy to be giving back to Montanans this summer. It’s a great opportunity to get a new, more secure license and show your patriotism.”
MVD Administrator Laurie Bakri said the agency was “proud to offer Montanans the option to display their citizenship on their driver license” and encouraged eligible residents to take advantage of the waiver before it expires at the end of July.
Under the program, renewal and replacement fees for current driver licenses and ID cards will be waived, as will REAL ID replacement fees and most CDL credential fees — though a separate $25 REAL ID fee will still apply to new or renewed REAL ID credentials. Fees will not be waived for new or renewed licenses and IDs issued without the citizenship marker, including those for visa holders.
The citizenship marker stems from Senate Bill 91, sponsored by state Sen. Theresa Manzella and signed into law in 2025, which required Montana driver licenses and ID cards to display citizenship status. MVD rolled out the redesigned credentials, which the agency says include additional security features intended to reduce fraud and identity theft, in December 2025.
To add the marker, applicants may need to provide documentation such as a valid U.S. passport, a certified U.S. birth certificate, a certificate of citizenship or naturalization, or a consular report of birth abroad.
Knudsen’s office said the fee waiver follows MVD’s rollout of a new driver services system that has shortened appointment wait times, with some offices now offering same- or next-day appointments. The agency recommends scheduling in advance through its online services portal.
