"i have to look at getting Montana plates for my truck. With all the changes i have check engine, check 4WD, ABS etc all the lights are on and I don't think I'll be able to pass inspection next year when I am due. I guess there are legal ways to get Montana plates for of course a price"
Ummm...I am not the person to ask as I am not that familiar with MT motor vehicle registration, but I can say they do require 2 items of proof of residence, and they only mail titles to a MT address. You would need the same for a MT driver license, which the license can then be used for any other residency proof. In my case, the backlog to get a DL is a 3-4 month wait - i signed up for an appt in April that is for July - so I had to provide the 2 proofs of residence to get my vehicle titles transferred and registered. For out of state titles, they must be transferred to MT title first and then registered of course, and that can only be done in person, and requires the proof of residence. The website lists what that is, but its stuff like warranty deed for house, rental agreement, property tax bill etc is proof of residence - generic mail is not. It may depend on the staff member you work with that day, but when we registered the 2 DDs, they barely looked at our proof of residence, and technically, they only verified Jen's residence (we do not share the same last name) for the title in her name, and never verified mine for the title in my name. But today, when I went to register the two old jeeps, a different woman was a bit more 'detailed' in her review. Finally, the titles are mailed to you a couple months later, and they are only mailed to the MT residence address. In other words, its not a trivial game to play....
Colo can be a PITA to get a missing title replaced, and depending on your location, the emissions or inspections can also be difficult etc. Montana doesn't have nearly as much issue (like no emissions, no inspection) with that assuming you have a residency, or some good way to claim one. One nice thing MT does is a 'permanent' registration for vehicles over 10 years old. It costs about twice what a yearly registration is, but its good forever. They do NOT have a 'collector vehicle' tag like CO has - which I kind of liked on my old iron. They do have an 'antique' tag, but its only good for travel to and from ceremonial/historical functions and parades (Colorado also has this). So, in theory, if your vehicle is over 10 years old, and you can play the game well enough to get the MT title and permanent registration, then yes, you are good to go with a lot less hassle...