Signing up for visitor.us is easy.

First, we collect payment via Stripe, our secure third party payment processor.  Stripe keeps your payment details confidential - visitor.us can only see the last 4 digits of the card that you use.

Next, we use Stripe again to verify your identity with a selfie and a picture of a government-issued ID card.  visitor.us does not store any of your data.

Finally, you request your Montana LLC by providing the desired name and the name(s) and address(es) of its owner(s).

visitor.us has helped hundreds of international visitors register vehicles in the US since it launched in 2017.

You can read about their experiences on our reviews page, or on our Trustpilot and Google reviews pages.

‍visitor.us is run by a real person - me, Matt Copenhaver.  I hope you’ll check out my LinkedIn profile to learn about the professional experiences of the guy who’s going to help you visit the US.

A Limited Liability Company (LLC) is the simplest form of company in the United States.  

While most businesses are companies (or corporations), not all companies are businesses.  

LLC’s are commonly used for non-business purposes, such as holding an asset, such a piece of real estate - or a vehicle.

The reporting requirements for a Montana LLC are quite straight-forward.

Unlike corporations, Limited Liability Companies (LLC’s) do not need to elect a board of directors, adopt bylaws, hold annual meetings, or create formal financial statements.

A Montana LLC must file an annual report by April 15th in each year following the year of its formation, until it is terminated.  This annual report, filed on behalf of your LLC by visitor.us, simply confirms that the LLC’s ownership and address is current.

At the federal (or national) level, all companies owned 25% or more by non-US persons must report the purchase or sale of assets (such as a vehicle) by April 15th of the year following the transaction.  visitor.us coordinates these reports with each customer.

Generally, taxes can be due when you buy (sales tax), own (property tax or franchise tax), or earn (income tax).

Montana is one of a handful of US states that doesn’t levy a sales tax.  Because you pay sales tax on a vehicle where you register it, not where you buy it, registering your vehicle in Montana can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars in sales tax.

Montana doesn’t levy a property tax on vehicles, and it doesn’t levy a franchise tax (a a type of tax imposed by some states for owning a corporation or LLC within that state) at all.

Income tax would be due to Montana and the US government if your LLC were to earn income.  However, if your LLC just exists to own a vehicle (that will be worth a bit less when you sell it), it’s unlikely that your LLC will generate any income to be taxed.

No - purchase your vehicle wherever you want!

As long as the vehicle has ownership documents issued by a US state, we can register it in Montana, no matter what state (or country!) you buy the vehicle in.

We recommend setting up a US bank account with Wise and funding it with money from your home bank account.

This will allow you to pay for your vehicle with a domestic bank transfer, which happens much more quickly in the US than an international bank transfer.

We wrote this in-depth resource to explain the vehicle purchase and payment process in the US in more detail.

No.

Because it’s quite common in the US for someone to buy a vehicle for someone else (i.e., a mom for her son, a guy for his girlfriend, etc.), auto dealers do not need to match the name on the payor’s bank account to the name of the new registered owner.

The top national US auto insurers that don’t require a US driver's license are Progressive, National General, and State Farm.

Every insurance application requests your vehicle’s “garaging address,” which is where it will normally be kept overnight.

(I know, you’re traveling, and won’t be normally keeping your vehicle anywhere overnight.  The “garaging address” is just part of the insurance system that we have in the US.)

It’s perfectly acceptable to go on road trips - your insurance will cover you nationwide (and into Canada) - but it’s best practice to list an address where your vehicle will actually spend a night or two.  This minimizes the risk of your insurance company denying a claim due to misrepresentation.

Since you probably won’t be driving Uber or making deliveries, a personal insurance policy (not a commercial insurance policy) is usually appropriate.

Document your Montana LLC’s ownership of your vehicle by adding it as an “additional insured interest” on your auto insurance policy.

An additional insured interest is used to document a party with an ownership interest in the vehicle, other than the driver, such as a bank, a financing company, or an LLC.  

Because this is such a common arrangement, all insurance companies make it easy to add an additional insured interest in the application process.  Simply answer “Yes” when asked if the vehicle is financed, and provide your LLC’s name and address.  That’s it!

Temporary vehicle registration, or "temp tags" allows people to legally drive a vehicle that has not yet been registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

Temp tags are often used by people who have recently purchased a vehicle, but have not yet had the opportunity to complete the registration process. They are also useful for out-of-state residents who need to drive in a different state for a short period of time. Additionally, some states require vehicles to have temp tags displayed when they are being transported from the dealership to the owner's home.

Temp tags issued by a Montana dealer, such as visitor.us, are valid for 40 days.

Temp tags are recognized in all US states and the District of Columbia, and throughout Canada.

They are also accepted in parts of Mexico that don’t require a Temporary Import Permit (e.g., the Baja, Sonora, and Quintana Roo Free Zones).

No.

In order to issue your 40-day Montana temp tag, your LLC must be formed, and we need your vehicle’s VIN (vehicle identification number), year, make, model, color, and mileage.

We can issue your temp tag while your vehicle’s prior title is in transit to visitor.us for registration.

Vehicle titles are documents that prove ownership of a vehicle. They are issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in the US state where the vehicle is registered.

When a vehicle is bought or sold, the title must be transferred to the new owner. This process usually involves signing the title and submitting it to the DMV. The new owner will then receive a new title in their name.

In the US, a vehicle’s title is (almost always) a separate document from a vehicle’s registration.  A vehicle’s registration document provides proof that a vehicle has been registered with the appropriate government authority.

While a vehicle’s title does not need to be renewed, the registration is typically renewed periodically, and it serves as evidence that the vehicle meets the necessary requirements to be driven on public roads.

No.  Only authentic title documents are accepted as proof of ownership transfer.

A handful of US states don't issue titles for vehicles over a certain age.

In these cases, the vehicle’s registration documents, properly signed by the registered owner, are acceptable in place of the vehicle’s title.

Images/scans/photos are not acceptable, authentic, ink-signed registration documents are required.