Consumer Rights in Montana

Montana's lemon law covers the first two years or 18,000 miles — which is broader than many states that limit coverage to one year or 12,000 miles. After four repair attempts for the same defect or 30 cumulative days out of service within this window, you may be entitled to a replacement or refund.

Montana's Consumer Protection Act allows courts to award up to $10,000 per willful violation in addition to actual damages and attorney fees. This significant per-violation penalty deters intentional consumer fraud and provides meaningful compensation even when individual economic losses are modest.

Montana's Unfair Trade Practices Act (M.C.A. Section 33-18-201) sets standards for insurer conduct, and Montana courts have recognized first-party bad faith claims under common law. Montana has been described as having one of the more consumer-favorable insurance bad faith frameworks among western states. The Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance accepts consumer complaints.

Montana's Consumer Protection Act has a two-year statute of limitations — shorter than many states. Acting promptly after discovering consumer fraud is important in Montana. Lemon law claims are also time-limited by the two-year/18,000-mile coverage window.