Montana State Info on Creating a New County

Montana Code Annotated 2023

• Title 7. Local Government

  • Chapter 2. Creation, Alteration, and Abandonment of Local Governments

    • Part 1. General Provisions Applicable to Local Government

    • Parts 2 through 20 reserved

    • Part 21. General Provisions Applicable to Counties

    • Part 22. Creation of New Counties by Petition

    • Part 23. Organization of New Counties Created by Legislation (Repealed)

    • Part 24. Transfer and Transcription of Records, Court Actions, and Jury Lists for New Counties

    • Part 25. Change of Name of County

    • Part 26. Removal of County Seat

    • Part 27. Abandonment and Consolidation of Counties

    • Part 28. Alteration of County Boundaries for Public Safety

    • Parts 29 through 40 reserved

    • Part 41. Organization and Incorporation of New Municipalities

    • Part 42. Addition to Municipalities

    • Part 43. Annexation of Contiguous Land

    • Part 44. Annexation of Contiguous Government Land

    • Part 45. Annexation of Wholly Surrounded Land

    • Part 46. Annexation by Petition

    • Part 47. Annexation With the Provision of Services

    • Part 48. Exclusion of Land

    • Part 49. Disincorporation of Municipalities

Montana County Government Overview

• Revenue, authority, structure, services, taxation

In Montana, a new county can be created through a petition process that involves the following steps:

• Petition: A petition is submitted to the Governor by one-third of the qualified electors in the area of the section of an old county that is to be cut off to form the new county. The petition must include the boundaries of the new county.

• Hearing: A hearing is held on the petition.

• Election: An election is held on the question of creating the new county.