visitor.us helps international visitors to the US buy vehicles as an alternative to renting.

We help with the hardest part of the process: vehicle registration.  (Why is vehicle registration the hardest part of the process?)

visitor.us registers vehicles for international visitors in the best US state for vehicle registrations: Montana.  (Why is Montana the best state?)

In order to register a vehicle in Montana, you have to have a presence here.  That’s why we form a Montana Limited Liability Company (LLC), owned 100% by you, and then register the vehicle to your LLC.

visitor.us charges a flat fee of $995 for most vehicles.*

This cost covers forming your Montana Limited Liability Company (LLC), registering your vehicle, couriering your vehicle’s paperwork, a 40-day Montana temp tag that will let you hit the road while your registration is in process, support for the LLC’s required filings, and termination of your LLC when your visit is complete.

visitor.us charges a reduced flat fee of $745 for each additional vehicle registration.

*Motorhomes with an MSRP of $350k or more and non-RV vehicles with an MSRP of $150k or more are subject to additional fees.  (More detail on fees for high-value vehicles.)

Once we have your vehicle’s properly signed prior title, we will register your vehicle in two weeks or less.

visitor.us offers 40-day Montana temp tags that will allow you to hit the road while your registration is in process.

When your registration is complete, we will send your Montana license plates, registration document, and title to a location that’s convenient for you.

You can book an insurance policy directly, online or over the phone.

A handful of US auto insurers accept drivers without a US driver’s license.

You’ll want a personal auto policy, booked at an address where the vehicle will spend time (at least a night or two), that lists your Montana LLC as an “additional insured interest.”

This article provides an in-depth look at insurance for visitor.us users.

When you hire visitor.us to register your vehicle, we form a Montana Limited Liability Company (LLC), owned 100% by you.  This LLC is a resident of Montana, and can therefore register a vehicle here.

Because your vehicle will be registered to your LLC, its paperwork needs to reflect your LLC as the buyer.

Therefore, your LLC should be set up before you sign your vehicle’s paperwork.

Forming a Montana LLC takes about one business day - not long at all.

So, you should consider signing up for visitor.us when you identify a specific vehicle that you’d like to purchase.

All US states have laws requiring people to register their vehicles in-state with a certain time period of becoming a resident.

For example, California requires everyone to register their vehicle(s) in California within 20 days of becoming a California resident.

So, Americans have to register their vehicles in the state in which they live.

However, if you are traveling, and do not become a resident of any US state, you’re not subject to any state’s registration requirements, and are therefore free to choose the best US state to register your vehicle in (which, for most travelers, is Montana).

Visas and visa waivers (such as ESTAs) are issued by the national US government, while company formation is handled by the US states.

Montana doesn’t require US citizenship, residency, or even presence in the United States to form a Montana limited liability company (LLC).

If you’re on a B1, B2, ESTA, or other “non-working” visa (or visa waiver), you are prohibited from being employed in the United States while you’re here.

The relationship between yourself and your LLC is one of ownership, not of employment.

However, using your LLC for commercial purposes while you’re in the US - i.e., regularly selling goods and/or services - may cause authorities to consider your relationship to your LLC as one of employment.  If you have questions about employment while in the United States, please consult an immigration attorney.

In most cases, an LLC that doesn’t earn income doesn’t owe income tax.

If your LLC simply exists to own a vehicle, its only opportunity to earn income is by selling the vehicle for more than it cost to purchase.

For a bit more detail on tax impacts, kindly consult this article.

Owning a Montana Limited Liability Company (LLC) does come with some filing requirements.

Included with your visitor.us order is our support with the required filings.  visitor.us populates all the necessary forms with your LLC’s details, then you simply input the required values (e.g., the price you paid for the vehicle), sign the form, and visitor.us submits it to the authorities.

You can learn more about the specific forms here.

Yes, visitor.us can register as many vehicles as you want to your LLC.

visitor.us charges a reduced fee of $745 to register each additional vehicle after the first.

(Additional fees for high-value vehicles apply to each vehicle.)

Absolutely!  Many visitor.us customers keep their vehicle(s) in the US for use year after year.

For more detail on the annual requirements and costs, please see this article.

Absolutely!

Your vehicle can enter and remain in Canada as long as its registration is current and valid.  (If you’re a Canadian resident, check with your provincial authorities, as local registration may be required.)

Vehicles brought into Mexico and Central- and South-American countries usually require a temporary registration permit (TIP).  For more information about crossing borders south of the US, please consult this article.

And you are welcome, of course, to import your vehicle to your home country and register it there.