Order in the court!

The Missoula County Courthouse is the headquarters for Missoula County.  The county is overseen by three elected commissioners.

Photo by Lisa Mee

Government

Living in Missoula means being governed by the City of Missoula, Missoula County, and the State of Montana. For governmental specifics related to the City of Missoula and Missoula County, visit their pages on this site using the respective preceding links.

With regard to state government, the State of Montana is directed by the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and other Executive-branch elected officials. They all serve four-year terms with elections coinciding with U.S. presidential election years.

Montana has a bicameral legislature with 50 Senators and 100 Representatives. The Legislature meets in odd number years in a 90-day General Session. Senators serve four-year terms, and Representatives serve two-year terms. The state capital of Montana is Helena, 120 miles northeast of Missoula.

Missoula – A River Runs Through It

Missoula – A River Runs Through It

Missoula - a river does indeed run through it. In 1992, the Oscar-w... more

The Story of Missoula’s “M”

The Story of Missoula’s “M”

At 2100 feet above the city of Missoula on the slope of Mt. Sentinel s... more

Missoula History

Missoula History

The first inhabitants of the Missoula area were Native Americans from ... more

Vehicle Registration

Vehicle Registration

First-Time Registration The Montana Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) requires you to register a vehicle in your name if you have recently: Purchased a new or used vehicle Moved to the state ... more

Pet Licenses

Pet Licenses

Have pets? City and county ordinances require all dogs four months and older to be licensed. Licenses rare timed to run concurrently with dog’s rabies vaccinations. New residents must purchase a dog licens... more

Voter Registration

Voter Registration

If you're new to Missoula or simply need to register to vote, there are a number of places to in the city to complete your voter registration. As our national laws dictate, U.S. citizens may vote in nati... more