Good news, Montana: your days of panicking at the DMV because you misplaced your driver’s license might soon be over. Starting in 2025, the state will officially offer digital driver’s licenses, thanks to House Bill 519. The law allows Montanans to store their licenses on their smartphones, just like you already can with your hunting and fishing permits on the Montana FWP app.
This modern convenience feels long overdue. Who hasn’t had a moment of scrambling through their wallet for a license buried under punch cards and old receipts? I know the pain all too well. I got busted recently because I didn’t have my physical duck stamp while out hunting, even though I had every other waterfowl license displayed in pristine order on my FWP app. The game warden wasn’t impressed, and I learned the hard way that paperless doesn’t always mean “trouble-less.”
With digital licenses, Montana is making life a little easier for its residents. According to the bill, you’ll still be able to carry a traditional physical license, but the option to go fully digital is a big step forward. Think about the possibilities: no more fumbling at traffic stops or forgetting your ID at home. Of course, you might still run into the occasional bartender or clerk who insists on the old-school method. So maybe keep a backup just in case…