Consumer Information - Banking and Financial Institutions

Consumer Information

The Montana Division of Banking and Financial Institutions is dedicated to ensuring Montanans stay informed and educated in all matters regarding financial institutions. If you are unable to find answers to your questions on our website, we invite you to contact us by email or phone. If you are interested in having the Division perform a presentation on financial safety or education, please contact us.

Before doing business with a financial institution, company, or individual, DBFI recommends that you make sure they are properly licensed.

Banks and Credit Unions Regulated by DBFI

State Chartered Banks and Trust Companies

State Chartered Credit Unions

Verify Licenses with Federal Regulators

If DBFI does not regulate the institution or individual you are researching, check with the appropriate federal regulator below.

FDIC - Bank Find

FDIC bank find allows you to find information about federally regulated banks.

NCUA - Research a Credit Union
The National Credit Union Administration's (NCUA) research a credit union tool allows you to find information about federally regulated credit unions.

FINRA Investment Broker Check
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority's (FINRA) Broker Check allows you to view information about brokers currently registered with FINRA or who have been FINRA registered within the last 10 years.

Verify a Mortgage Institution, Loan Originator, or Consumer Lender

The Montana Division of Banking does not provide paper licenses. All proof of licensure is electronic on NMLS or NMLS Consumer Access.

NMLS Consumer Access

Contains licensing/registration information on mortgage, consumer finance, debt, and money services companies, branches, and individuals licensed by state regulatory agencies participating in NMLS.

Before filing a complaint with the Montana Division of Banking & Financial Institutions (DBFI), we encourage you to first contact the company to attempt to resolve the matter. Many problems can be resolved quickly with a letter or phone call. If you are unable to reach a resolution, you can submit a complaint using either of the links below. For a better understanding of the complaint process, review the Frequently Asked Questions section.

File a Complaint With Our Agency

  • Complete a Complaint Form and email, mail or fax to our office. Note: This form must be downloaded and saved to your computer before filling out and clicking the submit button. (Click to download the latest version of Adobe Reader)
  • A written complaint is required. Oral complaints cannot be accepted or reviewed.

Our Division handles complaints against the below charter/license types.

If you have a complaint against a national bank or federal savings association, please contact the Office of Comptroller of Currency (OCC) at (800) 613-6743.

If you have a complaint against a federally chartered credit union, please contact the National Credit Union Association (NCUA) at (800) 755-1030.

If you have a complaint regarding a student loan, vehicle loan or lease, credit card or prepaid card, credit reporting, debt collection, money transfer or virtual currency or other financial services, please contact the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) at (885) 411-2372.

If you have a complaint against antitrust, car/truck sales and repair, telemarketing, credit management services, door-to-door sales, gas pricing, identity theft, internet related issues, unfair acts by a business or scams, please contact the Montana Department of Justice - Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) at (800) 481-6896.

If you have a complaint against an insurance producer or company, a title insurance company or a securities broker dealer, salesman or representative, or investment advisor or representative, contact the Office of the Montana State Auditor Troy Downing, Insurance – Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance (csimt.gov).

  • Verify a License with DBFI
    • Verify that a company or individual is licensed to do business in Montana.
  • Credit Unions Financial Reports
    • 5300 Call Reports are a quarterly listing of summarized accounts collected from all Federally Insured credit unions.
  • FINRA Broker Check
    • Broker Check allows you to see who is currently registered with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) or a national securities exchange, or who has been registered within the last 10 years
  • Nationwide Multistate Licensing System Consumer Access
    • Contains licensing/registration information on mortgage, consumer finance, debt, and money services companies, branches, and individuals licensed by state regulatory agencies participating in NMLS.
  • FDIC Institution Directory
    • Use advanced search criteria to find a bank or bank holding company, generate comprehensive financial or demographic reports, and find bank locations or groups of banks.
  • Federal Reserve National Information Center
    • A repository of financial data and institution characteristics collected by the Federal Reserve System.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) supervises, regulates and examines those Montana-chartered banks that are not members of the Federal Reserve System, and all Montana-licensed depository financial services loan companies. In addition, the FDIC insures deposits at all national banks and nearly all state-chartered banks, including all Montana-chartered banks; nearly all savings associations, including all federally-chartered savings and loan associations; and all Montana-licensed depository financial services loan companies. For more information, contact:

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
San Francisco Regional Office
25 Jessie Street at Ecker Square
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 546-0160

Regional Office supervising various institutions in Montana:

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
San Francisco Regional Office
25 Ecker Street, Suite 2300
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 546-0160

Federal Reserve Bank

The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve (FRB) supervises, regulates, and examines all state-chartered banks that have elected to be members of the Federal Reserve System. FRB also supervises all bank holding companies, all foreign banks operating in the United States, and the foreign banking business of U.S. banks (state and national). Twelve Federal Reserve Banks supervise institutions within their respective regions of the United States. For more information, contact:

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
Division of Consumer and Community Affairs
20th and C Streets, N.W., Stop 801
Washington, D.C. 20551
(202) 452-3693

Federal Reserve Bank overseeing Montana state-chartered banks that are part of the Federal Reserve System:

Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
90 Hennepin Avenue
P.O. Box 291
Minneapolis, MN 55480-0291

Office of Comptroller of the Currency (OCC)

The Office of Comptroller of Currency (OCC) charters, supervises, regulates, and examines all national banks. It also supervises the federal branches and agencies of foreign banks. For more information, contact:

Office of Comptroller of the Currency
Customer Assistance Group
1301 McKinney Street #3450
Houston, TX 77010
(800) 624-6743
helpwithmybank.gov

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) works to educate and defend consumers against abusive practices, supervises banks, credit unions, and other financial companies, and it enforces federal consumer financial laws. The CFPB gathers and analyzes available information to better understand consumer, financial services providers, and consumer financial markets. For more information contact:

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Consumer Help
P.O. Box 4503
Iowa City, Iowa 52244
(855) 411-2372

National Credit Union Administration (NCUA)

The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) charters, supervises, and insures deposits at all federal credit unions. NCUA also supervises and insures deposits at state-chartered credit unions, including all Montana-chartered credit unions. For more information, contact:

National Credit Union Administration
Office of Public and Congressional Affairs
1775 Duke Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 518-6330

Regional office supervising credit unions in Montana:

National Credit Union Administration
Region VI - Tempe
1230 W. Washington Street, Suite 301
Tempe, AZ 85281
(602) 302-6000

Mortgage, consumer loan, sales finance, or escrow business license information is available on the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System website. All licenses expire annually on December 31st. Currently, there are no licensed deferred deposit lenders (payday lenders) in Montana.

Below are links for lists of state-chartered banks, mutual savings and loan associations, and credit unions. Currently, there are no state-chartered trust companies in Montana.

To protect the privacy of those who deal with state and local government, the Division may not provide distribution lists, as stated in 2-6-1017, MCA - Prohibition On Dissemination Or Use Of Distribution Lists - Exceptions - Penalties. If you feel you have a request that meets the exemptions in the statute, please send an email to banking@mt.gov containing the information requested along with details on how the information will be used.

How Do I Get a Lien Release From an Entity No Longer in Business?

Lien releases are sent from the lien holder to the borrower or to the Motor Vehicle Department when a vehicle loan is paid in full. If you have a vehicle title which lists a lien holder that is no longer in business, the Division of Banking and Financial Institutions (Division) may be able to help you. If the lien holder was a state-chartered bank or credit union, the Division may be able to help you connect with the financial institution that purchased the accounts of the closed institution. Success in locating the right financial institution may be dependent on the time that has lapsed since the institution closed and/or the length of time lapsed since the loan was paid off.

If the lien holder was a consumer loan or sales finance company previously licensed by the Division, we may be able to provide contact information for their corporate office. Small, locally owned consumer finance or sales finance companies that have been closed for more than two years may be difficult for the Division to locate.

In some instances, a financial institution currently regulated by the Division may have purchased the accounts of a closed, former licensee. If this is the case, you may need to file a written request or complaint with the Division in order to obtain the lien release or instructions for obtaining the lien release.

Please be advised the Division cannot assist you in obtaining vehicle lien releases if the lien holder is an auto dealership, a salvage yard, or a financial institution that was never chartered or licensed by the Division. If the lien holder is a failed national bank you may be able find assistance at the FDIC webpage titled, Obtaining a Lien Release. In cases where it is impossible to obtain a title lien release from the lien holder, please contact your District Court for information about removing a title lien by court order.

Still Have Questions?

Call the Montana Division of Banking and Financial Institutions at (406) 841-2920.

The Division of Banking and Financial Institutions (Division) has jurisdiction over state-chartered banks and credit unions, state-licensed mortgage entities and individuals, consumer loan, sales finance, escrow companies and deferred deposit lenders. The Division does not regulate payment processors such as Visa and Mastercard.

Traditionally payment processor agreements with retailers/merchants did not allow for charging fees to consumers using debit cards. This, however, has either changed in recent years with updates to the payment processing agreements, or processors are simply choosing not to enforce those clauses. Neither the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) or Montana Code Annotated (MCA) have laws regarding debit card fees, either allowing or prohibiting fees on debit cards.

If a consumer does not wish to pay the fees on debit card transactions, the consumer can pay by cash or check, or let the business know you will not be a customer if they are charging debit card fees.

Information and Resources for Homeowners Behind on Mortgage Payments, in Default, or Foreclosure

If you are having trouble making your mortgage payments or have already fallen behind and are in default or foreclosure it is important that you act quickly to communicate your situation clearly to your lender or reach out for the help you need.

Contact a Reputable Foreclosure Prevention Counselor

The most effective and potentially beneficial contact you should make immediately when you find yourself unable to make payment on your mortgage would be to a qualified foreclosure counselor. A counselor will help lead you through what can be a very complicated and overwhelming process and identify all available resources. This service is available at NO cost to you from highly trained counselors across the state.

The Montana Department of Commerce Housing Division, which includes the Montana Board of Housing (MBOH) has received a $401,000 grant from NeighborWorks America to support Montana's foreclosure prevention counseling efforts. This enables the MBOH to provide more “face to face” foreclosure counseling via the well-trained local foreclosure counselors in the NeighborWorks Montana network. NeighborWorks Montana is a nonprofit network of local and state organizations that provides free certified foreclosure prevention counseling across the state. Learn more about foreclosure counselors in your area and other resources by calling 1 (866) 587-2244 or visiting NeighborWorks Montana.

In addition to Neighborworks Montana other HUD approved counselors are also available to help provide you foreclosure prevention counseling. Link to: Montana HUD approved housing counseling agencies,

Contact Your Lender or Loan Servicer

It is crucial that you contact your lender or loan servicer as soon as you realize that you are unable to make a payment. This is a crucial first step in addressing your situation and identifying possible solutions to your difficulties, including modifying the terms of your mortgage to reduce your interest rate and monthly payment, repayment plans, postponement of regular payments (forbearance) or other options. Provide any information requested by your lender or servicer quickly and keep records and copies of everything. It is very important that you respond to mail and phone calls from your lender. If your lender does not hear from you, they are more likely to start legal action leading to foreclosure.

Visit Making Home Affordable which provides a valuable list of resources available to homeowners.

Call the Homeowner's HOPE Hotline

Homeowners seeking counseling or advice can also call the HOPE NOW toll-free at 1 (888) 995-HOPE (1 (888) 995-4673) or at 995hope. HOPE NOW is an alliance of HUD approved counseling agents, servicers, investors and mortgage lenders that provides free foreclosure prevention assistance.

Seek Legal Assistance

If legal proceedings have already started, you should immediately seek the advice of competent legal counsel. The State Bar of Montana provides a Lawyer Referral Service. The Lawyer Referral Service is a free, non-profit, public service of the State Bar of Montana. Its hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and the phone number is (406) 449-6577. If you cannot afford to pay an attorney's regular fees, contact the Montana Legal Services Association help line at (800) 666-6899. Summary of Legal Resources Statewide & County from the State Bar of Montana

Avoid Home Equity Theft & Foreclosure Rescue Scams

Be aware that if you have fallen behind on your mortgage payments, or your home is in foreclosure or default, you and your home may become targets for certain type of scams known as "home equity theft" or "foreclosure rescue fraud." Perpetrators of these scams claim they can solve your debt problems and stop you from losing your home. Some of these scams offer to temporarily hold onto the house while you catch up on your payments. They then use deceptive tactics to obtain ownership of your home for a fraction of its market value, and leave you homeless yet still the holder of the mortgage that is still in foreclosure. Other scams falsely claim that they can stop a foreclosure or tax sale, charge substantial upfront fees and fail to deliver the promised results. Remember that you don't need to pay fees for foreclosure prevention help. It's often better to apply that money to your mortgage payments. Also, many not-for-profit housing counselors will help you negotiate with your lender for free. Mortgage Relief Scams

Contact the Banking Division

If you still have questions about where to turn for assistance or don't know who to call first, call the Division of Banking and Financial Institutions at (800) 914-8423. Contact the Banking Division if you have been solicited by any loan modification businesses or been victim to any loan modification scams. Banking Division staff is available to answer your questions about financial institutions that it regulates and confirm whether a business is licensed.