2023 Montana Code Annotated › Title 70. Property › Chapter 17. Servitudes, Easements, and Covenants Running With the Land › Part 2. Covenants Running With the Land › 70-17-212. Transfer fee covenants -- void

70-17-212. Transfer fee covenants -- void.
(1) A transfer fee covenant or any lien that is recorded or filed to enforce a transfer fee under a transfer fee covenant does not run with the title to real property and is not binding upon or enforceable at law or in equity against any subsequent owner, purchaser, or mortgagee of any interest in the real property as a covenant, an equitable servitude, or otherwise.
(2) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(a) "Transfer" has the meaning provided in 70-1-501.
(b) "Transfer fee" means a fee or charge payable upon the transfer of legal or equitable title to an interest in real property regardless of whether the fee or charge is a fixed amount or is determined as a percentage of the value of the real property, the purchase price, or other consideration given for the transfer. For purposes of this section, a transfer fee does not include the following:
(i) consideration payable by the transferee to the transferor for the interest in real property being transferred, including any subsequent additional consideration for the property payable by the transferee based upon any subsequent appreciation, development, or sale of the property, if the additional consideration is payable on a one-time basis only and the obligation to make the payment does not bind the original transferee's successors in interest to the property;
(ii) a commission payable to a licensed real estate salesperson or broker for the transfer of real property pursuant to an agreement between the broker and the transferor or the transferee, including any subsequent additional commission for the transfer payable by the transferor or the transferee based upon any subsequent appreciation, development, or sale of the property;
(iii) interest, charges, fees, or other amounts payable by a borrower to a lender pursuant to a loan secured by a mortgage, deed of trust, trust indenture, or other security interest against real property, including but not limited to a fee payable to the lender for consenting to an assumption of the loan or a transfer of the real property subject to the mortgage or other security interest, fees, or charges payable to the lender;
(iv) consideration payable by a buyer under a contract for deed as a condition of allowing a buyer to acquire equitable title to the real property described in the contract for deed;
(v) any fee, charge, assessment, dues, contribution, or other amount payable to:
(A) an association of unit owners as defined in 70-23-102 or any association of homeowners, mobile home owners, townhouse owners, or other property owners created pursuant to a recorded declaration that has the power to require owners to pay the costs and expenses incurred in the performance of the association's obligations; or
(B) a nonprofit corporation as provided in Title 35, chapter 2, that is exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), or 528 of the Internal Revenue Code.
(c) "Transfer fee covenant" means a covenant or declaration recorded or filed against the title to real property that requires the payment of a transfer fee to the declarant or other person specified in the covenant or declaration or to the declarant's or other person's successors or assigns upon each subsequent transfer of a legal or equitable interest in the real property.
(3) This section does not apply to any easement granted pursuant to Title 77.
History: En. Sec. 2, Ch. 259, L. 2011.