2023 Montana Code Annotated › Title 61. Motor Vehicles › Chapter 4. Sales and Distribution of Motor Vehicles › Part 2. Licensing of New Motor Vehicle Manufacturers, Distributors, and Importers -- Disputes -- Standing › 61-4-205. Limitations on cancellation and termination

61-4-205. Limitations on cancellation and termination.
(1) Notwithstanding the terms, provisions, or conditions of any agreement or franchise, a franchisor may not cancel, terminate, or refuse to continue a franchise unless the franchisor has cause for termination or noncontinuance.
(2) A franchisor may not enter into a franchise for the purpose of establishing an additional new motor vehicle dealership in any community in which the same line-make is then represented unless there is good cause for an additional new motor vehicle dealership under a franchise and it is in the public interest.
(3) (a) If a franchisor seeks to terminate or not continue a franchise or seeks to enter into a franchise establishing an additional new motor vehicle dealership of the same line-make, the franchisor shall, not less than 60 days prior to the intended action, and the franchisee may, at any time, file a notice with the department of intention to terminate or not continue the franchise or to enter into a franchise for additional representation of the same line-make. A notice of intention to terminate or not continue a franchise is not required from a franchisor until the conclusion of any review proceeding of that intention offered to the franchisee under the franchise. This section does not apply to an intended termination or noncontinuance of a franchise that the franchisee elects voluntarily, pursuant to a plan established by a franchisor, to submit to binding arbitration.
(b) The notice to be filed with the department of a franchisor's intention to enter into a franchise for additional representation of the same line-make must name the proposed additional franchisee and must identify by legal description or street address the additional location in the community. A change in the identity of the proposed additional franchisee or of the additional location in the community may only be accomplished by the withdrawal of the initial notice and the filing of a new notice. No more than one notice of intention to enter into a franchise for additional representation of the same line-make in the same community may be made by a franchisor within 3 calendar years of the date of final disposition of a notice of intention.
(c) If good cause is not found under this part or if the franchisor withdraws or dismisses a proceeding under this part, a franchisee who objected to a proceeding initiated by a franchisor under this part is entitled to recover from the franchisor reasonable attorney fees, costs, and expenses, including expert witness and consultant fees incurred in resisting the proceeding.
(4) Upon receiving a notice of intention under the provisions of subsection (3), the department shall, within 5 days of receipt of a notice of intention, send by certified mail, with return receipt requested, a copy of the notice to the franchisor and to the franchisee whose franchise the franchisor seeks to establish, terminate, or not continue. If the notice states an intent to establish an additional new motor vehicle dealership, a copy of the notice must be sent within 5 days of receipt to all franchisees in the community who are then engaged in the business of offering to sell or selling the same line-make. Copies of notices must be addressed to the principal place of business of each recipient and to the statutory agent of each corporate recipient. The department may also give a copy of the franchisor's notice to any other parties whom the department may consider interested persons.
(5) In instances where the change in ownership has the effect of the sale of the franchise, the franchisor may not without good cause withhold its consent to the sale. Good cause relates only to the transferee's financial and managerial capabilities or to the inability of the transferee to comply with a state or federal law relating to new motor vehicle dealerships. The burden of establishing good cause is upon the franchisor.
(6) Notwithstanding the terms, provisions, or conditions of an agreement or franchise, in the event of the sale or transfer of ownership of the franchisee's dealership by sale or transfer of the business or by stock transfer to the dealer's or wholesaler's spouse or child, the franchisor shall give effect to the sale or transfer of ownership in the franchise unless the transfer of the franchisee's new motor vehicle dealer's or wholesaler's license is denied or the new owner is unable to obtain a license under the laws of this state.
(7) If a franchisor enters into or attempts to enter into a franchise, whether upon termination or refusal to continue another franchise or upon the establishment of an additional new motor vehicle dealership in a community where the same line-make is then represented, without first complying with the provisions of this part, a license under Title 23 or 61-4-101 may not be issued to that franchisee or proposed franchisee to engage in the business of selling new motor vehicles manufactured or distributed by that franchisor.
(8) A franchisor shall, unless a new franchisor of the line-make continues or replaces the dealer's franchise under subsection (10), compensate the dealer as provided in subsection (9) if the franchisor renders itself incapable of performing under a franchise agreement or renders a distributor incapable of performing under a franchise agreement by:
(a) selling or otherwise transferring some or all of the assets essential to the manufacture or distribution of the line-make covered by the franchise agreement;
(b) ceasing production of the line-make; or
(c) terminating, canceling, or not renewing the distributor's rights to distribute the line-make.
(9) (a) A franchisor considered incapable of performing under subsection (8) shall compensate the affected dealer in an amount equal to the greater of:
(i) the actual pecuniary loss that the dealer and its owners suffered as a result of the termination, cancellation, or failure to renew; or
(ii) the higher of the fair market value of the franchise on the following dates:
(A) the effective date of the termination, cancellation, or failure to renew;
(B) the date 1 year prior to the effective date of termination, cancellation, or failure to renew; or
(C) the day prior to the date on which the franchisor announces the action that results in the termination, cancellation, or failure to renew.
(b) The compensation required by this subsection (9) must be paid to the dealer within 30 days of the affected parties' mutual agreement in writing as to the amount of the compensation. If an agreement on compensation is not reached within 90 days of the effective date of the termination, cancellation, or failure to renew, an affected dealer may bring an action for a determination of the amount of compensation due and for recovery of that amount, plus costs and attorney fees.
(10) If, as a result of any of the circumstances described in subsection (8), an entity other than the original manufacturer or distributor of a line-make becomes the manufacturer or distributor for the line-make and intends to distribute motor vehicles of that line-make in this state, the entity shall honor the franchise agreements of the original franchisor and its dealers or offer those dealers a new franchise agreement for the line-make on substantially similar terms and conditions.
(11) The franchisor that is terminating, canceling, or not renewing a franchise agreement pursuant to subsection (8) shall:
(a) authorize the franchisee or another new motor vehicle dealer of the franchisor in the area to continue servicing and supplying parts, including service and parts pursuant to a warranty issued by the franchisor for any goods or services marketed by the franchisee pursuant to the motor vehicle franchise for a period of not less than 5 years from the effective date of the termination, cancellation, or nonrenewal; and
(b) continue to reimburse the franchisee or another new motor vehicle dealer of the franchisor in the area for warranty parts and service in an amount and on terms not less favorable than those in effect prior to the termination, cancellation, or nonrenewal.
(12) The franchisor shall continue to supply the franchisee whose agreement is terminated, canceled, or not renewed pursuant to subsection (8) or another new motor vehicle dealer of the franchisor in the area with replacement parts for any goods or services marketed by the franchisee pursuant to the franchise agreement for a period of not less than 5 years from the effective date of the termination, cancellation, or nonrenewal at the same price and terms as the franchisor supplies the parts, goods, or services to the remaining franchisees of the franchisor or if there are not any remaining franchisees, at a price and on terms not less favorable than those in effect prior to the termination, cancellation, or nonrenewal.
(13) If the franchisee continues to service motor vehicles and sell parts after the termination, cancellation, or nonrenewal of the franchise agreement pursuant to subsection (8), the compensation paid to the franchisee pursuant to subsection (9) must be reduced to the extent, if any, of the fair market value of the right to continue to service motor vehicles and sell parts as of the effective date of the termination, cancellation, or nonrenewal.
History: En. 51-605 by Sec. 5, Ch. 380, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 51-605(1) thru (4), (11), (12), (14); amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 431, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 503, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 12, Ch. 383, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 9, Ch. 221, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 384, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 29, Ch. 409, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 308, L. 2009; amd. Sec. 15, Ch. 283, L. 2019.