From The Front Desk At Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks

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At Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, you could reliably judge the time of year by the type of questions front desk staffers receive by phone and in person.

For example, the new hunting and fishing license year begins March 1. As more people turn to the Internet at fwp.mt.gov or the Discovering Montana web site at www.state.mt.us to obtain their 2005 conservation and other licenses, some applicants have questions about the error messages they see on the computer screen.

The most common error messages when purchasing a license online relate to residency issues and Automated Licensing System information that cannot be located.

Here is why these errors happen:

Your residency status might be questioned if:

* the information you entered doesn’t match the information on your Department of Motor Vehicle record. Your name, birth date, and driver’s license number, as you enter them on line, need to match the DMV database.   So, enter what appears on your driver’s license.

* your driver’s license may fall into a category such as “expired” or “surrendered.” 

Can’t remember your ALS number?  You can now  use the online ALS Number Lookup to find your ALS number. 

Your ALS information might not be found if:

* your first or last name in ALS does not match the first or last name you typed into the online system.

* your residency status in ALS is "nonresident” and you attempted to enter the online licensing system as a resident. Once you meet residency requirements, you must purchase your first resident license in person from any FWP license provider.

* the date of birth and/or the ALS number you just entered do not match with the existing record in ALS.

The best way to avoid errors when you attempt to purchase an FWP license online, is to make sure you have your last year’s conservation license handy and use your ALS number and name exactly as it is listed.