Every recovery residence in Montana is supposed to be on a state list. Since October 1, 2023, the law has required these homes to register with the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), and the registry shows each home’s town and any certification it holds.
Montana is big, and its homes are spread thin: Billings and Missoula have the most, and others are in small towns hours apart. State law also protects residents from several predatory practices, covered below.
What Is a Sober Living Home in Montana?
A sober living home, which Montana law calls a recovery residence, is shared housing for people in recovery who live without alcohol or drugs and follow house rules together. It provides a place to live and peer support, not treatment.
Montana does not license recovery residences, but it does require them to register. Under MCA § 53-24-311, a recovery residence must register with DPHHS and may also seek certification from a recognized certifying organization. The rules came from Senate Bill 94, passed in 2023.
Montana law also bans several practices that have hurt residents elsewhere. Under MCA § 53-24-312, a recovery residence may not:
- Market falsely: No misleading claims about its identity, services, or location.
- Use deceptive links: No websites or ads built to look like another provider.
- Pay or take kickbacks: No commissions or split fees for referring residents.
What Daily Life Looks Like in a Montana Sober House
A Montana sober house typically runs on a weekly rhythm: a house meeting, chores, a set number of recovery meetings, and work or job searching during the day. Drug and alcohol testing is routine.
Keep readingHouse Rules in Sober HousesThe rules that keep a recovery home safe, structured, and worth living in.→Distance is the daily challenge. Outside the larger towns, meetings, jobs, and treatment can be a long drive apart, and winter makes it harder. Ask how residents get around and whether the house helps with rides.
How Long Do Residents Stay?
Montana homes decide their own stay policies. Ask about any minimum stay and what the plan is when you are ready to move on, especially in towns where rentals are hard to find.
NARR Levels: Which Kind of Sober Living Home Fits You?
DPHHS recognizes two certifiers. Recovery Access Montana (RAM), the state affiliate of the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR), certifies homes to NARR’s four-level standard. The National Sober Living Association is the second.
| NARR level | Model | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Level I | Peer-run | Democratically run homes with no paid staff, such as the Oxford House model, relying on peer accountability |
| Level II | Monitored | The classic sober living home, with house rules, peer accountability, and a house mentor |
| Level III | Supervised | More structured programming and life-skills support, with trained or credentialed staff |
| Level IV | Service provider | Homes that combine recovery housing with clinical services on site, which need a state health care facility license in Montana |
A certified home’s level tells you how much staff support to expect, from peer-run Level I homes to supervised Level III programs. The NARR levels of care describe each one.
How to Choose a Certified Sober Living Home in Montana
Check the Montana Recovery Residence Registry first. A home missing from it is not following state law. Then ask about certification: RAM grew out of a state partnership launched in January 2022 and now certifies homes statewide from its base in Missoula. The overview of Recovery Access Montana explains its review.
When you compare homes, look for:
- A registry listing: At the address you are touring.
- RAM or NSLA certification: Plus the date it was issued.
- Honest marketing: Promises that match what you see in person.
- Written terms: Rent, deposit, refunds, and discharge rules on paper.
Be suspicious of offers of free rent or travel in exchange for entering a specific treatment program. State law bars kickbacks for referrals, and an offer like that is a red flag. See the checklist for choosing a sober home for more.
Where to Find Sober Houses in Montana
To browse by town, open the Montana listings on the Sober House Directory.
Sober living by city: Billings, Missoula, Great Falls, Bozeman, and Butte.
Your treatment program’s discharge planner usually knows which registered homes have openings. If you need treatment before housing, the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 is free and confidential.
How Much Does Sober Living Cost in Montana?
In VSL’s Rent and Startup Cost Index, Montana’s modeled rate for a shared bed is about $155 a week, or $670 a month (Foote, 2026b). It is built from median rents, not from what individual homes charge.
Bozeman and Missoula usually cost more than the state average, while Billings, Great Falls, and Butte tend to be closer to it. Ask whether utilities are included and whether there is a deposit.
Ways to Pay for Sober Living in Montana
Most residents pay their own rent, and help is limited. A few places to ask:
- Treatment and reentry programs: Some cover a first week or month when they place you.
- Certified homes: Ask whether the home has scholarship beds for new residents.
- Community funds: Churches and local nonprofits sometimes help with a deposit.
VSL’s Operating Climate Index gives Montana only a 4 out of 10 for resident funding access, even though the state scores a perfect 10 for operator funding access (Foote, 2026a). In practice, more public money goes to opening homes than to residents’ rent.
How to Apply for Sober Living in Montana
The steps to get into a Montana recovery residence:
- Check the registry: Make a list of registered homes in the towns that work for you.
- Call about openings: Ask about rent, certification, and transportation.
- Visit or video tour: Distances are long, so a video tour may be the first step.
- Sign the agreement: Make sure the terms match what you were told.
- Settle in: Have your ID, labeled prescriptions, and the first payment with you on move-in day.
A treatment counselor’s call ahead often helps, especially for homes with waiting lists.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sober Living in Montana
Are sober living homes licensed in Montana?
No. Montana does not license recovery residences, but since October 1, 2023, every recovery residence must register with the Department of Public Health and Human Services. Homes may also choose certification from a recognized organization.
How much does sober living cost in Montana?
Expect roughly $155 a week ($670 a month) for a shared bed, VSL’s modeled statewide rate. Bozeman and Missoula usually cost more, so ask each home for its price.
How do I check whether a Montana sober house is registered?
Look it up on the Montana Recovery Residence Registry kept by DPHHS, which lists registered homes with their locations and any certifications. A recovery residence that is not on the registry is not following state law.
Which organizations certify Montana recovery residences?
DPHHS recognizes Recovery Access Montana, the state NARR affiliate, and the National Sober Living Association. Certification is voluntary, but it shows a home has passed an outside review.
What protections do Montana recovery residence residents have?
State law bars recovery residences from false or misleading marketing, deceptive website links, and paying or accepting kickbacks or split fees for referrals. Report offers that sound too good to be true.
Is sober living the same as a halfway house in Montana?
Many Montanans say one when they mean the other, though the two are usually separate things. Residents of a sober living home share substance-free housing they chose and pay for themselves; a halfway house is normally staffed, funded by the state or corrections, and has a set length of stay. Montana recovery residences register with DPHHS and can certify through Recovery Access Montana.
Finding the Right Sober House in Montana
Between the state registry and a certifier’s review, much of the vetting in Montana is done before you call. Check both, then choose the home that keeps you within reach of work and support.
To compare Montana homes, contact the Vanderburgh Sober Living team.
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Search sober houses or talk with our team.
Search Montana sober housesBrowse recovery homes across Montana on the Sober House Directory.Search the national directoryRecovery homes anywhere in the US.Talk with our teamQuestions about choosing a sober house? We can help.Or call (844) 762-3747, weekdays 8a to 5p.
Research & Sources
- Foote, H. T. (2026a). Vanderburgh Sober Living Operating Climate Index, 2026 edition. Vanderburgh Sober Living. https://www.vanderburghhouse.com/research/operating-climate-index-2026/
- Foote, H. T. (2026b). Vanderburgh Sober Living Rent & Startup Cost Index, 2026 edition. Vanderburgh Sober Living. https://www.vanderburghhouse.com/research/rent-startup-cost-index-2026/
- Montana Code Annotated § 53-24-311. (n.d.). Recovery residences. https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0530/chapter_0240/part_0030/section_0110/0530-0240-0030-0110.html
- Montana Code Annotated § 53-24-312. (n.d.). Prohibited practices. https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0530/chapter_0240/part_0030/section_0120/0530-0240-0030-0120.html
- Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Montana Recovery Residence Registry. https://dphhs.mt.gov/BHDD/MontanaRecoveryResidenceRegistry
- Recovery Access Montana. (n.d.). Recovery Access Montana. https://www.rammontana.org/
- National Alliance for Recovery Residences. (2018). NARR standard 3.0. https://narronline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/NARR-Standard-3.0.pdf
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (n.d.). SAMHSA’s National Helpline. https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/helplines/national-helpline
