Montana Consumer Data Privacy Act (MCDPA) Awareness Course

Coming Soon: March 2026 Delivery: 100% online Duration: 35-40 minutes Certificate on Completion

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15,000+ learners across our course collection. Immediate access on launch. 14 day 100% money-back guarantee.

Montana has the lowest consumer thresholds of any US state privacy law - just 50,000 consumers (or 25,000 if you derive revenue from selling data). This means more businesses are covered by the Montana Consumer Data Privacy Act than by similar laws in other states, making it a critical compliance requirement for many organisations.

This course provides practical guidance on the Montana Consumer Data Privacy Act. We cover who must comply (including the unique treatment of financial institutions and nonprofits), the rights Montana residents have over their data, sensitive data requirements, and enforcement mechanisms.

The MCDPA became effective on October 1, 2024. Unlike most state laws, Montana removed the GLBA exemption for financial institutions and covers most nonprofits. It provides a 60-day cure period (expiring April 2026) and penalties up to $7,500 per violation. No technical background required - just focused, practical training your team can apply immediately.

Why learn about the MCDPA?

Understand the lowest applicability thresholds of any US state privacy law
Know whether your financial institution or nonprofit must comply
Handle Montana consumer data requests correctly within required timeframes
Avoid penalties of up to $7,500 per violation
Prepare for the cure period expiration in April 2026

Course features

Montana-specific

Focused entirely on the MCDPA with Montana-specific requirements, thresholds, and the unique treatment of financial institutions.

Practical scenarios

Real-world examples showing how the MCDPA applies in everyday business situations across various industries.

Current guidance

Covers the law as effective October 2024 with the latest interpretations and compliance guidance.

Official sources

Built from the Montana Code Annotated and Attorney General guidance, with references to official documentation.

Learning with us

Course information

Learning outcomes

Understand when and how the MCDPA applies to your organisation
Know the unique threshold requirements that affect more businesses
Recognise the rights Montana residents have over their personal data
Handle consumer data requests correctly within required timeframes
Understand enforcement, the cure period, and potential penalties

Training recommendations

All employees who handle customer data should complete this training.
Annual refresher training is recommended to stay current with amendments and enforcement trends.
Teams handling sensitive data or consumer requests may benefit from additional role-specific training.

This course is recommended for

Employees who handle customer data at organisations that conduct business in Montana or target Montana residents. This includes marketing, sales, customer service, HR, IT, and compliance teams at businesses, financial institutions, and nonprofits that meet the applicability thresholds.

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this course. No legal or technical background is required.

What do I need for this course?

This course is 100% online and delivered through our online learning platform. Organisations can also access this content via their own LMS on request (SCORM format available).

Course content

Section 1: Understanding Montana's Privacy Landscape

In this section we introduce the Montana Consumer Data Privacy Act and explain why it matters for your organisation. We cover what makes Montana's law unique, including its low applicability thresholds and broad coverage.

Lessons

Introduction to the MCDPA
Why Montana matters: lowest thresholds in the US
Effective date: October 1, 2024
Key definitions you need to know

Section 2: Who Must Comply

Montana's low thresholds mean more businesses are covered than under most other state laws. This section covers the 50,000/25,000 consumer thresholds and the unique treatment of financial institutions and nonprofits.

Lessons

The 50,000 consumer threshold
The 25,000 consumer + revenue threshold
Financial institutions under MCDPA
Nonprofit coverage
Entities exempt from the MCDPA

Section 3: Consumer Rights Under MCDPA

Montana residents have comprehensive rights over their personal data. We cover what those rights are, how to handle requests, and the timeframes you must meet.

Lessons

The right to know and access
The right to correct inaccuracies
The right to delete personal data
The right to data portability
The right to opt out of sales, profiling, and targeted advertising
Handling consumer requests within 45 days

Section 4: Sensitive Data and Consent

The MCDPA requires opt-in consent before processing sensitive data. We explain what counts as sensitive data in Montana and how to implement proper consent mechanisms.

Lessons

What is sensitive data under MCDPA?
The opt-in consent requirement
Children's data and parental consent
Biometric and precise geolocation data
Practical consent workflows

Section 5: Operational Compliance Requirements

This section covers the practical obligations organisations must meet, including privacy notices, data protection assessments, and contracts with processors.

Lessons

Privacy notice requirements
Data protection assessments
Data minimisation and purpose limitation
Security obligations
Processor and contractor requirements

Section 6: Enforcement and Penalties

Understand how the MCDPA is enforced, the 60-day cure period, and what penalties look like. We also cover how to respond if you receive an investigation notice.

Lessons

Attorney General enforcement authority
The 60-day cure period (expires April 2026)
Penalties up to $7,500 per violation
No private right of action
Responding to investigations

Section 7: Assessment

Test your knowledge with scenario-based questions covering all the key MCDPA concepts from the course.

Lessons

Knowledge check (10 questions)

How it works

Step 1

Get notified

Sign up to be notified when this course launches. You'll be among the first to know and can start training your team immediately.

Step 2

Start learning

Each team member will have access to the learning materials and assessment. On completion of the course, team members will be issued with a certificate.

Step 3

Stay compliant

As the MCDPA evolves, we'll update the course. Trainees can review updated materials to stay current with enforcement trends and amendments.

What's included

Training

Distraction-free online learning platform
Scenario-based end of course assessment

Updates

Access to all course material updates and enhancements for the length of your access period

Certification

Certificate on completion

Course FAQs

Will I get a certificate?

Yes, on completion of the course you will be issued with a digital certificate. It will be issued by our team shortly after completion of the course including the end of course assessment. You can add this to your LinkedIn profile.

Who should take this course?

This course is designed for employees who handle customer data at organisations that may be subject to Montana's privacy law. This includes marketing, sales, customer service, HR, and IT teams at organisations doing business in Montana or handling data of Montana residents.

How is MCDPA different from other state privacy laws?

Montana has the lowest consumer thresholds in the US - just 50,000 consumers (or 25,000 if you derive revenue from data sales). It also removed the GLBA exemption, meaning many financial institutions must comply. Montana also covers most nonprofits, unlike many other state laws.

Does MCDPA apply to my organisation?

MCDPA applies to organisations that conduct business in Montana or target Montana residents, AND either: (a) control or process personal data of 50,000+ Montana consumers, or (b) control or process data of 25,000+ Montana consumers and derive more than 25% of gross revenue from selling personal data.

What are the penalties for non-compliance?

The Montana Attorney General can impose civil penalties of up to $7,500 per violation. There is a 60-day cure period until April 2026, after which the Attorney General can take direct enforcement action. There is no private right of action.

Is there a money back guarantee?

Yes, we offer a 14-day 100% money-back guarantee. If you are not satisfied with the course for any reason, simply contact us within 14 days of purchase for a full refund.

How long does the course take?

The course typically takes 35-40 minutes to complete. You can pause and resume at any time, and your progress is automatically saved.