Montana LLC vs Texas LLC (2026)
Compare Montana LLC vs Texas LLC on filing fees, taxes, privacy laws, and annual costs. Find out which state is actually better for your business.
By Edmond Hui · Last updated: August 13, 2026
Verdict: Montana wins for most businesses
For most Montana-based businesses, forming locally in Montana is the smarter choice. You avoid paying fees in two states and managing compliance in both. Texas only makes sense if your business genuinely operates there, and even then the total costs deserve a hard look.
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| Factor | Montana | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Filing Fee | $35 | $300 |
| Processing Time | Not published by the state | Not published by the state |
| Annual Report Fee | $20 | $0 |
| Annual Report Due | April 15 | May 15 |
| State Income Tax | Yes | No |
| Anonymous LLC | No | No |
| Publication Requirement | No | No |
| Foreign LLC Cost (if forming out-of-state) | N/A, you're in your home state | $70 + registered agent ~$150/yr |
Full fee breakdown for either state: Montana LLC cost and Texas LLC cost.
Business Climate: Montana vs Texas
| Factor | Montana | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| 5-year business survival rate | 53% (#16 of 51) | 52.5% (#20 of 51) |
| Business application growth (2026 YTD (Jan to Jul) vs 2025 YTD (same months)) | +13.4% YoY (#40 of 51 by volume) | +13.7% YoY (#3 of 51 by volume) |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Business Employment Dynamics · U.S. Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics (BFS)
Compare LLC Costs: Montana vs Texas
Montana
Texas
Costs include every mandatory state charge: the filing fee, the report fee (annualised where a state files biennially), any state entity-level tax shown in its own row above, a one-time publication cost where a state requires publication, and any one-time registration charge a state requires before the LLC may trade. Annualising makes the 1, 3 and 5 year rows a cost of ownership rather than a payment schedule: a biennial state charges its whole report fee in the years it falls due and nothing in between. Entity-level taxes that only apply after a corporate election, or above an owner or income threshold, are excluded and flagged on the state's own cost page. New York's publication cost is carried at a $250 floor, roughly $200 of newspaper cost in a low-cost county plus the $50 Certificate of Publication fee. No county-clerk-designated New York City newspaper publishes a rate card, so the four-figure NYC estimates in wide circulation cannot be traced to a primary source and are not asserted here; budget for materially more than the floor if you file in a NYC county. Montana's annual report is free when filed by April 15 and $35 after, a waiver the Secretary of State applies at its discretion. Every fee was verified against the state's own fee schedule, statute, or revenue authority on 29 July 2026. Excludes registered agent and legal fees. For informational purposes only, not legal or tax advice.
Filing Fees & Formation Costs
Montana charges $35 to form an LLC, while Texas charges $300. Montana is $265 cheaper upfront. The cost that usually gets overlooked: if you form in Texas but operate in Montana, you must also register as a foreign LLC in Montana (a $70 filing) and maintain a registered agent in Texas (typically around $150 per year). That puts the realistic first-year cost of the Texas route at roughly $520, versus $35 for simply forming in Montana. Speed isn't a basis for choosing between them: neither Montana nor Texas publishes a standard processing time, so any figure comparing the two is guesswork.
Taxes: Montana vs Texas
Texas has no personal income tax while Montana does, but forming your LLC in Texas won't change that. LLC profits pass through to you and are taxed where you live and operate (in Montana), not where the LLC is registered, so a Texas LLC offers no income-tax savings for a Montana-based business. Montana levies a two-bracket individual income tax; per HB 337 (2025) the top rate drops from 5.9% to 5.65% effective January 1, 2026, with the 4.7% lower rate applying up to $47,500 single/$95,000 joint (Montana Department of Revenue). No franchise or privilege tax on LLCs; the Secretary of State currently waives the annual report fee for reports filed by April 15 ($35 if filed late). Texas imposes a franchise tax; LLCs under the no-tax-due threshold ($2,650,000 total revenue for 2026-27 reports) owe $0 but must still file an annual Public Information Report.
Privacy & Asset Protection
Neither Montana nor Texas offers anonymous LLC formation: both states require owner or manager information on public filings. The Certificate of Formation (Form 205) must name at least one governing person (member or manager), a public record; the annual Public Information Report also discloses management. Business owners who prioritize privacy typically form a holding company in a state like Wyoming or New Mexico instead. Both states provide charging-order protection for LLC members, and for most small businesses the practical difference in asset protection between the two is minimal.
Annual Maintenance Costs
Montana LLCs file an annual report ($20, due April 15), and Texas LLCs file a free annual report (due May 15). If you form in Texas while operating in Montana, you maintain filings in both states (Texas's report plus Montana's equivalent for your foreign registration) and pay a Texas registered agent roughly $150 per year. That brings ongoing costs of the Texas route to roughly $170 per year, versus about $20 to keep a domestic Montana LLC in good standing. There are also recurring state taxes to weigh on each side. No franchise or privilege tax on LLCs; the Secretary of State currently waives the annual report fee for reports filed by April 15 ($35 if filed late). Texas imposes a franchise tax; LLCs under the no-tax-due threshold ($2,650,000 total revenue for 2026-27 reports) owe $0 but must still file an annual Public Information Report.
When Texas Actually Makes Sense
Forming in Texas makes sense in a few specific situations: your business genuinely operates in Texas, with a real office, employees, or property there, or you're relocating to Texas in the near future, which would also move you out of Montana's personal income tax. For a typical small business based in Montana, none of these usually apply. Registering a Texas LLC to do business back home means $70 in Montana foreign-registration fees, on top of Texas's $300 formation fee, while Montana's own annual report stays free to file and is due April 15. When in doubt, form where you actually do business.
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