How much does it cost to start an LLC in Montana?

Montana charges $35 to file Articles of Organization with the Montana Secretary of State, a filing fee lower than in all 49 other states. You'll also file an annual report between January 1 and April 15 each year, which Montana provides free of charge inside that window, so your first-year total is $35 and your ongoing state cost is $0. For example, if you form your LLC in February 2026, your first annual report is due between January 1 and April 15, 2027. For comparison, the national average first-year LLC cost is $232, Montana founders save $197. Additional costs may include registered agent services if you hire a professional and any local business permits. Exception: Montana has state income tax on LLC profits, though it imposes no state sales tax. File your Articles of Organization at sosmt.gov to lock in that $35 rate with immediate online confirmation.

How long does it take to form an LLC in Montana?

Montana publishes no standard processing time for the LLC formation document, so nobody can honestly quote you one. The Montana Secretary of State doesn't publish a standard turnaround time for LLC filings. The office instead sells 24-hour priority handling for $20 and 1-hour expedite for $100, available on all documents. What the Montana Secretary of State does publish is a price for speed: $20 for 24-hour priority handling, and $100 for 1-hour expedite. Those are firm commitments, and they're the only way to get a guaranteed date. File online where the state offers it. Every state that discusses the difference says online is faster than mail, and treat any specific day count you see quoted for Montana as unsourced.

Do I need a registered agent for my Montana LLC?

Yes, Montana law requires every LLC to designate a registered agent with a physical Montana street address when filing Articles of Organization with the Montana Secretary of State. The registered agent's role is to receive legal documents, service of process, and official state correspondence on behalf of your LLC during normal business hours. For example, if your LLC is named in a lawsuit, the registered agent accepts the legal papers and ensures you're notified in time to respond. You can serve as your own registered agent if you've a Montana street address and are reliably available during business hours, or you can hire a professional service for a yearly fee. Exception: P.O. boxes aren't acceptable as a registered agent address; a physical street location is required under Montana law. Update your registered agent details at sosmt.gov promptly whenever your agent's information changes.

What is Montana's annual report requirement for LLCs?

Montana LLCs must file an annual report with the Montana Secretary of State between January 1 and April 15 each year, at no charge. This report confirms your LLC remains active and allows you to update your registered agent, principal address, and member information. For example, if you form your Montana LLC in September 2026, your first annual report is due in the January 1, April 15, 2027 window. Miss it and the Secretary of State stops waiving the fee: a report filed after April 15 costs $35. Failure to file by April 15th triggers late penalties and can ultimately result in administrative dissolution. Exception: LLCs that miss the April 15th deadline may still reinstate by filing and paying any accumulated penalties. File your annual report at sosmt.gov to maintain good standing and avoid dissolution risk.

Can I form an LLC in Montana if I don't live there?

Yes, non-residents can form a Montana LLC without any restriction on ownership or management by out-of-state individuals. You file Articles of Organization with the Montana Secretary of State at sosmt.gov for the $35 fee, regardless of where you personally reside. The only Montana-specific requirement is designating a registered agent with a physical Montana street address, which you can satisfy by hiring a professional registered agent service for a yearly fee. For example, an entrepreneur based in Florida can own and manage a Montana LLC entirely remotely as long as a Montana-based registered agent is on file. Exception: if your LLC conducts business in another state, that state may require you to register as a foreign LLC in that state and pay its fees separately. File your Articles of Organization at sosmt. The Montana Secretary of State publishes no standard processing time for this filing.

Does Montana require LLCs to publish formation notices?

No. Unlike New York, Nebraska and parts of Arizona, Montana requires no newspaper notice of formation, so you avoid the newspaper charges. Filing Articles of Organization with the Montana Secretary of State is the only public disclosure required to legally form your Montana LLC. For example, once the Montana Secretary of State approves your Articles of Organization, your LLC is fully formed with no additional publication steps. This absence of a publication requirement keeps Montana's already low $35 formation cost intact with no hidden compliance expenses. Exception: certain regulated professions forming a professional LLC in Montana may have additional disclosure requirements from their licensing board. File online at sosmt.gov to complete your Montana LLC formation quickly and affordably.

Start Your Montana LLC in 7 Simple Steps

Form your Montana LLC with a $35 filing fee, lower than in all 49 other states.

By Edmond Hui · Last updated: October 2026

Filing an LLC in Montana costs $35 upfront and has a free annual report due April 15. Montana publishes no standard processing time. See breakdown below.

Montana publishes no standard LLC turnaround: its fee schedule prices expedited service but attaches no figure to the ordinary $35 filing

The Montana Secretary of State sells speed instead of promising it: $20 for 24-hour priority handling, and $100 for 1-hour expedite. Treat any specific day count you see quoted for Montana with suspicion. It didn't come from the state. Plan around the filing itself, and buy an expedite tier if your timing is genuinely fixed.

Source: MyStateLLC 50-state primary-source processing verification, July 2026

Read this guide for another state:

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$39 with Northwest, plus your $35 state fee. Northwest's $39 includes a year of registered agent service.

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Form your LLC with Northwest ($39 + state fee)Includes a year of registered agent service. After year one, registered agent service is $125/yr. That enrolls you by default in annual report filing at $100 plus state fees, charged automatically to your saved payment method and cancellable any time.

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Quick Facts

State filing fee	$35
Processing time	Not published by the state
Annual report due	April 15
Annual report fee	$0
State income tax	Members pay 4.7% to 5.65% on pass-through profits

Source: Montana Secretary of State (verified July 2026)

Step diagram for forming an LLC in Montana, showing the 7 required steps, $35 state filing fee, $0 annual report. — The 7 steps to form an LLC in Montana, with the state's own filing fee and annual report cost. Source: Montana Secretary of State, verified July 2026.

How to Form an LLC: Step-by-Step

1
Choose Your Montana LLC Name
Select a unique name ending with 'LLC,' 'Limited Liability Company,' or acceptable abbreviations. Check availability using Montana Secretary of State's business search tool. Your name must be distinguishable from existing Montana business entities.
How to search Montana's business entity records →
Pro tip: Reserve your name for 120 days with a $10 fee if you're not ready to file immediately.
2
Appoint a Montana Registered Agent
Designate a registered agent with a Montana street address to receive legal documents. This can be yourself, another person, or a professional service. The agent must be available during normal business hours and have a physical Montana address.
Montana registered agent rules, costs and options →
Pro tip: A professional registered agent service puts its address, not yours, on the registered agent line of the public filing, and accepts legal papers during business hours.
3
File Articles of Organization
Submit Form LLC-1 to the Montana Secretary of State with the $35 filing fee. Include your LLC name, registered agent information, and principal office address. File online at sosmt.gov or mail to the Secretary of State's office.
What You File in Montana
In Montana, the formation document is the Articles of Organization, filed with the Montana Secretary of State, Business Services. The state filing fee is $35. Montana lets you fill in and file the Articles of Organization online. The form itself requires the LLC's name, the registered agent's name, the principal office address, the organizer's name, whether the LLC is member-managed or manager-managed and the LLC's duration. Every line of the Articles of Organization, field by field →
Processing Times
- Online: Not published, Montana Secretary of State states no standard turnaround for online filings
- Mail: Not published, Montana Secretary of State states no standard turnaround for mailed filings, and every state that comments says mail is slower than online
- Expedited: $20 for 24-hour priority handling, and $100 for 1-hour expedite
Pro tip: Online filing is faster and provides immediate confirmation of submission.
4
Create an Operating Agreement
Draft an operating agreement outlining ownership structure, management procedures, and member responsibilities. This page has not confirmed whether Montana law requires an LLC to have an operating agreement. A written agreement signed by every member is worth having either way: it records who owns what share, who makes decisions and how profits are divided.
Montana LLC operating agreement: what to include →
Pro tip: Even single-member LLCs benefit from an operating agreement to maintain separation between personal and business assets.
5
Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)
Apply for a federal EIN through the IRS website, even if you don't plan to hire employees. This free process typically takes a few minutes online and provides the tax ID number most banks ask for when you open a business account.
How to get your LLC's EIN from the IRS, free →
Pro tip: Get your EIN immediately after filing your Articles of Organization to avoid delays in opening business accounts.
6
Open a Business Bank Account
Separate your business and personal finances by opening a dedicated LLC bank account. Bring your Articles of Organization, EIN confirmation, and operating agreement to the bank. Most Montana banks offer business checking accounts with competitive rates.
Business bank accounts for Montana LLCs →
Pro tip: Shop around for business accounts with no monthly fees and convenient online banking features.
7
Obtain Required Business Licenses
Research and obtain necessary licenses and permits based on your business activities and location. Check requirements with Montana Department of Revenue for state licenses and your local city or county for municipal permits.
Does your Montana LLC need a business license? →
Pro tip: Use Montana's Business Licensing Database to identify all licenses needed for your specific industry.

Watch: How to Start an LLC in Montana (2026): Step-by-Step Guide

This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. It reports what each Secretary of State publishes for forming an LLC, with the sources this page cites. It cannot tell you what your own filing needs: fees and forms change between our reviews, several occupations cannot use an ordinary LLC at all and must use a professional entity, and your city or county may require a registration of its own. Confirm the current fee and form with the filing office named on this page before you send anything.

Frequently Asked Questions

: Montana charges $35 to file Articles of Organization with the Montana Secretary of State, a filing fee lower than in all 49 other states. You'll also file an annual report between January 1 and April 15 each year, which Montana provides free of charge inside that window, so your first-year total is $35 and your ongoing state cost is $0. For example, if you form your LLC in February 2026, your first annual report is due between January 1 and April 15, 2027. For comparison, the national average first-year LLC cost is $232, Montana founders save $197. Additional costs may include registered agent services if you hire a professional and any local business permits. Exception: Montana has state income tax on LLC profits, though it imposes no state sales tax. File your Articles of Organization at sosmt.gov to lock in that $35 rate with immediate online confirmation.
: Montana publishes no standard processing time for the LLC formation document, so nobody can honestly quote you one. The Montana Secretary of State doesn't publish a standard turnaround time for LLC filings. The office instead sells 24-hour priority handling for $20 and 1-hour expedite for $100, available on all documents. What the Montana Secretary of State does publish is a price for speed: $20 for 24-hour priority handling, and $100 for 1-hour expedite. Those are firm commitments, and they're the only way to get a guaranteed date. File online where the state offers it. Every state that discusses the difference says online is faster than mail, and treat any specific day count you see quoted for Montana as unsourced.
: Yes, Montana law requires every LLC to designate a registered agent with a physical Montana street address when filing Articles of Organization with the Montana Secretary of State. The registered agent's role is to receive legal documents, service of process, and official state correspondence on behalf of your LLC during normal business hours. For example, if your LLC is named in a lawsuit, the registered agent accepts the legal papers and ensures you're notified in time to respond. You can serve as your own registered agent if you've a Montana street address and are reliably available during business hours, or you can hire a professional service for a yearly fee. Exception: P.O. boxes aren't acceptable as a registered agent address; a physical street location is required under Montana law. Update your registered agent details at sosmt.gov promptly whenever your agent's information changes.
: Montana LLCs must file an annual report with the Montana Secretary of State between January 1 and April 15 each year, at no charge. This report confirms your LLC remains active and allows you to update your registered agent, principal address, and member information. For example, if you form your Montana LLC in September 2026, your first annual report is due in the January 1, April 15, 2027 window. Miss it and the Secretary of State stops waiving the fee: a report filed after April 15 costs $35. Failure to file by April 15th triggers late penalties and can ultimately result in administrative dissolution. Exception: LLCs that miss the April 15th deadline may still reinstate by filing and paying any accumulated penalties. File your annual report at sosmt.gov to maintain good standing and avoid dissolution risk.
: Yes, non-residents can form a Montana LLC without any restriction on ownership or management by out-of-state individuals. You file Articles of Organization with the Montana Secretary of State at sosmt.gov for the $35 fee, regardless of where you personally reside. The only Montana-specific requirement is designating a registered agent with a physical Montana street address, which you can satisfy by hiring a professional registered agent service for a yearly fee. For example, an entrepreneur based in Florida can own and manage a Montana LLC entirely remotely as long as a Montana-based registered agent is on file. Exception: if your LLC conducts business in another state, that state may require you to register as a foreign LLC in that state and pay its fees separately. File your Articles of Organization at sosmt. The Montana Secretary of State publishes no standard processing time for this filing.
: No. Unlike New York, Nebraska and parts of Arizona, Montana requires no newspaper notice of formation, so you avoid the newspaper charges. Filing Articles of Organization with the Montana Secretary of State is the only public disclosure required to legally form your Montana LLC. For example, once the Montana Secretary of State approves your Articles of Organization, your LLC is fully formed with no additional publication steps. This absence of a publication requirement keeps Montana's already low $35 formation cost intact with no hidden compliance expenses. Exception: certain regulated professions forming a professional LLC in Montana may have additional disclosure requirements from their licensing board. File online at sosmt.gov to complete your Montana LLC formation quickly and affordably.

Sources

6 documents

Each entry below is a document recorded in our verified Montana sources, and each entry says what the document is. Some statutory text is read from an accurate mirror rather than from the state's own host, and those say so. Where we hold the citation but no stable public link, the citation is printed on its own rather than pointed at a guessed address.

Montana statute: MCA 35-8-208 (annual report contents)
Montana law: HB 337 (2025) (income tax rate cut)
sosmt.gov/business/Montana Secretary of State: business entity filings
sosmt.gov/business/fees/Montana LLC filing fees
archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0350/chapter_0080/part_0020/section_0080/0350-0080-0020-0080.htmlMontana statute: Annual Report
sos.mt.gov/business/fees/Montana agency guidance: Annual Report

More for Montana LLCs

Ready to Form Your Montana LLC?

$39 with Northwest, plus your $35 state fee. Northwest's $39 includes a year of registered agent service.

Affiliate disclosure: We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Prefer to file directly? File yourself at the Secretary of State → ($35 state fee, no service fee)

Not sure which service is right? Compare formation services →

Edmond Hui · Founder, MyStateLLC

Edmond Hui is a software engineer and serial entrepreneur based in New York who has founded multiple online businesses across e-commerce, media, and information publishing. Before transitioning into tech, he spent years as a commercial real estate professional closing deals totaling over 100,000 square feet, giving him firsthand experience with business formation and entity structuring. He built MyStateLLC to provide the free, state-specific LLC guidance he wished existed when forming his own companies.

How we check facts

Start Your Montana LLC in 7 Simple Steps

Quick Facts

How to Form an LLC: Step-by-Step

Choose Your Montana LLC Name

Appoint a Montana Registered Agent

File Articles of Organization

What You File in Montana

Processing Times

Create an Operating Agreement

Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)

Open a Business Bank Account

Obtain Required Business Licenses

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

More for Montana LLCs

Start and set up

Taxes, money and growth

Stay compliant

Operate in other states

Compare structures

By owner type

By profession

Ready to Form Your Montana LLC?

Quick Facts

How to Form an LLC: Step-by-Step

Choose Your Montana LLC Name

Appoint a Montana Registered Agent

File Articles of Organization

What You File in Montana

Processing Times

Create an Operating Agreement

Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)

Open a Business Bank Account

Obtain Required Business Licenses

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

More for Montana LLCs

Start and set up

Taxes, money and growth

Stay compliant

Operate in other states

Compare structures

By owner type

By profession

Ready to Form Your Montana LLC?

More Montana LLC Guides

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