Montana LLC Formation: $35 State Fee — Cheapest in America
Pay one annual fee — $99 — for registered agent representation in Montana. The address goes on your filings, legal mail gets scanned same-day, and we remind you before state deadlines.
Opening an LLC in Montana is more procedural than complicated — there's one filing to do, one agent to keep on file, and a few yearly steps to remember. Expect $35 for the state filing itself, a handful of business days of waiting, and then a small set of ongoing fees that vary by year. Up next: the formation steps, the cost table, and where our $199 service plugs in.
Get Your Montana LLC — $199
$199 flat — we handle the documentation, send it to Montana Secretary of State, and wait for approval. Allow a handful of business days.
What A Montana LLC Is (and Why People Form One)
LLCs are the workhorse small-business entity — they shield the owner's the owner's assets and pass income straight to the owner's tax return. Among Montana small business owners, consultants, real estate holders, solo operators, and small partnerships all favor the LLC for its blend of low overhead and real protection.
The Numbers for Montana LLC Formation
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Our LLC formation service | $199 one-time |
| State filing fee (Montana Secretary of State) | $35 one-time |
| Registered agent (required for every Montana LLC) | $99/year |
| State annual report fee | $20/year |
We charge $199 for the filing. Montana Secretary of State bills the state fee separately. Our designated agent product is $99 annually on its own.
Montana LLC Formation: Each Step
1. Pick a Name Montana Secretary of State Will Accept
Your Montana LLC name has to contain an LLC designator and has to be distinguishable from existing entities already registered in the state. Run any candidate name through the state's entity search first. Montana Secretary of State maintains a public database for exactly this purpose.
Words implying banking, insurance, or government affiliation are restricted in entity names. Skip them unless you've already cleared the relevant authority.
2. Name a Registered Agent
For every Montana LLC the rule is the same: maintain a designated agent with an in-state brick-and-mortar address, available during the workday, year-round. Whatever address you put down for the agent is publicly visible through Montana Secretary of State's entity search.
$99 annually is what our agent service costs. Our team and address handle the public-facing side so your personal address stays private.
3. File Articles of Organization with Montana Secretary of State
This step formally establishes the LLC: file the formation document at Montana Secretary of State and pay $35 to the state. What the form needs: the company name, the primary business address, the RA's name and address, the management setup (member-managed or manager-managed), and organizer names.
Online filing through Montana Secretary of State's filing website is the standard channel and usually moves faster than paper submissions.
Wait time from filing to approval is around a handful of business days. Faster processing exists at extra cost.
4. Create Your LLC's Operating Agreement
The state doesn't make you file an operating agreement, but you need one anyway: it's the internal rulebook for the LLC. The agreement defines ownership, distributions, management authority, voting rules, and exit procedures. Without one, Montana's default LLC statute steps in — and those defaults may not match what you and your co-owners actually want.
5. Obtain the Federal EIN
An Employer Identification Number serves as the LLC's federal-level tax identifier. It's referenced by banks, payroll services, and the IRS. Use the IRS website to apply. The whole thing takes around ten minutes, and your EIN issues at the end.
Don't pay any service for an EIN. The IRS gives EINs away for free through a quick online form.
6. Handle Ongoing Compliance
Keeping the entity in active good standing involves a short list of recurring tasks:
- Always keep the RA designation with a Montana address on file each day the LLC remains active
- Get in the yearly annual report by the state's yearly cutoff
- Carry out a hard separation between business records and personal records (separate accounting books, separate accounts)
- Take care of federal and Montana tax deadlines throughout the year
Slip on any of those and Montana Secretary of State can administratively dissolve the LLC. Once that happens, the liability protection is gone until you bring everything current.
If you'd rather outsource: $199 covers the whole filing through our service.
Registered Agents in Montana
All Montana LLCs must maintain a RA. It's a statutory requirement, not a recommendation. What the agent must do:
- Have on file an actual Montana location with a brick-and-mortar address (a PO box by itself isn't enough)
- Be available all through normal business hours for service of process
- Forward state mail and lawsuits fast enough that the LLC can respond before deadlines
Using your home address as agent address makes it part of the state record. Once it's listed, anyone running a Montana entity search can find it.
Our $99/year plan covers the agent role in Montana — list us on the form and your personal address never goes public.
Montana LLC FAQ
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Montana?
Filing costs $35 at the state level. That puts it in the lower bracket of LLC filing fees. Plan for $20/year on the annual report after that.
How long does it take to form an LLC in Montana?
A handful of business days is the usual processing window in Montana.
Does Montana require an annual report?
Yes. The annual filing fee is $20/year.
Do I need a registered agent for my Montana LLC?
Yes. Montana requires an agent with an actual Montana address on file from formation onward. The requirement begins at formation and lasts for the time the LLC remains active.
Can I form an LLC in Montana if I live in another state?
Yes — Residency isn't a Montana LLC requirement. You'll still need a Montana agent on file; our $99/year plan handles it.
File Your Montana LLC Today
If you'd rather DIY, file directly with Montana Secretary of State by submitting through Montana Secretary of State's filing website. $35 is the state filing fee. An agent is still mandatory.
Our service plays the registered agent role for your Montana LLC. At $99/year, includes our Montana address on the filing, same-day mail scans, and compliance notifications.
Looking for the registered agent on its own? The stand-alone registered agent plan costs $99/year.
More to know about Montana LLCs or our agent service? Browse our FAQ or email us Monday through Friday.
Ready to get started?
Step into coverage at the listed annual rate — address, scans, reminders, no add-ons.