Every fee datum on this page is verified against the agency's own published schedule or statute (independent re-verification, 2026-09-04); the origin of each value is kept in its record as evidence.
Values were first corroborated across independent internal records; verified cells now also carry the agency's own published schedule or statute as their authority, which is what promotion to verified requires.
Cost position
Ranked 1 of 54 on first-year state
filing cost, at $35.00 against a national median
of $185.00.
Recurring annual cost $0.
See the full ranking.
Where Montana sits among its neighbours in the first-year cost ranking (USD)Show all 54 jurisdictionsThe full ranking with Montana highlighted (USD)
Registered-agent statutes, quoted verbatim
The one section on this page that clears the publication gate in full. 11 citations, verified, quoted from the official code with every elision marked.
MCA 35-7-105
◎Verified
Model Registered Agents Act (MCA Title 35, ch. 7) · applies to
corporations and LLCs
Appointment of registered agent.(1) A registered agent filing must state: (a) the name of the represented entity's commercial registered agent; or (b) if the entity does not have a commercial registered agent, the name and address of the entity's noncommercial registered agent. (2) The appointment of a registered agent pursuant to subsection (1)(a) or (1)(b) is an affirmation by the represented entity that the agent has consented to serve as a registered agent.
Montana Business Corporation Act (MCA Title 35, ch. 14) · applies to
corporations
Registered office and agent -- domestic and registered foreign corporations.(1) Each corporation shall continuously maintain in this state a registered office and a registered agent in compliance with Title 35, chapter 7. (2) As used in this part, "corporation" means both a domestic corporation and a registered foreign corporation.
Montana Limited Liability Company Act (MCA Title 35, ch. 8) · applies to
LLCs
Articles of organization.(1) The articles of organization must set forth: (a) the name of the limited liability company that satisfies the requirements of 35-8-103; [...] (d) the information required by 35-7-105(1);
Montana Limited Liability Company Act (MCA Title 35, ch. 8) · applies to
LLCs
(1) One or more persons may form a limited liability company consisting of one or more members by signing and filing articles of organization with the secretary of state. The person or persons need not be members of the limited liability company at the time of formation or after formation has occurred. A limited liability company is a legal entity distinct from its members. (2) Unless a delayed effective date is specified, the existence of a limited liability company begins when the articles of organization are filed.
Montana Business Corporation Act (MCA Title 35, ch. 14) · applies to
corp
(1) The articles of incorporation must set forth: (a) a corporate name for the corporation that satisfies the requirements of 35-14-401; (b) the number of shares the corporation is authorized to issue; (c) the street and mailing addresses of the corporation's initial registered office and the name of its initial registered agent at that office; and (d) the name and address of each incorporator.
Montana Limited Liability Company Act (MCA Title 35, ch. 8) · applies to
LLCs
(1) A limited liability company or a foreign limited liability company authorized to transact business in this state shall deliver to the secretary of state, for filing, an annual report that sets forth: (a) the name of the limited liability company and the jurisdiction under whose law it is organized; [...] (3) The first annual report must be delivered to the secretary of state between January 1 and April 15 of the year following the calendar year in which a domestic limited liability company is organized or a foreign limited liability company is authorized to transact business.
Montana Business Corporation Act (MCA Title 35, ch. 14) · applies to
corp
(1) Each domestic corporation shall deliver to the secretary of state for filing an annual report that sets forth: (a) the name of the corporation; (b) the street and mailing address of its registered office and the name of its registered agent at that office in this state; [...] (4) The first annual report must be delivered to the secretary of state between January 1 and April 15 of the year following the calendar year in which a domestic corporation was incorporated or a foreign corporation was registered to do business.
Montana Limited Liability Company Act (MCA Title 35, ch. 8) · applies to
LLCs
(1) A domestic limited liability company may be dissolved involuntarily by order of the secretary of state if the limited liability company: (a) (i) has failed for 60 days after a change of its registered agent to file in the office of the secretary of state a statement of the change; or (ii) has failed for 60 days to appoint and maintain a registered agent in this state; (b) has failed for 140 days to file its annual report within the time required by law; (c) has failed to remit any fees required by law; [...]
Montana Business Corporation Act (MCA Title 35, ch. 14) · applies to
corp
The secretary of state may commence a proceeding under 35-14-1421 to dissolve a corporation administratively if: (1) the corporation does not pay within 60 days after they are due any fees, interest, or penalties imposed by this chapter or other laws of this state; (2) the corporation does not deliver its annual report to the secretary of state within 120 days after it is due; (3) the corporation is without a registered agent or registered office in this state for 60 days or more; [...]
Montana Limited Liability Company Act (MCA Title 35, ch. 8) · applies to
LLCs
(1) (a) The name of each limited liability company as set forth in its articles of organization must contain the words "limited liability company" or "limited company" or the abbreviations "l.l.c.", "l.c.", "llc", or "lc". The word "limited" may be abbreviated as "ltd.", and the word "company" may be abbreviated as "co.". [...] (2) A limited liability company name must be distinguishable on the records of the secretary of state from: (a) the name of any business corporation, nonprofit corporation, limited partnership, or limited liability company organized or reserved under the laws of this state; [...]
Montana Business Corporation Act (MCA Title 35, ch. 14) · applies to
corp
(1) A corporate name: (a) must contain the word "corporation", "incorporated", "company", or "limited", the abbreviation "corp.", "inc.", "co.", or "ltd.", or words or abbreviations of similar meaning in another language; and (b) may not contain language stating or implying that the corporation is organized for a purpose other than that permitted by 35-14-301 and its articles of incorporation. (2) Except as authorized by subsections (3) and (4), a corporate name must be distinguishable in the records of the secretary of state from: (a) the corporate name of a corporation incorporated in this state that is not administratively dissolved. [...]
Under the corporation act, if there is no registered agent (or the agent cannot with reasonable diligence be served), the corporation may be served by registered or certified mail addressed to the secretary at its principal office; if that also fails, the Secretary of State is the corporation's agent for service. The generic Model Registered Agents Act rule (MCA 35-7-113(2)) instead points to 'applicable judicial rules and procedures' (the Montana Rules of Civil Procedure, outside this corpus).
Administrative Dissolution. An LLC that fails for 60 days to appoint and maintain a registered agent (or to file a statement of agent change within 60 days) may be involuntarily dissolved by order of the Secretary of State, forfeiting its right to transact business in Montana (90-day cure after notice under 35-8-914).
Reinstatement Fee. Reinstatement after administrative dissolution must be sought within 5 years and requires a Department of Revenue tax certificate, a filing fee set by the Secretary of State (no dollar amount in statute), and all missed annual reports with related fees and penalties. LLCs likewise have a 5-year reinstatement window (MCA 35-8-912).
7 statutory citations and their supporting verbatim quotations sit behind this section in the record and are withheld from public display until the review pass lands, because a citation presented as authority is a verification claimed. Statutory references appearing inside the summaries above are part of the recorded text rather than an authority claim, and they are not rendered as citations, linked, or emitted in this page's structured data. How the gate works.
Governance rules
7 governance rules are recorded for Montana - the organizational and annual meetings, action by written consent, and whether bylaws or an operating agreement are mandatory. Each verified rule links to the statutory text it was verified against, quoted verbatim below.
Organizational meeting required · applies to
corporations ·
yes
the initial directors shall hold an organizational meeting, at the call of a majority of the directors, to complete the organization of the corporation by appointing officers, adopting bylaws, and carrying on any other business
Annual meeting required · applies to
corporations ·
yes
Unless directors are elected by written consent in lieu of an annual meeting as permitted by 35-14-704, a corporation shall hold a meeting of shareholders annually at a time stated in or fixed in accordance with the bylaws
Action by written consent allowed · applies to
corporations ·
yes
may be taken without a meeting if the action is taken by all the shareholders entitled to vote on the action... The articles of incorporation may provide that any action... may be taken without a meeting, and without prior notice
Operating agreement required · applies to
LLCs ·
no
all members of a limited liability company may enter into an operating agreement, which need not be in writing, to regulate the affairs of the company and the conduct of its business
Mont. Code Ann. § 35-8-307(1)(b), (3), (5)
◎Verified
Action by written consent allowed · applies to
LLCs ·
yes
except as provided in subsection (3), any matter relating to the business of the company may be decided by a majority of the members... Action requiring the consent of members or managers under this chapter may be taken without a meeting.
Montana Secretary of State (biz.sosmt.gov online portal)
State fee
$20 registration of assumed business name
Term
5 years from date of registration (MCA 30-13-206)
Renewal
Renew within the 90-day window prior to expiration; renewal fee $20 (official SOS fee schedule). Amendment $20; cancellation free
Publication
Not required. None
Online filing
Available
The regime
Montana operates a mandatory statewide assumed business name registry at the Secretary of State. A person (defined to include individuals, partnerships, corporations, limited partnerships, LLCs, LLPs, and other associations) transacting business under any business name other than its full, true, and correct name must register the assumed business name with the Secretary of State.
Where it is filed
Applications are filed with the Montana Secretary of State, who reviews the application, files it, and issues a certificate of registration if it complies with the part and all applicable fees are paid.
Five years from the date of registration. The Secretary of State must notify the registrant of the pending expiration not less than 90 days before the expiration date; if no renewal application is filed within the 90 day period prior to expiration, the Secretary of State cancels the registration.
Name restrictions
The Secretary of State may not register an assumed business name that is the same as or not distinguishable from an already registered assumed business name, entity name, trademark, or service mark, and an applicant may not use a business name identifier (such as corporation, LLC, or their abbreviations) that misstates or misleadingly implies the applicant's entity type.
A person transacting business without an effective certificate of registration of the assumed business name may not maintain any suit or action in Montana courts under that name. Executing any document filed under the part constitutes an affirmation under the penalties of false swearing that the facts stated are true.
exclusive-rights:no-express-grant-or-disclaimer (part 2 has only the name-availability block in 30-13-202(1) and the contest procedure in 30-13-202(3))
Common questions
Where is a DBA (assumed business name) registered in Montana?
With the Montana Secretary of State. Mont. Code Ann. 30-13-203 provides that a person transacting business in the state under an assumed business name shall register with the Secretary of State on forms the office furnishes, and 30-13-204 has the Secretary of State file the application and issue a certificate of registration.
How long does a Montana assumed business name registration last?
Five years from the date of registration, renewable for successive 5 year terms (Mont. Code Ann. 30-13-206(1)). The Secretary of State sends an expiration notice at least 90 days before the expiration date, and cancels the registration if no renewal application is filed within the 90 day period before expiration (30-13-206(2), (3)).
What happens if a business operates in Montana under an unregistered assumed name?
Under Mont. Code Ann. 30-13-215, a person conducting business without an effective certificate of registration of the assumed business name may not maintain any suit or action in Montana courts under that name.
Can two Montana businesses register the same assumed name?
No. Under Mont. Code Ann. 30-13-202(1), the Secretary of State may not register an assumed business name that is the same as or not distinguishable on the record from an assumed business name already registered, or from any corporate, limited partnership, LLC, or LLP name, trademark, or service mark registered or reserved with the office.
Recurring entity-level tax
Corporate Income Tax - statutorily an annual privilege tax measured by net income (the historical 'corporation license tax'); Montana has NO standalone franchis
other - net income from Montana sources (income-measured privilege tax, NOT capital/net worth); $50 minimum regardless of income
Minimum
$50
Due date
May 15 for calendar-year filers; 15th day of the 5th month following fiscal year close; automatic extension up to 6 months
Corporations
true - every C corporation doing business in Montana (and any entity treated as an association/C corp federally); S corps file Form PTE and are NOT subject to the CIT minimum
LLCs
false for default classification - no entity-level annual tax, no minimum fee (elective - the filer's service-level choice); true only if the LLC is treated as an association (C corp) federally, which pulls it into the CIT incl. the $50 minimum
The tax does not reach LLCs - a positive finding in the record.
This record is at review status provisionally reviewed: values render, citations are withheld until the review pass lands. How the gate works.
Stored as a delta against the federal baseline:
1 day this state closes that the
federal government does not, and 1 federal
holiday its filing office works through.
Montana 2026 closure delta
Date
Day
Filing office
2026-06-19
Juneteenth
OPEN - federal holiday not observed
2026-11-03
State General Election Day
Filing office closed
Provenance - Montana 2026 closures◎Verified
Citation withheld: this record did not clear the publication gate.
2 restricted entity-name word entries
are recorded for Montana,
the rest requiring an agency's consent or licensure before the word may appear in a name.
Governing law: MCA 35-14-401 (corporate name) - generic MBCA rule (no word list); restricted words are in Title 32 (financial institutions).
Montana restricted entity-name words
Treatment
Word or phrase
Authority
Citation
Status
Consent required
bank / banker / banking / savings bank / saving / trust company / investment company
Montana Department of Administration, Division of Banking and Financial Institutions
MCA 32-1-402 (When advertising as bank prohibited - trade names restricted): use of these words in a business name or title is prohibited except by authorized institutions; a bank seeking to transact business under a name containing them 'may do so only on the approval of the department'; nonprofit waiver available if not misleading
◎Verified
Consent required
credit union (or any derivation)
Montana Department of Administration, Division of Banking and Financial Institutions
MCA 32-3-103 (Use of name exclusive): a person 'may not use a name or title containing the words "credit union" or any derivation of the words "credit union"' except credit unions organized under a credit union act or organizations of credit unions
● accepted · ○ not accepted · ? unknown or conditional (hover for the recorded condition). Channel data covers 54 jurisdictions (2026-08-15 wave). Source links render on verified rows only.
Contact the filing office
Verified against the agency's own contact page
2026-08-13.
Source links render on verified rows only.
Montana Secretary of State, P.O. Box 202801, Helena, MT 59620-2801
Courier / walk-in
State Capitol, Room 260, 1301 6th Avenue, Helena, MT 59620
The Business Entity & UCC line and sosbusiness@ inbox, not the 406-444-2034 front desk; Montana pushes filings through the biz.sosmt.gov portal, so paper/courier is the exception - Capitol Room 260 street address for anything physical
Where to search Montana's UCC (Article 9) financing statements, on what terms, and what the office charges to file one. Verified against the filing office's own pages 2026-09-11. UCC division contacts are listed with the other filing-office contacts above.
UCC records - Montana◎Verified
Filing office
Montana Secretary of State - Business Entity & UCC (Business Services)
Filing-office statute
Mont. Code Ann. 30-9A-501 (Filing office) - 'the office of secretary of state' in all cases other than as-extracted collateral/timber/fixture filings; read at https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0300/chapter_009A/part_0050/section_0010/0300-009A-0050-0010.html
Yes, for a fee: 'To request copies and/or see collateral associated with a filing, make sure to check the option for List and Copies. An additional $5 fee applies.' Subscription: unlimited debtor search certificates for $25/month, 'There is an additional fee for downloading images of lien documents.
$7 for a UCC1 lien filed through the online filing portal (same $7 for agricultural, manufactured-home, public-finance and transmitting-utility UCC1 filings)
Filing channels
online only - paper is not accepted; All UCC liens must be filed electronically via the Secretary of State's Business Services Division website (ARM 44.6.113(1), active version eff. 09/07/2019); file by signing into the SOS online filing
No expedited filing service is offered; a lien notice or amendment filed online receives the effective date and time it was recorded in the UCC database
UCC-3 amendments, as the office states the fees
Termination statement no fee; continuation $5; add/change/delete debtor, secured party or collateral $5; partial release $5; assignment (full or partial) $5; subordination $5; UCC5 statement of information $5
Effective for
5 years from filing - MCA 30-9A-515(1)
Bulk data
published bulk-data program - $1,000/month subscription (no separate setup fee published); each daily delivery is a complete point-in-time set of all data ('UccCore' full replacement)
Whether Montana requires a general state-level business license, and on what terms. A "None" is a verified finding cited to the agency's own pages, not a gap. Which of the state's filings ask for an industry code is in the next section.
State business license - Montana◎Verified
General state license
None - the state issues no general business license; licensing is occupation-specific and local
Where a new business registers
Montana Department of Revenue (tax-account registration via TransAction Portal or Form GenReg); no general-license issuer exists agency page↗ (opens the official source)
county and city licenses - (1) The city or town council has power: (a) to license by ordinance all industries, pursuits, professions, and occupations and to impose penalties for failure to comply with such license requirements; (b) to fix the amount, terms, and manner of issuing and revoking licenses.
Which of Montana's business filings ask the filer for an industry classification, and in what form. "No industry information" is a positive finding cited to the form. Where the state uses its own category list and the list was captured, it is expandable below. The NAICS and SIC reference lists are on their own page.
Industry code on Montana filings, 6 of 6 rows verified
Filing
Entity scope
Asks for
Required
Where on the form
Source
Formation
domestic corporation and LLC
no industry information
not asked
biz.sosmt.gov online 'Domestic' formation forms (login-gated; fields not inspected)
Montana has 56 county-equivalents: 56 countyies. Names and codes are the U.S. Census Bureau's (2020 national county codes); county seats and official sites are not yet published here.
These come from a research pass its own author graded CANDIDATES. They are shown because they are useful and withheld from every ranking on this site because they are not ratified.