By StartBusinessByStatePublisher: Robert SmithResearch process
Make your Montana business official. Have your LLC paperwork prepared and filed so you can focus on getting your business off the ground.
- Your business name checked before filing.
- Your formation paperwork prepared and submitted.
- Your formation documents together in an online account.
$0 service fee + $35 state filing fee
Filing service by ZenBusiness. Choose Starter for the $0 service fee. State follow-up charges and optional services and renewals are separate.
We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no additional cost to you.
Get the paperwork handled and your company underway
With ZenBusiness, you provide the details and its team handles the Montana formation filing. You get electronic documents and customer support by phone, chat and email.
Use your approved LLC records to open a company bank account, organize your ownership agreement and do business under the company name. The state-specific costs and next steps below help you plan what comes after approval.
What it costs to start a Montana LLC
A Montana LLC costs $35 to file Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State. The annual report fee is currently waived when filed between January 1 and April 15 ($35 if filed later).
Confirm amounts on the Montana SOS fee page and the current annual-report waiver announcement on sosmt.gov.
| Expense | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization | $35 | Required when forming (+$50 per series member if series LLC) |
| Typical formation base | $35 | Excludes expedite and optional purchases |
| Annual report (filed Jan 1–Apr 15) | Waived ($0) | Current SOS waiver policy |
| Annual report (after Apr 15) | $35 | Late relative to waived-fee window |
| 24-hour / 1-hour processing | $20 / $100 | Optional |
Budget example: $35 to form plus a waived on-time annual report is among the lowest SOS paths in the country—if you file the report by April 15. Reconfirm the waiver each year on sosmt.gov. Optional 24-hour ($20) and 1-hour ($100) processing can matter if a closing date is fixed. Ordinary online filing is usually enough when you form weeks before you need the entity.
No Montana franchise tax is identified for LLCs. Statement of change for registered agent/office is listed at no fee on the SOS schedule. Montana’s $35 Articles fee plus a waived on-time annual report is unusually founder-friendly. The trade-off is remembering to file the report during the waived window every year. Keep copies of filed Articles and annual-report confirmations. Beware of unofficial “renewal” invoices that mimic SOS branding; file only through official Montana SOS channels.
Choose the services you want with your filing
Starter’s base formation service does not renew. Registered-agent service, an EIN service, an operating agreement and faster preparation are optional purchases.
The preselected website-builder trial renews at $15/month after 30 days; you can remove it at checkout. Optional Worry-Free Compliance is free for the first year and renews at $199/year. Registered-agent service is listed separately at $199/year; first-year promotions may differ.
Review the services and renewal terms in your order. Provider details checked October 14, 2026 against ZenBusiness’s formation plans.
How to start your Montana LLC
Use your company details to get the formation paperwork prepared and submitted. Here is how the filing service works:
- Enter your business details. Choose Montana, your company name and the information requested for the filing.
- Review your services and order. Select Starter for the $0 base service fee. ZenBusiness prepares and submits the formation document from your answers.
- Save your approved company records. Once the filing office accepts the paperwork, use the documents to finish your banking and business setup.
Your Montana filing checklist and required next steps
- Check the name on the Montana business search and include an LLC designator. Optional reservation is $10.
- Appoint a registered agent with a Montana street address and obtain consent.
- Complete Articles of Organization (add series details only if forming a series LLC).
- File online at biz.sosmt.gov and pay $35 (plus optional expedite).
- Confirm acceptance and calendar the annual report for January–April 15 to capture the waived fee.
Check your proposed name in the Montana business search.
How long does approval take?
Optional 24-hour ($20) and 1-hour ($100) processing are listed on the SOS fee page. ZenBusiness preparation (often 7–10 business days) is separate from Montana’s review clock. Series LLCs pay an extra $50 per series member named in the Articles. Most single-company founders file a standard LLC without series designations.
Can I file directly with Montana?
Yes. You can prepare and submit the filing yourself through the Montana official LLC filing service. A formation service handles preparation and submission from the information you provide. The government charges and required follow-up steps above still apply.
Choose your Montana registered agent
You can serve as your own agent if you maintain a Montana street address and meet SOS registered-agent rules. A member may serve when those conditions are met.
If you cannot reliably receive legal documents in Montana, use a commercial agent and compare renewal terms.
Plan addresses before filing. SOS records are public—enter accurate agent information.
Statement of change for registered office/agent is listed at no fee on the SOS schedule—still file the change promptly when details change.
Montana LLC annual report: file by April 15 for the waived fee
Montana LLCs must file an annual report. On the SOS fee page, the fee is WAIVED for reports filed prior to April 15 and $35 afterward. The Secretary of State has publicly continued on-time waivers into 2026 and announced continuation into 2027—still verify each year.
sbbs-state-fee-tracker:2026-10-12
The on-time waiver continues for 2026 and 2027. Our state fee tracker documents Montana’s waiver window and keeps it separate from newly enacted fee cuts.
The report updates registration information; it is not a tax return. File early in the Jan 1–Apr 15 window. Help-center materials also discuss later absolute deadlines—treat April 15 as the practical target for the $0 fee.
Example: form in 2026, then file the first annual report in the next open window by April 15 for the waived fee unless the portal instructs otherwise for brand-new entities.
SOS leadership has announced multi-year on-time fee waivers, but waivers are policy decisions—re-open sosmt.gov each January before assuming $0 forever. Filing after April 15 currently costs $35.
Foreign entities follow different annual-report timing than domestic LLCs on some help-center materials; this guide focuses on domestic Montana LLC formation.
Get your Montana LLC filing underway
Put the formation paperwork in ZenBusiness’s hands. Starter has a $0 service fee plus the applicable Montana charges detailed above.
Continue to ZenBusiness to enter your details and review your order. Optional services and renewal details.
We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no additional cost to you.
Put your approved LLC to work
- Document how the LLC works. An operating agreement can set ownership, contributions, decision-making, distributions, and exit arrangements. Montana’s filing office generally does not require you to file the agreement with the formation paperwork—keep it with your company records. For multiple owners, resolve disagreements before money or contracts are committed.Use the basic LLC operating agreement tool as a starting point.
- Get an EIN when needed. Form the entity first, then use the free IRS application if eligible. A paid EIN service handles the application for you. Save the confirmation for banking and tax records.
- Open your business bank account. Ask the bank for its document checklist and establish a bookkeeping process. Use the correct legal business name on applications and contracts; keep any trade-name registrations consistent.
- Complete taxes and operating approvals. LLC formation does not itself select S-corporation taxation or issue a professional license. The IRS explains LLC tax classifications. Identify the state and local requirements for your actual work before opening.
- Check the current BOI rule. As of this review, FinCEN exempts entities created in the United States from beneficial-ownership reporting. A newly created domestic LLC generally falls within that exemption. Consult FinCEN directly for the current rule.
After filing, confirm Department of Revenue accounts and local licenses for your work. The SOS annual report is not a tax return.
Insurance guidance for your Montana business
Match coverage to your services, employees, equipment and client contracts. Start with the relevant guide:
Continue with the Montana business guide for the broader startup process.
Montana LLC questions before you start
What is the cheapest way to form a Montana LLC?
Articles cost $35 with the SOS. ZenBusiness Starter advertises a $0 formation service fee plus the same $35 state fee. File the annual report by April 15 while the on-time fee remains waived. Always separate state fees from any optional registered-agent or compliance add-ons you choose at checkout.
Is Montana’s annual report really free?
The SOS currently waives the fee for reports filed January 1–April 15; after April 15 the fee is $35. Confirm the live waiver each year on sosmt.gov.
Can I be my own Montana registered agent?
Yes, if you maintain a Montana street address and meet SOS rules.
Does forming an LLC give me a Montana business license?
No. Formation is with the SOS. Tax accounts and local licenses are separate.
Can I get an EIN without buying a service?
Yes. The IRS issues EINs free after the LLC is formed, if you are eligible.
This guide is for creating a new Montana LLC. If you already have an LLC formed in another state, check Montana’s foreign-entity registration requirements before creating a second company.
Page updated October 14, 2026. State-source review: September 14, 2026. ZenBusiness package terms checked October 14, 2026.