Forming an LLC in Montana (2026): 7 Procedures and the 3 Best LLC Services
The readings for forming an LLC in Montana in 2026 rank Registered Agent MT.org ($199), Montana Registered Agent.co ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199), in that order. Recorded figures: 7 procedures, $35 to file, $20 for the annual report.
3. Mainstay Filing: best for a first year with minimal work
$199 yearly, renewing at $199
Reading 3 belongs to Mainstay Filing, because $199 per year performs the formation, keeps the registered agent and files the annual report; year two measures $199.
Across three years the total is $200 higher than Registered Agent MT.org's.
Each annual report is filed by the service; the only addition is the state's $20.
What the price performs
Formation filing
Registered agent for the full year
Annual report filed on schedule
EIN application included
State fee billed at cost
Measured strengths
It prepares the EIN application
$199 at renewal
$199 yearly, all included
Measured limits
$100 a year above Registered Agent MT.org's renewal
Posted prices, observed November 13, 2026. Each row also requires the $35 state fee.
How a Montana LLC is formed
Procedure1
Procedure 1: Fix the company name
Run the name search at the Montana Secretary of State before anything else.
TipCheck the matching web domain in the same sitting.
Procedure2
Procedure 2: Assign the registered agent role
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. A commercial registered agent listed with the Secretary of State, or a noncommercial agent: an individual, including an owner, or an entity in Montana.
The address has to be an actual street address or rural route box number in Montana. A P.O. box alone is not enough.
TipThe registered agent role is part of each ranked service.
Procedure 3: Compare filing alone with engaging a service
Filing alone costs the $35 state fee and nothing else. A service adds $199 and prepares the forms; the ranking gives the order.
Procedure4
Procedure 4: Complete and lodge the Articles of Organization
The Articles of Organization is the formation instrument. It goes to the Montana Secretary of State, and the fee measures $35 (Mont. Code Ann. § 35-8-201).
Procedure 5: Secure an Employer Identification Number
After Montana approves the LLC, an application to the IRS yields an Employer Identification Number, which banks and payroll providers require. Mainstay Filing performs the EIN application as part of its package.
Procedure6
Procedure 6: Record an operating agreement
The operating agreement records who owns the Montana LLC and how decisions are made. It stays in the company records and is never sent to the state.
Procedure7
Procedure 7: Maintain good standing in Montana
Keeping the LLC active means filing the annual report every year ($20), by April 15. A late filing draws $15.
The state's fees were read from official pages, which are listed below. Over three years they come to the filing, two reports and, in some states, a minimum tax.
Why Registered Agent MT.org comes first
Measured cost over three years decided first place in Montana. It carries 36% of the reading, and the remainder comes from procedures the price performs, reading at year two, fit with the state protocol and price legibility.
Three years with Registered Agent MT.org total $397, which is $200 below Mainstay Filing.
Common questions
What is the cost of registering an LLC with Montana?
The state fee measures $35. Add $199 when a service files.
Which form creates the LLC?
Formation is complete when the Montana Secretary of State accepts the Articles of Organization.
Is a registered agent required?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
What does Montana require each year?
Upkeep consists of the annual report ($20, every year, due April 15).
Can I form the LLC without a service?
Yes. The state takes $35 at filing, and the LLC must still name a registered agent.
Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?
Registered Agent MT.org, because $199 above the state fee, with year-one agent service included, then $99 a year. Next: Montana Registered Agent.co and Mainstay Filing.
Notebook entry for Montana Secretary of State fee page and fee: the observations rest on sosmt.gov, revisited in October 2026. Replicate the check by opening that page.
Notebook entry for Montana yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source: the observations rest on sosmt.gov, revisited in October 2026. Replicate the check by opening that page.
Notebook entry for Montana yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source: the observations rest on sosmt.gov, revisited in October 2026. Replicate the check by opening that page.
Notebook entry for Montana report due date: the observations rest on mca.legmt.gov, revisited in August 2026. Replicate the check by opening that page.
Notebook entry for Mont: the observations rest on mca.legmt.gov, revisited in August 2026. Replicate the check by opening that page.
Notebook entry for Montana formation fee: Filing fee, official source: the observations rest on sosmt.gov, revisited in October 2026. Replicate the check by opening that page.
Notebook entry for Montana registered agent statute: the observations rest on mca.legmt.gov, revisited in October 2026. Replicate the check by opening that page.
pricing page (Registered Agent MT.org), observed November 13, 2026
pricing page (Montana Registered Agent.co), observed November 13, 2026
Montana service page (Mainstay Filing), observed November 13, 2026