Start an LLC in Montana: Secretary of State Steps and Fees for 2026
Montana keeps LLC formation cheaper and simpler than almost any other state. The Articles of Organization carry a $35 filing fee, the lowest LLC formation fee in the nation, and every filing happens online through the Secretary of State's Business Filing Portal at biz.sosmt.gov. Standard processing takes 3 to 5 business days. Here is the full sequence, with the statute and the exact fee behind each step.
Montana LLC Filing at a Glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Formation document | Articles of Organization (online filing, no form number) |
| Statute | MCA 35-8-201, with content requirements at § 35-8-202 |
| State fee | $35, plus $50 for each named series member of a series LLC |
| Where to file | biz.sosmt.gov via an ePass Montana login |
| Processing | 3 to 5 business days |
| First annual report | January 1 to April 15 of the year after formation |
The Seven Steps
- Pick a name Montana will approve. The name must include "Limited Liability Company," "LLC," or "L.L.C." and be distinguishable from every entity already on record with the Montana Secretary of State. Search the state's business database before ordering signage or buying domains.
- Appoint a registered agent. Montana requires an agent at a street address in the state, and the requirement never lapses for the life of the LLC. The state adopted the Model Registered Agents Act (MCA Title 35, chapter 7), and the address rule at § 35-7-104 calls for "an actual street address or rural route box number in this state," so a PO box by itself fails. Full rules sit on our registered agent page.
- Create an ePass Montana account. Montana business filings are online only. An ePass Montana login is your key to the Business Filing Portal at biz.sosmt.gov, where the Articles are filed.
- Complete and submit the Articles of Organization. The filing names your LLC, its principal address, its registered agent, and whether members or managers run the company. The fee is $35, paid in the portal at submission, and formation authority comes from MCA 35-8-201. A series LLC pays another $50 for each series member it names.
- Adopt an operating agreement. Montana never asks you to file one, but banks want to see it, and it settles ownership percentages, profit splits, and exit terms before a dispute makes those questions expensive.
- Request an EIN from the IRS. The federal tax ID is free at IRS.gov and usually issued on the spot. You will need it for a business bank account and for hiring.
- Calendar the annual report. Your first report window is January 1 through April 15 of the year after you organize. On-time filings in 2026 pay $0 under the state's fee waiver; the standard fee is $20, and filings after April 15 pay $35. Our annual requirements page covers the deadlines in depth.
Why There Is No Form Number
Ready to get started?
Get StartedPlenty of states stamp numbers on their formation paperwork. Montana does not, because there is no paper document to number. The Articles of Organization exist only as an online filing inside the biz.sosmt.gov portal, so any site quoting a Montana LLC form number is describing something the state never issued.
What You Pay the State
Formation is a one-time $35. After that, the recurring state charge is the annual report, normally $20 and currently $0 for on-time filings under a waiver the Secretary of State has extended through 2027. Changing your registered agent later is a free filing, and Montana collects no sales tax. The number-by-number breakdown lives on our fees page.
Using Our Filing Service
We prepare and file the Articles of Organization for $199, and that price includes your first year of registered agent service. After the first year, agent service renews at $99 per year. The $35 state fee goes to the Montana Secretary of State either way.