Montana’s articles list initial managers or members. Its annual report remains required during a temporary report-fee waiver.
This guide covers forming a new Montana LLC. If your LLC already exists in another state or country, use the foreign-registration process instead.
Montana LLC at a glance
- Official filing website
- Montana Secretary of State
- Business name check
- Search business namesA name search does not reserve or approve the name.
- Formation document
- Articles of Organization
- State filing fee
- $35Formation filing only; other required costs and optional services are separate.
- Processing time
- Online5-6 business daysPaperNo paper filing in the cited guidePublished guide estimate. Published guide estimate for a complete filing; not a state guarantee. Check the filing office before setting a deadline.
- Ongoing report or tax
- Annual Report
- Report / renewal charge
- $0The agency waived the timely annual-report fee for 2026 and announced a waiver for 2027. The general schedule lists $20 before April 15 and $35 afterward outside the applicable waiver; confirm the report year and timing.
- Frequency / due date
- Annually, within the January 1–April 15 filing window
- Sales tax base rate
- 0%No statewide general sales tax. July 1, 2026 snapshot; not an address-specific rate. No general statewide sales tax. Special resort or other transaction taxes may still apply.Official tax agency ↗
- Names in formation records
- Management names requiredThe articles identify initial managers for manager management, or initial members for member management, with business mailing addresses. Other filings and private bank/tax records may identify owners.
Before you file in Montana
Prepare the name, physical and mailing addresses, Montana agent and the initial managers or members.
File the Articles of Organization
Open Montana business filings ↗
- Start domestic LLC Articles of Organization in the Secretary of State’s business portal.
- Enter the addresses and agent. Choose the management structure, then list the initial managers or members for that choice.
- Sign, pay and save the accepted articles and business number.
What to enter in the form
- Manager-managed
- List the initial managers and their requested business mailing addresses.
- Member-managed
- List the initial members and their requested business mailing addresses.
- Agent
- Select the commercial or noncommercial appointment that matches your agent.
- Addresses
- Use the physical-address and mailing-address fields for their separate purposes.
After approval in Montana
- Set a reminder for the January 1–April 15 annual-report window.
Annual Report
Find the Montana LLC to file its report ↗
- Find the LLC in the official portal and select the report year.
- Confirm or update the addresses, agent and principals, then sign and submit.
- A timely report is fee-waived for the announced 2026/2027 periods. Still submit the report, save acceptance and check the rule for later years.
Compare the filing cycles in our annual report and recurring-fee table.
Common mistakes
- Private services may charge to file a report that is free through the state during the waiver.
Next steps: operating agreement · get an EIN · starting checklist.
Sources and filing links
Sources checked . Confirm the state’s current fees and instructions before filing.
- Montana Secretary of State: Business Filing Fees
- Montana Secretary of State: Annual-report fee waivers for 2026 and 2027
- Montana Secretary of State: Annual report waiver and solicitation notice
Research and walkthrough references
These references provide background and filing walkthroughs. Follow current state instructions if an older walkthrough differs.
See our editorial policy for the research process and contact page for correction information.