How to Start an LLC in Montana (2026)

Q: How much does it cost to start an LLC in Montana?

The Articles of Organization cost $35 with the Montana Secretary of State, which is one of the lowest formation fees in the country. Your EIN is free from the IRS. The annual report normally costs $20 by April 15, and the Secretary of State has waived that fee, with a published waiver covering 2026 and 2027.

Q: Is the Montana annual report really free?

The fee has been waived by the Secretary of State, with a published waiver covering 2026 and 2027, and the office has waived it in prior years too. The report itself is still required every year by April 15. Because a waiver is a policy rather than a permanent change in the fee schedule, check sosmt.gov for the current year before you file.

Q: When is the Montana annual report due?

By April 15 every year. Filing after that date costs more, and continuing not to file leads to involuntary dissolution of the LLC. You file it through the Secretary of State business portal, which is also where you formed the company.

Q: Why do people form LLCs in Montana for vehicles?

Montana has no general sales tax, which has made it popular for registering expensive vehicles through an LLC. Be careful with that idea: other states have pursued residents who register vehicles through out-of-state LLCs to avoid their own sales and use tax, and it is a different question from where to form your operating business. For a courier business, form where you actually run routes.

Last updated: August 28, 2026

To start a Montana LLC, file the Articles of Organization with the Montana Secretary of State for $35, appoint a registered agent with a Montana address, and get a free EIN. The annual report is due by April 15 each year, and the normal $20 fee has been waived by the Secretary of State, including a published waiver covering 2026 and 2027.

Quick note: we're operators, not attorneys or accountants. This is general educational info, not legal or tax advice. A waived fee is still a required filing, and the waiver is a policy decision that can end, so check the current year before you file.

Montana has one of the lowest formation fees in the country and, right now, a waived annual report fee on top of that. It is about as cheap as forming a business gets. Here is the whole process in plain English, written for people starting something real like a courier route.

The fee is waived. The filing is not. Montana's Secretary of State has waived the annual report fee for Montana businesses, with a published waiver covering 2026 and 2027. The normal fee is $20 filed by April 15. Two things to keep straight: you still have to file the report every year by April 15, and a waiver is a policy that can end, so confirm the current year's fee at sosmt.gov before you assume it is free.

How to start a Montana LLC in 6 steps

Name it, appoint a Montana registered agent, file the Articles ($35), write an operating agreement, get a free EIN, then file the annual report by April 15.

Name your Montana LLC

The name must be distinguishable from other Montana entities and include an LLC designator. Check availability in the Montana business services portal before you file, and grab the matching domain while you are there.

Appoint a Montana registered agent

You need a registered agent with a physical Montana street address available during business hours. You can be your own if you live in Montana, or use a service so your home address is not on the public record. Northwest includes agent service free the first year with their $39 filing.

File the Articles of Organization

File through the Montana Secretary of State business portal. The fee is $35, among the lowest formation fees in the country. Montana also offers paid expedited service if you need the filing back faster than standard processing.

Write an operating agreement

Montana does not require one, but write it anyway. It sets out ownership, management, and who can sign, it backs your liability protection, and banks usually ask for it at account opening. A simple template covers a single-owner courier business.

Get a free EIN from the IRS

Your EIN is free at irs.gov and takes about ten minutes. You need it for the business bank account, contracts, and hiring. Never pay a third-party site for one.

File the annual report by April 15

Every Montana LLC files an annual report by April 15. The standard fee is $20 before that date, and the Secretary of State has waived it for the covered years. Filing late costs more, and not filing at all eventually leads to involuntary dissolution.

Montana LLC cost breakdown

$35 to form and, with the current waiver, nothing for the annual report. Montana is one of the cheapest states in the country.

Item	Cost	Required?
Articles of Organization	$35	Yes
EIN	Free from the IRS	Yes (free)
Registered agent service	$0 (yourself) to $300/yr	No
Annual report (standard fee, by April 15)	$20	Yes, filing required
Annual report fee waiver	Waived by the Secretary of State (2026 and 2027)	Check current year

Montana figures as of August 2026, from the Secretary of State business filing fees and the published annual report fee waiver. A waiver is a policy that can end, so confirm the current year at sosmt.gov before filing.

Rather have it filed for you? Northwest will form your Montana LLC for $39 + the $35 state fee and act as your registered agent the first year, keeping your home address off the public record. See the $39 formation service → Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Setting up to run courier routes in Montana?

The LLC is step one. Our course covers the rest: insurance and certifications, the business bank account, and how to find routes and win contracts with Montana clinics, labs, and hospitals.

Start Your 7-Day Free Trial

Then $29/month. Cancel anytime.

Montana LLC FAQs

How much does it cost to start an LLC in Montana?

The Articles cost $35, one of the lowest in the country, and your EIN is free. The $20 annual report fee is currently waived.

Is the Montana annual report really free?

The fee is waived for the covered years, but the filing is still required by April 15 every year. Check the current year at sosmt.gov, since a waiver can end.

When is the Montana annual report due?

By April 15 each year, through the Secretary of State business portal. Late filing costs more and eventually leads to involuntary dissolution.

Why do people form LLCs in Montana for vehicles?

Because Montana has no general sales tax, which has made vehicle registration schemes popular. Other states pursue their residents over it, so treat it as a separate question from where to form your operating business.

← Back to How to Start an LLC (main guide)