Montana in brief
18th
on the 50-state list of yearly state fees
Registered agent required
Yes
Annual report
$20 / yr
Deadline, as the state states it: April 15.
sosmt.gov (last confirmed October 2026)
What the state collects in 1 year
$20
One year of the report, plus any minimum tax
Who we recommend in Montana
Five weighted criteria set the order (see the
method): three-year fees 33%, filings covered 26%, and then renewal terms, fit with Montana rules and a clear state fee.
Our top choice
1. Mainstay Filing: best for one provider for the whole country
$149 for the first year, and the same after that
Mainstay Filing earns the top spot because one $149 agent plan that moves with you whenever you add a state.
Plan on spending $150 more than at Registered Agent MT.org over three years, in exchange for fewer filings left for you to do.
What your money gets you
- A registered office in Montana, with the address supplied
- Scans anything served on the company the same business day and does not charge for it
- Scans your first three government letters each year at no cost
- Also works for nonprofits, corporations, LPs and LLPs
What works
- $149 a year, the same at renewal
- The same price in all fifty states
What to weigh
- $50 a year more than Registered Agent MT.org
- On this plan you file the reports yourself
One state
2. Registered Agent MT.org: best for owners who run their business from Montana
$99 for the first year, and the same after that
Registered Agent MT.org takes second place because $99 a year with no jump at renewal, designed for a company that works in a single state.
What your money gets you
- A registered office address in the state
- Legal papers are scanned and uploaded for you
What works
- A yearly price below Mainstay Filing
- $99 a year, unchanged at renewal
What to weigh
- One state only
- Nobody here will file the annual report for you
One state
3. Montana Registered Agent.co: best for Montana businesses with no plans to leave
$99 for the first year, and the same after that
Montana Registered Agent.co takes third place because $99 a year with no jump at renewal, designed for a company that works in a single state.
On price it is exactly level with Registered Agent MT.org.
What your money gets you
- A registered office address in the state
- Legal papers are scanned and uploaded for you
What works
- $99 a year, unchanged at renewal
- A yearly price below Mainstay Filing
What to weigh
- One state only
- Nobody here will file the annual report for you
The 3 picks compared
These are the prices each company showed on November 13, 2026. Montana's own fees stay the same whoever acts as your agent.
Upkeep calculator
This adds agent fees to the state's recurring charges (the annual report from year 2). Formation fees are not included.
How Montana compares with the states near it in the ranking
What Montana requires of your registered agent
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. The address has to be an actual street address or rural route box number in Montana. A P.O. box alone is not enough.
The state will accept: 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 law is Mont. Code Ann. § 35-7-105.
What Montana charges your LLC each year
What keeps coming back is the annual report, at $20 every year, April 15. The penalty is $15.
Why Mainstay Filing comes first
Mainstay Filing pulled ahead of Registered Agent MT.org on upkeep the price covers, which is weighted 26%.
Because it works in every state, it outscored Registered Agent MT.org, even though Registered Agent MT.org costs less.
Quick answers
Do I have to name a registered agent for my Montana LLC?
Yes. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Who is allowed to be a registered agent for my Montana LLC?
A commercial registered agent listed with the Secretary of State, or a noncommercial agent: an individual, including an owner, or an entity in Montana.
What will registered agent service cost me each year in Montana?
Our picks cost $99 to $149 a year.
Which state fees will I pay every year?
You will pay $20 a year on our yearly measure, which is the annual report ($20 every year).
Which registered agents does this page rank?
Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), Registered Agent MT.org ($99 a year) and Montana Registered Agent.co ($99 a year), from our first pick to our last.
Which registered agent should I choose?
Mainstay Filing comes first and Registered Agent MT.org and Montana Registered Agent.co follow. What separates them is upkeep the price covers.
Where this briefing comes from
- Behind the Montana Secretary of State fee page and fee section is sosmt.gov, a page we reread in October 2026 before publishing.
- Behind the Montana yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source section is sosmt.gov, a page we reread in October 2026 before publishing.
- Behind the Montana yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source section is sosmt.gov, a page we reread in October 2026 before publishing.
- Behind the Montana report due date section is mca.legmt.gov, a page we reread in August 2026 before publishing.
- Behind the Mont section is mca.legmt.gov, a page we reread in August 2026 before publishing.
- Behind the Montana formation fee: Filing fee, official source section is sosmt.gov, a page we reread in October 2026 before publishing.
- Behind the Montana registered agent statute section is mca.legmt.gov, a page we reread in October 2026 before publishing.
- Behind the Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division section is inbiz.in.gov, a page we reread in August 2026 before publishing.
- Behind the Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division section is forms.in.gov, a page we reread in August 2026 before publishing.
- Behind the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code section is corporations.utah.gov, a page we reread in August 2026 before publishing.
- Behind the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code section is corporations.utah.gov, a page we reread in August 2026 before publishing.
- Behind the Colorado Secretary of State section is sos.state.co.us, a page we reread in August 2026 before publishing.
- Behind the Colorado Secretary of State section is sos.state.co.us, a page we reread in August 2026 before publishing.
- Behind the Colorado yearly filing: Periodic report, official source section is coloradosos.gov, a page we reread in October 2026 before publishing.
- Behind the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations section is michigan.gov, a page we reread in August 2026 before publishing.
- Behind the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations section is michigan.gov, a page we reread in August 2026 before publishing.
- You can see Montana service page for Mainstay Filing on its own website, which we looked at on November 13, 2026
- You can see pricing page for Registered Agent MT.org on its own website, which we looked at on November 13, 2026
- You can see pricing page for Montana Registered Agent.co on its own website, which we looked at on November 13, 2026