Business formation

Form your business in Montana

Start your LLC, S-Corp, C-Corp, or Nonprofit in Montana with a guided, step-by-step workflow tailored to your entity type - and know the state filing fee before you begin.

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Forming an LLC in Montana costs $35 in state filing fees, which is among the cheapest in the country: 0 of the 51 U.S. jurisdictions charge less, and the national median is $100. A corporation files for $35 and a nonprofit for $20. Below: the fee table, what else you pay in year one, and the questions founders ask before filing here.

Montana state filing fees

These are the one-time fees paid to the Montana Secretary of State to file your formation document. They are separate from any EazeAccounts service or package fee.

Entity type	State filing fee
LLCArticles of Organization - flexible, pass-through, simple to run.	$35
Corporation (C-Corp / S-Corp)Articles of Incorporation - shares, board, officers. S-Corp is a federal tax election on the same state filing.	$35
NonprofitNonprofit Articles of Incorporation - mission-driven; optional 501(c)(3).	$20

Estimated state filing fees, separate from EazeAccounts service fees. Some states set a minimum that can rise with authorized shares, and expedited or online filing may differ. Fees last verified May 2026; confirm the current amount with the Montana Secretary of State before filing.

What an LLC costs every year in Montana

Annual Report

$20

April 15 each year Filing late adds a $15 penalty.

State tax on the LLC

Montana has no franchise tax on LLCs and no general sales tax. LLC income passes through to the owners' state income tax, with a top rate of 5.9 percent for 2025.

How long Montana takes

Montana filings are online through the Secretary of State's ePass system and usually process within a day or two. Expedited service is $20 for 24 hours or $100 for one hour.

What is different about Montana

• At $35 to form and $20 a year, Montana is the cheapest state in the country to form and keep an LLC.
• No sales tax means no sales tax registration for most businesses.
• Montana LLCs are popular with out-of-state owners for vehicle registration; if the LLC will not do business in Montana, get advice on the tax rules of the state you actually operate in.

Guide reviewed September 2026 against the Montana Secretary of State and tax authority. Confirm current figures before filing.

What else you pay in year one

Registered agent. Free if you serve as your own agent at a Montana street address; a service charges an annual fee if you would rather keep your address off the public record.
EIN. Free from the IRS. Anyone charging for an EIN alone is charging for the form.
Annual report or franchise tax. Most states ask for a yearly report and some charge a fee or tax with it; the amount and deadline are set by Montana. Check the Secretary of State page before you file so the first renewal is not a surprise.
Licences and permits. City and county rules depend on what the business does, not on the entity type.

Not sure whether an LLC or a corporation fits? The entity cost calculator compares the two over three years, and the guide to LLC vs C-Corp covers the tax and investor side.

Questions founders ask about Montana

What is the annual fee for a Montana LLC?: $20 for the Annual Report, due April 15. It is the lowest annual LLC fee in the country. Filing late adds $15.
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Montana?: $35 for the Articles of Organization, filed online. Expedited processing is $20 extra for 24 hours.
Does Montana have sales tax?: No general sales tax, so most Montana businesses do not register for or collect it. Some resort areas levy local option taxes.
How much does it cost to start an LLC in Montana?: The Montana state filing fee for an LLC is $35, paid once when you file the formation document. That is among the cheapest in the country: 0 of 51 jurisdictions charge less, and the national median is $100. Registered agent service, expedited processing and any EazeAccounts package are separate.
Do I need a registered agent in Montana?: Yes. Every state requires an LLC or corporation to name a registered agent with a physical street address in Montana who is available during business hours to receive legal and official mail. You can be your own agent if you live in the state, or use a service.
What is the difference between the state fee and the EazeAccounts fee?: The state fee goes to the Montana Secretary of State and is the same whoever files for you. The EazeAccounts formation package covers preparing and filing the documents, the EIN, the operating agreement or bylaws, and setting your books up from day one. You always see both amounts before you pay.
Is the state filing fee refundable if my filing is rejected?: Generally no. States keep the fee even when a filing is rejected for a name conflict or a missing detail, which is why the name check and document review happen before anything is submitted.

Next step

Start your Montana formation What the formation service includes See the books set up live

Comparing states? Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, or see filing fees in every state.

Ready to form in Montana? Begin the step-by-step formation workflow.

Montana state filing fees

These are the one-time fees paid to the Montana Secretary of State to file your formation document. They are separate from any EazeAccounts service or package fee.

Entity type	State filing fee
LLCArticles of Organization - flexible, pass-through, simple to run.	$35
Corporation (C-Corp / S-Corp)Articles of Incorporation - shares, board, officers. S-Corp is a federal tax election on the same state filing.	$35
NonprofitNonprofit Articles of Incorporation - mission-driven; optional 501(c)(3).	$20

What an LLC costs every year in Montana

Annual Report

$20

April 15 each year Filing late adds a $15 penalty.

State tax on the LLC

Montana has no franchise tax on LLCs and no general sales tax. LLC income passes through to the owners' state income tax, with a top rate of 5.9 percent for 2025.

How long Montana takes

Montana filings are online through the Secretary of State's ePass system and usually process within a day or two. Expedited service is $20 for 24 hours or $100 for one hour.

What is different about Montana

• At $35 to form and $20 a year, Montana is the cheapest state in the country to form and keep an LLC.

• No sales tax means no sales tax registration for most businesses.

• Montana LLCs are popular with out-of-state owners for vehicle registration; if the LLC will not do business in Montana, get advice on the tax rules of the state you actually operate in.

Guide reviewed September 2026 against the Montana Secretary of State and tax authority. Confirm current figures before filing.

What else you pay in year one

Registered agent. Free if you serve as your own agent at a Montana street address; a service charges an annual fee if you would rather keep your address off the public record.

EIN. Free from the IRS. Anyone charging for an EIN alone is charging for the form.

Annual report or franchise tax. Most states ask for a yearly report and some charge a fee or tax with it; the amount and deadline are set by Montana. Check the Secretary of State page before you file so the first renewal is not a surprise.

Licences and permits. City and county rules depend on what the business does, not on the entity type.

Not sure whether an LLC or a corporation fits? The entity cost calculator compares the two over three years, and the guide to LLC vs C-Corp covers the tax and investor side.

Questions founders ask about Montana

What is the annual fee for a Montana LLC?

$20 for the Annual Report, due April 15. It is the lowest annual LLC fee in the country. Filing late adds $15.

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

$35 for the Articles of Organization, filed online. Expedited processing is $20 extra for 24 hours.

Does Montana have sales tax?

No general sales tax, so most Montana businesses do not register for or collect it. Some resort areas levy local option taxes.

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

The Montana state filing fee for an LLC is $35, paid once when you file the formation document. That is among the cheapest in the country: 0 of 51 jurisdictions charge less, and the national median is $100. Registered agent service, expedited processing and any EazeAccounts package are separate.

Do I need a registered agent in Montana?

Yes. Every state requires an LLC or corporation to name a registered agent with a physical street address in Montana who is available during business hours to receive legal and official mail. You can be your own agent if you live in the state, or use a service.

What is the difference between the state fee and the EazeAccounts fee?

The state fee goes to the Montana Secretary of State and is the same whoever files for you. The EazeAccounts formation package covers preparing and filing the documents, the EIN, the operating agreement or bylaws, and setting your books up from day one. You always see both amounts before you pay.

Is the state filing fee refundable if my filing is rejected?

Generally no. States keep the fee even when a filing is rejected for a name conflict or a missing detail, which is why the name check and document review happen before anything is submitted.