The numbers
The Montana Secretary of State takes $35 at formation[2], and the Montana Secretary of State, Business Services Division, Christi Jacobsen bills $20 for each Annual Report[3]. For ongoing state fees, 19 states charge less and 30 charge more.
Mainstay Filing will file it for you for $199 a year plus Montana's $35 fee, with the Montana registered agent and the Annual Report included[1].
- Formation fee
- $35
- Annual Report
- $20, every year
- Ongoing, per year (avg.)
- $20
- Late fee
- $15
- Change of agent
- $0
- Other states, ongoing fees
- 19 lower, 30 higher
Updated October 29, 2026. Fees from official sources; prices from providers' own pages.
Every Montana LLC state fee
| Filing | Fee | When | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formation (Articles of Organization) | $35 | Once | [2] mca.legmt.gov, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Annual Report | $20 | Every year | [3] sosmt.gov, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Late filing penalty | $15 | If late | [4] mca.legmt.gov, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Change of registered agent | $0 | When filed | [3] sosmt.gov, updated October 29, 2026 |
Fees paid to Montana agencies only; card and portal charges and expedite options are not included.
In the formation year the state bill is $35. Each later year adds $20.
The recurring filing: Annual Report
Every Montana LLC files the Annual Report every year. The details, as the state sets them:
- Filing: Annual Report
- Filed with: Montana Secretary of State, Business Services Division, Christi Jacobsen
- Fee: $20, every year[3]
- Deadline: April 15[4]
- How to file: online
- Late fee: $15
Filing after the deadline adds $15. An LLC that keeps missing it loses good standing, and Montana law then allows the state to end its registration[4].
Service costs on top of state fees
The state does not charge for naming a registered agent, but a commercial agent charges every year. Owners who live in Montana qualify as individuals and can take the registered agent role themselves.
Mainstay Filing charges $149 a year for Montana registered agent service[1]. For $199 a year it also forms the company, applies for the EIN and files the Annual Report when due. Both prices stay the same at renewal.
We also read 5 other services' Montana prices on October 20, 2026. They started at $99 and went up to $249 for year one, with renewals of $125 to $249.
Businesses in Montana
Montana had 36,155 employer firms and 105,934 nonemployer businesses in the Census Bureau's 2022 counts. Of the business locations that opened in Montana between April 2019 and March 2020, 53% were still open in March 2025.
Montana against nearby states
Spread over the years, a Montana LLC pays the state $20 a year. The 50-state median is $30, and 19 states charge less and 30 charge more. Next door, Idaho costs less per year.
| State | Formation | Report | Per year (avg.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montana | $35 | $20 / yr | $20 |
| Idaho | $100 | $0 / yr | $0 |
| North Dakota | $135 | $50 / yr | $50 |
| South Dakota | $150 | $55 / yr | $55 |
| Wyoming | $100 | $60 / yr | $60 |
"Per year" halves biennial fees; revenue-department taxes are not included. Sources: each state's statute or fee schedule (August 12, 2026).
Questions
How much is the Montana LLC Annual Report?
$20, every year[3]. It is due april 15.
What happens if a Montana LLC misses the deadline?
Montana charges a $15 late fee. The LLC loses good standing with the Montana Secretary of State, Business Services Division, Christi Jacobsen, and continued non-filing can end in administrative dissolution or revocation.
Is there a service that keeps a Montana LLC filed?
Mainstay Filing does: $199 a year covers forming the Montana LLC, the registered agent and the EIN application[1]. The $20 Annual Report fee is passed through when it is filed.
Is Montana an expensive state for an LLC?
For the $35 formation fee, no state charges less. After formation it averages $20 a year; 19 states charge less and 30 charge more.
Sources
- Mainstay Filing pricing, registered agent and FAQ pages. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Mont. Code Ann. § 35-8-201 (Montana Limited Liability Company Act — Formation); see also § 35-8-202 (Articles of organization). mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0350/chapter_0080/part_0020/section_0010/0350-0080-0020-0010. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Montana Secretary of State fee page and fee sheet: standard annual report fee $20, waived for reports filed January 1 to April 15 in 2026 and 2027, $35 total after April 15. sosmt.gov/business/fees/. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Mont. Code Ann. § 35-8-208(3). mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0350/chapter_0080/part_0020/section_0080/0350-0080-0020-0080. Updated October 29, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Statistics of U.S. Businesses 2022 and Nonemployer Statistics 2022. www.census.gov/programs-surveys/susb.html. Updated October 29, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Business Employment Dynamics, Establishment Age and Survival, Table 7 (data through March 2025). www.bls.gov/bdm/bdmage.htm. Updated October 29, 2026.