Montana — statewide
Montana Secretary of State, Business Services Division
In short
Montana Secretary of State, Business Services Division issues 4 permits we publish for Montana — statewide, last verified 2026-09-04. Each carries the fee as the agency publishes it, with a link to the schedule it was read from.
What this agency issues
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | Montana Secretary of State, Business Services Division | $35 one-time filing | perpetual, but an annual report is due every year | 2026-09-04 |
| Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | Montana Secretary of State, Business Services Division | $35 one-time filing | perpetual, but an annual report is due every year | 2026-09-04 |
| Annual Reportonly if it applies to you | Montana Secretary of State, Business Services Division | $20 if filed on time — currently waived to $0 for tax years 2024 through 2027 — or $35 if filed after 15 April | annual — due between 1 January and 15 April | 2026-09-04 |
| General Business License — Montana Secretary of State Guidanceonly if it applies to you | Montana Secretary of State, Business Services Division | No fee | not applicable | 2026-09-04 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
About each permit
Articles of Incorporation
The same $35 as an LLC. A nonprofit corporation is cheaper still, at a flat $20.
Articles of Organization (LLC)
Thirty-five dollars, the same figure as a corporation. A series LLC costs $50 more for every additional series member named. Same-day service adds a steep $100; a twenty-four hour turnaround only $20.
Annual Report
The statutory fee is $20 on time and $35 late, and both figures remain the real law — but the Secretary of State has waived the on-time fee outright for tax years 2024 through 2027, so a business filing before 15 April currently pays nothing at all. That waiver is a standing policy choice rather than a permanent statutory change, and it is due to lapse after the 2027 cycle, so budget for the $20 figure returning. The late fee has never been waived and still applies in full to anything filed after the deadline. Missing the report entirely for 120 days past its due date is grounds for administrative dissolution.
General Business License — Montana Secretary of State Guidance
No fee is listed for this record because the Secretary of State's help-centre article 'I have registered with the state; do I also need a business license?' sends businesses elsewhere for licenses: it describes registration with that office as only one step, says many cities and counties require a local business or occupation license, points to the Department of Labor and Industry for professional and occupational licenses (contractors, cosmetologists and others), and points to the Department of Revenue's eStop portal for state licenses such as retail food, tobacco and beer and wine sales. Check the city or county where the business operates, and the industry-specific records below.
Contact
- Jurisdiction
- Montana — statewide
- Phone
- (406) 444-3665
- Website
- sosmt.gov/business/
Contact details are taken from the agency’s own site or its published fee schedule. Where we have not verified a phone number we leave it blank rather than guess.
Sources
Every fee and term above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.
- 35-14-1420, Montana Code Annotated — administrative dissolution 120 days after a missed annual reportMontana Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
- Montana Secretary of State — business services filing fees, effective 1 July 2022Montana Secretary of State · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
- Montana Secretary of State — press release on the annual report fee waiver for tax years 2024 through 2027Montana Secretary of State · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
- Montana Secretary of State help centre — 'I have registered with the state; do I also need a business license?'Montana Secretary of State · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08
Other Montana statewide offices
- Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Environmental Health and Food Safety Section
- Montana Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists
- Montana Board of Plumbers
- Montana Board of Veterinary Medicine
- Montana Department of Labor and Industry, Business Standards Division, Construction Contractor License Program
- Montana Department of Labor and Industry, Employment Relations Division
- Montana Department of Revenue, Business Tax Unit
- Montana DPHHS, Early Childhood and Family Support Division, Child Care Licensing Program
- Montana State Electrical Board
Montana jurisdictions
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.