How to Register a Foreign LLC in Montana (2026): 4 Steps and the 3 Best Services
Lesson answer for Montana in 2026: if you want help with registering a foreign LLC, use Mainstay Filing ($199), Registered Agent MT.org ($199) and Montana Registered Agent.co ($199), in that order. Then 4 steps, from the first check to the yearly upkeep (state fee $70).
Published prices, read November 12, 2026. Add Montana's $70 registration fee to each row.
The Montana registration, in order
Step1
Step 1: Know when registration is required
An out-of-state LLC that transacts business in Montana registers before it starts. Operating without it: Until registered, it is shut out of Montana courts as a plaintiff (MCA 35-8-1002(1)). Each day unregistered can add $5.
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.
TipEach of our picks includes the registered agent.
The recurring filing is the annual report, April 15.
Montana costs by step
Item
Who you pay
Price
Registration fee
State
$70
Service fees (optional)
The service
$199 year one
State fees, years one to three
State
$70
State amounts come from Montana's official schedules (see References). The three-year state line adds the filing, the reports due in years two and three and any yearly minimum tax.
Why this order
Lesson note: first place in Montana came down to lesson steps handled, worth 35% of the grade.
Since the LLC operates in two states, coverage decided it.
Montana questions
What does it cost to register a foreign LLC in Montana?
$70 in state fees. Services on this page charge $199 more.
Which form do I file to register?
Send the Application for Certificate of Authority (foreign limited liability company) to the Montana Secretary of State, Business Services.
What if the LLC does business there without registering?
Until registered, it is shut out of Montana courts as a plaintiff (MCA 35-8-1002(1)). Each day unregistered can add $5.
What is due after registering?
After registering, the LLC owes the annual report.
Which services are in this lesson?
This lesson grades Mainstay Filing ($199), Registered Agent MT.org ($199) and Montana Registered Agent.co ($199).
Which service should handle the registration?
We'd go with Mainstay Filing, because it handles the Montana filing for $199 plus the state fee and includes the first agent year. Then Registered Agent MT.org and Montana Registered Agent.co.