No.1
Our top pick in Montana
1. Registered Agent MT.org: best for companies that only add Montana
Expect $199 plus the state fee, then $99 each year for the agent
Score9.1out of 10
First place: Registered Agent MT.org. The Montana registration costs $199 with the first agent year included, and $99 a year follows.
An in-state street address serves as the registered office, and papers served on the company are scanned into your online account.
Three-year cost is where it gains on Mainstay Filing, and that criterion is weighted heavily.
In the price
- Registration prepared and filed
- Year-one registered agent service
Why pick it
- $199 to register, state fee on top
- The agent renews at $99 annually
- Year-one registered agent service is included
Weak spots
- Serves Montana only; the home state needs its own agent
- The EIN application carries a separate fee ($99)
No.2
Best value here
2. Montana Registered Agent.co: best for Montana registrations only
$199 for the registration work and the state's fee besides; the agent is $99 yearly after year one
Score8.8out of 10
Second place: Montana Registered Agent.co. The Montana registration costs $199 with the first agent year included, and $99 a year follows.
An in-state street address serves as the registered office, and papers served on the company are scanned into your online account.
The published prices and features of Registered Agent MT.org and Montana Registered Agent.co are identical, which makes the order between them close.
In the price
- Registration prepared and filed
- Year-one registered agent service
Why pick it
- The first year as registered agent is free
- $99 a year for the agent from the second year
- A $199 service charge plus the registration fee
Weak spots
- Serves Montana only; the home state needs its own agent
- The EIN application carries a separate fee ($99)
No.3
Fifty-state coverage
3. Mainstay Filing: best for businesses active in several states
Service charge $199, with the state fee separate ($269 due at checkout in all); the agent costs $149 a year from the second year
Score8.5out of 10
Third place: Mainstay Filing. $199 covers the Montana registration and the registered agent role is free the first year, then $149 annually.
After the free first year, the agent is $149 annually, whichever state the company chooses.
Registered Agent MT.org costs $100 less over three years, and Mainstay Filing trails it on that criterion.
In the price
- The registration prepared and lodged on your behalf
- Year one as your registered agent, at no charge
- Free same-business-day scans of anything served on the company
Why pick it
- A $199 service charge, with the state's fee added
- One price in each of the fifty states
- Year-one registered agent service costs nothing
- Service of process on the company scanned within the same business day, no charge
Weak spots
- The agent is $149 a year after year one, $50 more than Registered Agent MT.org
The 3 rulings in brief
| Rank | Provider | Ruling score | Service charge | Year two | Suited to | Link |
|---|
| 1 | Registered Agent MT.org | 9.1 | $199 | $99/yr | The lowest agent renewal on this list | Visit Registered Agent MT.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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| 2 | Montana Registered Agent.co | 8.8 | $199 | $99/yr | The lowest agent renewal on this list | Visit Montana Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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| 3 | Mainstay Filing | 8.5 | $199 | $149/yr | Businesses spread over several states | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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Every mark out of 10 reflects the editorial team's reading of the criteria on
How we rank, not any customer rating.
Montana foreign registration service charges in 2026: year one, renewals and the three-year total
| Provider | Year one | Year two | Year three | Total over three years | Agent covered in year one |
|---|
| Registered Agent MT.org | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
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| Montana Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149 | $149 | $497 | Free |
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Each charge was taken from the provider's own pages on November 12, 2026. Montana's $70 registration fee is payable in addition to every row below and is not in the totals.
Why Registered Agent MT.org is placed first
Two criteria carry 31% each in this ranking, charge over three years and work taken off the founder. Renewal conduct, fit with local rules and pricing in plain sight share 38%, and in Montana the decisive one was charge over three years.
Over three years Registered Agent MT.org totals $397, $100 less than Mainstay Filing. Both providers include the first year, so the renewal charge carried the ruling.
Each criterion and its weight appear on How we rank.
Foreign LLC registration in Montana: the form, the office and the fee
Registration is lodged with the Montana Secretary of State, Business Services using the Application for Certificate of Authority (foreign limited liability company). The state fee is $70.
Once registered, the company's recurring filing is the annual report, with a due date of April 15.
Items to gather before filing
- The exact legal name registered in the home state, along with the date it was formed.
- A registered agent whose street address is in the state. Any provider on this page can fill the role.
- The $70 state fee, remitted with the application.
- A date in your calendar for the annual report.
Consequences of operating in Montana unregistered
Until it registers, an out-of-state LLC may not sue in Montana courts (MCA 35-8-1002(1)). Penalties accrue at $5 per day.
Questions on Montana foreign registration services
Is an out-of-state LLC required to register in Montana?
Yes, as soon as it conducts business there. Until it registers, it has no standing to sue in that state's courts.
What will foreign registration in Montana run in total?
The state fee is $70; service charges run $199.
Is a registered agent still needed after the company is registered?
Yes. A registered agent with a street address in the state stays on file for as long as the registration lasts.
Which foreign registration services were heard in this ranking?
Registered Agent MT.org ($199), Montana Registered Agent.co ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199), ruled upon in that order.
What recurring filing does a foreign LLC owe?
The annual report, each year.
Which foreign registration service does the record favor in Montana?
Registered Agent MT.org, since $199 over the state fee registers the company in Montana, and the agent renews at $99.
The record
- Montana Secretary of State fee page and fee sheet: standard annual report fee, on the record as of October 2026
- Montana yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source, on the record as of October 2026
- Montana yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source, on the record as of October 2026
- Montana report due date, on the record as of August 2026
- Mont. Code Ann. § 35-8-201, on the record as of August 2026
- Montana formation fee: Filing fee, official source, on the record as of October 2026
- Montana registered agent statute, on the record as of October 2026
- Montana Secretary of State, register a business, on the record as of October 2026
- MCA 35-8-1001, transacting business, on the record as of October 2026
- MCA 35-8-1002, consequences, on the record as of October 2026
- MCA 35-8-1003, application contents, on the record as of October 2026
- Exhibit: Registered Agent MT.org, pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026
- Exhibit: Montana Registered Agent.co, pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026
- Exhibit: Mainstay Filing, Montana service page, November 12, 2026