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Biz Formation Academy

A plain textbook on LLC paperwork, one state per chapter.

Unit 2 · Montana

Montana Registered Agent Chapter (2026): 6 Sections and the 3 Best Agents

For appointing a registered agent in Montana in 2026, this chapter recommends Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), Registered Agent MT.org ($99 a year) and Montana Registered Agent.co ($99 a year), ranked from first to last. This chapter's 6 sections explain what Montana demands of a registered agent, who may serve, which address qualifies and how the appointment is recorded.
Written by the Biz Formation Academy editorial board

Chapter summary

Required by law Yes See mca.legmt.gov; page last consulted October 2026
Cost of hiring an agent $99 to $149 a year Taken from each company's price page
Annual report $20 a year See sosmt.gov; page last consulted October 2026
Sections 6 First to last

Learning objectives

  • What the law provides
  • The address and eligibility rules
  • Recording the agent
  • The agents chosen

Who we recommend in Montana

The order rests on five weighted criteria described under how we grade, with three-year cost and paperwork completed on top.

1. Mainstay Filing: best for owners who plan to grow

Read this one first
$149 annually, unchanged at renewal

Mainstay Filing comes first. $149 yearly is the agent price in all fifty states.

Compared with Registered Agent MT.org, the reader pays $150 more across three years and keeps fewer filings to prepare.

Price covers

  • A street address for the registered office
  • Any papers served on the company get scanned for you at no cost
  • Three government mailings a year are scanned at no cost to you
  • Also serves nonprofits, corporations, LPs and LLPs

Advantages

  • $149 a year, unchanged at renewal
  • The same provider anywhere

Limitations

  • Higher by $50 a year
  • Agent service and nothing else
Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

2. Registered Agent MT.org: best for LLCs based only in Montana

Local option
$99 annually, unchanged at renewal

The second recommendation, Registered Agent MT.org: a plan for one state: $99 a year, renewing at $99.

Price covers

  • A physical address in Montana
  • Legal papers scanned and posted

Advantages

  • Yearly price under the national option
  • $99 each year with no increase

Limitations

  • A single-state service
  • Filing the annual report is not part of its service
Visit Registered Agent MT.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

3. Montana Registered Agent.co: best for an in-state mailing address

Local option
$99 annually, unchanged at renewal

The third recommendation, Montana Registered Agent.co: a plan for one state: $99 a year, renewing at $99.

Its prices equal Registered Agent MT.org's, so either serves.

Price covers

  • A physical address in Montana
  • Legal papers scanned and posted

Advantages

  • $99 each year with no increase
  • Yearly price under the national option

Limitations

  • A single-state service
  • Filing the annual report is not part of its service
Visit Montana Registered Agent.co Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

The services compared

#ServiceAnnual priceRenewal priceThree-year total
1 Mainstay Filing $149$149/yr$447 Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Registered Agent MT.org $99$99/yr$297 Visit Registered Agent MT.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 Montana Registered Agent.co $99$99/yr$297 Visit Montana Registered Agent.co Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Taken from each company's price page on November 13, 2026. Montana charges the same either way.

The sections

  1. Section 1

    Understand the requirement

    Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

    Reference: See mca.legmt.gov; page last consulted October 2026

  2. Section 2

    Who may take the role

    A commercial registered agent listed with the Secretary of State, or a noncommercial agent: an individual, including an owner, or an entity in Montana. (Mont. Code Ann. § 35-7-105)

  3. Section 3

    The address rule

    The address has to be an actual street address or rural route box number in Montana. A P.O. box alone is not enough.

    Each recommended service provides a Montana office address.

  4. Section 4

    Self-service compared with a professional agent

    An owner who meets the tests above may serve; hiring one of the recommended agents costs $99 to $149 a year.

  5. Section 5

    Name the agent in the filing

    For a newly formed Montana LLC, the Articles of Organization identifies the agent. A switch afterward is filed on its own with the Montana Secretary of State.

    Reference: See sosmt.gov; page last consulted October 2026

  6. Section 6

    Update the record when facts change

    File the annual report on time ($20, April 15) so the agent record remains correct.

    Reference: See sosmt.gov; page last consulted October 2026

The cost of this chapter

EntryPayeeAmount
Registered agent service The provider$99 to $149 a year
Agent renewal The provider$99 to $149 a year
Annual report The state$20 every year

The three-year state row is computed as the filing fee, plus the report in each of years two and three, plus any yearly minimum tax. Service fees have their own rows.

Why the list is in this order

Chapters the price completes decided first place in Montana. It is 30% of the ranking, and the rest comes from tuition over three years, second-year bill, fit for the state syllabus and clarity of the price list.

Registered Agent MT.org costs less, but coverage across states earned the higher ranking.

Common questions

Does Montana law call for a registered agent?

Yes. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

Can I be my own registered agent?

Often. Apply the two tests in sections 2 and 3.

Can I change my registered agent later?

Yes. A replacement requires a change filing at the Montana Secretary of State (section 5).

What does a registered agent cost in Montana?

This chapter's agents bill $99 to $149 each year.

What does the LLC pay the state each year?

Owners submit the annual report and pay $20 every year.

Which registered agent would you choose?

Choose Mainstay Filing: $149 a year, renewing at $149, and the same plan is available in every other state. Next are Registered Agent MT.org and Montana Registered Agent.co.

More chapters

Bibliography and primary texts

  1. Bibliography entry for the Montana Secretary of State fee page and fee chapter: sosmt.gov, consulted October 2026.
  2. Bibliography entry for the Montana yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source chapter: sosmt.gov, consulted October 2026.
  3. Bibliography entry for the Montana yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source chapter: sosmt.gov, consulted October 2026.
  4. Bibliography entry for the Montana report due date chapter: mca.legmt.gov, consulted August 2026.
  5. Bibliography entry for the Mont chapter: mca.legmt.gov, consulted August 2026.
  6. Bibliography entry for the Montana formation fee: Filing fee, official source chapter: sosmt.gov, consulted October 2026.
  7. Bibliography entry for the Montana registered agent statute chapter: mca.legmt.gov, consulted October 2026.
  8. November 13, 2026: Mainstay Filing's Montana service page was consulted for the price tables
  9. November 13, 2026: Registered Agent MT.org's pricing page was consulted for the price tables
  10. November 13, 2026: Montana Registered Agent.co's pricing page was consulted for the price tables