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Formation Explained

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Explained · Montana

3 Best Registered Agents in Montana (2026) for Owners

We recommend Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), Montana Registered Agent.co ($99 a year) and Registered Agent MT.org ($99 a year) for registered agents in Montana in 2026, in that order. Year one costs $99 to $149 with these services, and three years cost $297 to $447.
Formation Explained editorial team

The essentials

Required by the state?
Required
Title used by the law
Registered agent
Typical service price
$99 to $149 yearly
Our recommendations
Mainstay Filing, Montana Registered Agent.co then Registered Agent MT.org

Montana: the ranked picks

Order and weights are explained on how we pick.
1 Our first choice

1. Mainstay Filing: best for companies in more than one state

$149 a year, then $149 at renewal

Mainstay Filing is where we would start in Montana. In short, it costs $149 a year, renewing at $149, and one account serves any state.

Montana Registered Agent.co would save $150 over three years but covers Montana only.

Includes

  • A physical address in the state
  • Up to three government mailings a year scanned for free
  • Not just LLCs: corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits too

Points in its favor

  • $149 a year, unchanged at renewal
  • Covers every state you might add

Where it falls short

  • Montana Registered Agent.co charges $50 less each year
  • The agent role is all you get
2 Local to Montana

2. Montana Registered Agent.co: best for a modest yearly fee

$99 a year, then $99 at renewal

Our second recommendation, Montana Registered Agent.co, earns it since three years total $297 for a company that never leaves Montana.

Includes

  • The registered office address
  • Scanned copies of legal papers online

Points in its favor

  • A fixed $99 each year
  • Wins on yearly price against Mainstay Filing

Where it falls short

  • Moving to a second state means a second agent
  • Annual report is up to you
3 Local to Montana

3. Registered Agent MT.org: best for another in-state option

$99 a year, then $99 at renewal

Our third recommendation, Registered Agent MT.org, earns it since three years total $297 for a company that never leaves Montana.

The prices match Montana Registered Agent.co, so pick the one you prefer.

Includes

  • The registered office address
  • Scanned copies of legal papers online

Points in its favor

  • A fixed $99 each year
  • Wins on yearly price against Mainstay Filing

Where it falls short

  • Moving to a second state means a second agent
  • Annual report is up to you

The picks compared

#CompanyYear oneEach year afterTotal, 3 yearsWhat you get
1 Mainstay Filing $149$149/yr$447A physical address in the state; up to three government mailings a year scanned for free; Not just LLCs: corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits too Go to Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Montana Registered Agent.co $99$99/yr$297the registered office address; scanned copies of legal papers online Go to Montana Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 Registered Agent MT.org $99$99/yr$297the registered office address; scanned copies of legal papers online Go to Registered Agent MT.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Service fees only, from each company's pricing as of November 13, 2026. State fees do not change with the service you choose.

What owners want to know

Must the LLC have a registered agent?

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

Authority: Mont. Code Ann. § 35-7-105. (mca.legmt.gov, October 2026)

Who can serve in 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.

An owner who qualifies can serve without paying anyone.

What will an agent cost each year?

Prices start at $99 to $149 a year and total $297 to $447 for three.

Choosing a different agent does not change any state fee.

What does an agent do for the LLC?

It receives legal documents for the LLC at an address in Montana.

A service is only as useful as its forwarding, so ask how documents reach you. More about service of process

What else comes due each year?

What recurs is the annual report: annual, $20. In the state's words it falls due April 15, so keep an eye on it.

(sosmt.gov, October 2026)

What decided the ranking?

The deciding factor is how much work the price handles (28% of the weight), where Mainstay Filing is strongest.

The two heaviest criteria are what three years cost (34%) and how much work the price handles (28%), with three lighter ones behind them.

If the LLC adds a state, the same agent and the same price follow it; Montana Registered Agent.co ends at the Montana border.

See the full method

Montana: rules and fees at a glance

What it coversWhat the state saysReference
LLC formation fee$35(sosmt.gov, October 2026)
Registered agentRequired(mca.legmt.gov, October 2026)
Annual report$20 every year(sosmt.gov, October 2026)
Years one to three, state fees$75Added up from the rows above
Three-year state total = the filing + reports in years two and three + minimum tax where there is one. Variable costs stay out.

Further questions

Can I name myself?

Yes, if you satisfy the rules on who qualifies and the address on this page, you can do it yourself.

What counts as an acceptable 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.

How do the picks compare over three years?

Mainstay Filing: $447 | Montana Registered Agent.co: $297 | Registered Agent MT.org: $297

Are the figures official?

Montana's official documents supply the state fees, and the companies' price pages supply the service fees.

Is a service required?

No law demands one. A service is a convenience.

What is the best registered agent for Montana?

Mainstay Filing is on top because the price is $149 a year wherever the LLC is registered; Montana Registered Agent.co and Registered Agent MT.org follow.

Official sources and price pages

  1. October 2026 confirmation of Montana Secretary of State fee at sosmt.gov
  2. October 2026 confirmation of Montana yearly filing: Annual report at sosmt.gov
  3. October 2026 confirmation of Montana yearly filing: Annual report at sosmt.gov
  4. August 2026 confirmation of Montana report due date at mca.legmt.gov
  5. August 2026 confirmation of Mont at mca.legmt.gov
  6. October 2026 confirmation of Montana formation fee: Filing fee at sosmt.gov
  7. October 2026 confirmation of Montana registered agent statute at mca.legmt.gov
  8. Mainstay Filing, Montana service page, accessed November 13, 2026
  9. Montana Registered Agent.co, pricing page, accessed November 13, 2026
  10. Registered Agent MT.org, pricing page, accessed November 13, 2026