The Montana Secretary of State keeps the public register of businesses formed in Montana and of companies from elsewhere that register to work there. The office is based in Helena, the state capital. Its business information lives at sosmt.gov/business, and the search and online filing tools run on a separate portal, biz.sosmt.gov.
This page is short on figures, and that is on purpose. We publish a Montana fee, deadline or rule only after reading it on the Secretary of State's own pages, and that review is not finished. Until it is, use this page as a map of where to look, and take every number from the state.
Looking up a Montana business
Start at biz.sosmt.gov and search by the company's name. If a common word brings back too many results, add a second distinctive word from the name. Once you find the right entity, open its record.
Read four things on the record: the exact legal name, the status, the date it was registered and the registered agent. The legal name matters because it is the name that belongs on contracts and invoices. The status tells you whether the company is current with the state. The agent is the person or firm that receives legal papers for the company.
If you need the result for a lender, a landlord or a court, do not rely on the screen alone. Order a certificate or a certified copy from the Secretary of State instead.
Montana fees and forms
Formation papers, registrations for out of state companies, name reservations and certificates each carry a state fee. The Secretary of State keeps the current list on its business pages. Read it on the day you file, and keep the receipt from the portal with your company papers.
Before you choose where to form, our overview of LLC filing fees by state helps you compare. Confirm the Montana amount on the state's site first.
Staying current with the state
Many states expect companies to file a periodic report and to keep their agent and address up to date. Look at your Montana record and the Secretary of State's business pages to see what your entity type owes and when. Put the date in your calendar as soon as the company is formed.
If you run companies in more than one state, our table of annual report deadlines by state keeps the dates in one place. Check the Montana line against the state's own page.
Name checks and agents in Montana
Search the portal for your preferred name before you file. A name that looks free on a search is a good sign, but treat it as a first check rather than a promise. Keep a second choice ready in case the first is refused.
Every company needs someone to receive legal papers on its behalf. Read the Secretary of State's guidance on who can serve as registered agent before you name one in your formation papers.
Contact the Montana Secretary of State
| Office | Montana Secretary of State (sosmt.gov, checked ) |
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Use the contact details on sosmt.gov for phone numbers, addresses and opening hours. When you get in touch, have the company's exact name and its ID from the portal ready.
Sources
- sosmt.gov/: office name. Checked .