How to search Montana records
- Search by business name or filing ID; results include assumed business names.
- The record lists the registered agent and the principal office address.
- Check "Annual Report Due" to see whether the entity is current.
Open the official Montana search
Montana SOS, corporation and LLC search
Montana Secretary of State Business Search
The Montana Secretary of State business search is run by the Montana Secretary of State, Business Services through its Business Search (biz.sosmt.gov). Related queries such as "Montana SOS business search" reach the same free database. Search by name first, then reopen the record by its filing ID so you are reading one exact entity. The step-by-step instructions above walk through the screens.
Montana Entity Search
An entity search of the Montana business registry returns every registered type at once: domestic and foreign LLCs, corporations, partnerships and nonprofits. Read the status first, then the formation date and the registered agent. Because Montana expects an annual report yearly, a lapsed filing usually shows up as a status change before the entity is dissolved.
Montana Corporation Search
A corporation search uses the same index as LLCs, so filter by entity type if the name is common. Searches typed as "Montana corp search" land here too. The record shows whether it is a for-profit corporation or a nonprofit, and the entity types guide explains how each one appears. Corporations are formed by filing articles of incorporation, so the formation date on the record is the date those articles took effect.
Montana LLC Lookup
Run the Montana LLC lookup with the exact name, then note the filing ID. Forming a Montana LLC costs $35 and the annual report is $20. Whether members appear depends on the filings; our LLC lookup guide covers what the state shows, and the business owner lookup covers what it does not. A state record never shows an EIN; use the EIN lookup for that.
Montana Business Name Search
A Montana business name search shows names already on file, not names the state will accept. Montana lets you hold a name for 120 days for $10. The name claim guide lists the checks to run before you file, including trademarks and DBA names.
State of Montana Business License Search
A Montana entity record is not a business license. Licenses come from the state board for a regulated trade or from the city or county where the business operates, so check those separately. The business verification checklist lists which official records to pull and in what order.
Why so many out-of-state owners use Montana LLCs
Montana has no general sales tax and low fees, $35 to form an LLC and $20 for the annual report due April 15. That combination made Montana LLCs a common way for out-of-state owners to register vehicles and RVs. The Montana record will be perfectly valid, but owning a Montana LLC does not change the owner's home-state residency, and several states pursue residents who register vehicles this way to avoid their own taxes.
Montana filing facts
| Record number | Filing ID |
|---|---|
| LLC formation fee | $35. Articles of Organization. |
| Recurring filing | Annual report, $20, yearly |
| Due | April 15 |
| Name reservation | $10 for 120 days |
| Agency phone | 406-444-3665 |
What a Montana LLC costs in its first three years
First recurring filing assumed in year 2; state charges only.
| Year | Formation | Recurring filing | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $35 | $0 | $35 |
| Year 2 | $0 | $20 | $20 |
| Year 3 | $0 | $20 | $20 |
| Three-year state total | $75 | ||
What the record shows
The Montana search returns entities and assumed business names together, with the registered agent and principal office address. A record with a Montana commercial agent and an out-of-state principal address is common. When you need to know who is behind one, start with the LLC lookup guide, and for vehicle-related deals follow how to verify a business.
Montana for out-of-state vehicle owners
If you see a Montana LLC as the registered owner of a vehicle in another state, the company record will usually show a commercial agent in Montana and an owner elsewhere. That arrangement is legal in Montana but can conflict with the owner's home-state registration and tax rules. Check your own state's rules before buying a vehicle registered this way.
How Montana compares with its neighbors
| State | LLC filing | Yearly upkeep | Report cycle | Reservation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana | $35 | $20 | Yearly | $10 |
| Idaho | $100 | $0 | Yearly | $20 |
| Wyoming | $100 | $60 | Yearly | $60 |
| North Dakota | $135 | $50 | Yearly | $10 |
Before you rely on a Montana result
- Annual reports filed after April 15 pay a late fee, and continued failure leads to involuntary dissolution.
- Using a Montana LLC to avoid another state's vehicle taxes can violate that state's laws; Montana registration does not override residency rules.
Bulk Montana business data
Sold by the state.
Searching beyond Montana
Registries next to Montana: Idaho business search, Wyoming business search, North Dakota business search.
Montana business search questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Montana?
The state filing fee is $35. Articles of Organization. Keeping the LLC on file then averages $20 a year in state fees.
When is the Montana annual report due?
Montana calls it the annual report. It costs $20, it is filed yearly, and it is due April 15.
Can I reserve a business name in Montana?
Yes. A name reservation costs $10 and holds the name for 120 days.
Can I avoid my state's vehicle taxes with a Montana LLC?
A Montana LLC registration is legal, but it does not change your home-state residency, and many states treat vehicle registration through one to avoid their taxes as a violation.
Is the Montana business entity search free?
Yes. Searching the Business Search (biz.sosmt.gov) costs nothing. The Montana Secretary of State, Business Services charges only for certified copies and certificates of good standing.
Who keeps business records in Montana?
The Montana Secretary of State, Business Services. Its business line is 406-444-3665, and its free search is the Business Search (biz.sosmt.gov).
What number identifies a business in Montana?
Montana assigns each entity a filing ID. It is different from the federal EIN and from the number the same company holds in any other state, and searching by it returns exactly one record.
Can I download a list of all Montana businesses?
Only by buying it.
Sources
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