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Biz Formation Report

Rankings of registered agents, LLC formation and foreign registration services in all 50 states.

Foreign registration report · Montana

3 Best Foreign Registration Services in Montana (2026)

By the Biz Formation Report editorial team

Biz Formation Report ranks foreign registration services in Montana for 2026 as Registered Agent MT.org ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and Montana Registered Agent.co ($199), in that order. Registered Agent MT.org earns the top grade: $199 beyond the state fee to register in Montana, agent renewing at $99.

No.1

Our top pick in Montana

1. Registered Agent MT.org: best for companies adding Montana alone

Score9.5out of 10
$199 added to the state's fee; $99 a year for the agent after that

Top grade, Registered Agent MT.org: $199 plus the state fee, one year of registered agent service included, then $99 a year for the agent.

The plan seats the company at an in-state street address and posts scans of papers served there to your online account.

Three years of service cost less here than with Mainstay Filing, and cost counts heavily in the grade.

What you get

  • Montana registration filed for you
  • A first year of registered agent service

Good

  • $99 annually to keep the agent
  • Registration costs $199 before the state fee
  • Registered agent service included for year one

Weak spots

  • Serves Montana only; the home state still needs its own agent
  • The EIN application costs $99 extra
Visit Registered Agent MT.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read the Registered Agent MT.org review
No.2

Same price in every state

2. Mainstay Filing: best for companies registered in several states

Score9.0out of 10
$199 plus the state fee ($269 due at checkout), then $149 a year for the agent from year two

Second grade, Mainstay Filing: the Montana registration is filed for $199, and the registered agent is free in year one, then $149 a year.

The agent is free in year one, then costs $149 a year, whatever state the company registers in.

Registered Agent MT.org is $100 cheaper across three years, and that difference lowers Mainstay Filing's cost grade.

What you get

  • Registration paperwork handled and filed
  • Year-one registered agent service costs nothing
  • Service of process scanned and uploaded within one business day, free

Good

  • Served papers scanned within the same business day, free
  • $199 service fee plus the state's fee
  • Registered agent at no cost in year one
  • One price across all fifty states

Weak spots

  • The agent renews at $149, $50 more than Registered Agent MT.org
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read the Mainstay Filing review
No.3

Best local option

3. Montana Registered Agent.co: best for registering in Montana only

Score8.8out of 10
$199 service fee and the state fee on top; the agent is $99 annually from year two

Third grade, Montana Registered Agent.co: $199 plus the state fee, one year of registered agent service included, then $99 a year for the agent.

The plan seats the company at an in-state street address and posts scans of papers served there to your online account.

The two state services, Registered Agent MT.org and Montana Registered Agent.co, match on price and features, and the order between them is a narrow call.

What you get

  • Montana registration filed for you
  • Registered agent service for year one

Good

  • The first year as your registered agent is included
  • $199 service fee, state fee added
  • $99 a year for the agent from year two

Weak spots

  • Serves Montana only; the home state still needs its own agent
  • The EIN application costs $99 extra
Visit Montana Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read the Montana Registered Agent.co review

Summary of the 3 grades

RankProviderGradeService feeYear twoBest fitSite
1Registered Agent MT.org9.5$199$99/yrThe lowest agent renewal we rank hereVisit Registered Agent MT.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing9.0$199$149/yrCompanies with a presence in several statesVisit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3Montana Registered Agent.co8.8$199$99/yrThe lowest agent renewal we rank hereVisit Montana Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Each grade out of 10 comes from Biz Formation Report's editors and the weighted criteria on How we rank; no customer ratings are involved.

Montana foreign registration service prices, 2026: year one, renewal and three-year outlay

ProviderYear 1Year 2Year 3Three-year outlayYear-one agent covered
Registered Agent MT.org$199$99$99$397Included
Mainstay Filing$199$149$149$497Free
Montana Registered Agent.co$199$99$99$397Included

All prices were taken from the companies' own websites on November 12, 2026. Montana's $70 registration fee is payable on top of each row and is not part of these totals.

Why Registered Agent MT.org ranks first

Biz Formation Report grades three-year bill and what the money buys at 32% each, leaving 36% for renewal handling, local rules match and pricing openness. In Montana, three-year bill settled the order.

Total outlay with Registered Agent MT.org over three years: $397, $100 less than Mainstay Filing. Both providers include the first agent year, so the renewal price set the order.

Every criterion and weight is listed on How we rank.

Montana foreign LLC registration: fee, document and filing office

To register, the outside company submits the Application for Certificate of Authority (foreign limited liability company) to the Montana Secretary of State, Business Services, with a state fee of $70.

After registration the company owes the annual report, due April 15.

Documents to have on hand

  • The legal name as recorded in the home state, and the date of formation.
  • An in-state registered agent; any provider in this report can serve.
  • Payment of the $70 state fee with the filing.
  • The due date of the annual report, noted in your calendar.

The cost of skipping Montana registration

An unregistered foreign LLC has no right to sue in Montana courts until it registers (MCA 35-8-1002(1)). Daily penalties of $5 may apply.

Montana foreign registration service: common questions

Must an LLC from another state register with Montana?

Yes, as soon as it transacts business there. Until then it has no standing to bring a lawsuit in the state's courts.

How much does Montana foreign registration cost?

$70 goes to the state and $199 to the service.

Is a registered agent still needed after foreign registration?

Yes. A registered agent with a street address in the state has to remain on file.

Which foreign registration services does this report rank?

Registered Agent MT.org ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and Montana Registered Agent.co ($199), in descending order of grade.

What is filed each year after registering?

The annual report.

What is the best foreign registration service for Montana?

Registered Agent MT.org: the Montana registration for $199 with year-one agent service included, then $99 a year.

Related pages

Source notes

  1. Montana Secretary of State fee page and fee sheet: standard annual report fee (verified October 2026)
  2. Montana yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source (verified October 2026)
  3. Montana yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source (verified October 2026)
  4. Montana report due date (verified August 2026)
  5. Mont. Code Ann. § 35-8-201 (verified August 2026)
  6. Montana formation fee: Filing fee, official source (verified October 2026)
  7. Montana registered agent statute (verified October 2026)
  8. Montana Secretary of State, register a business (verified October 2026)
  9. MCA 35-8-1001, transacting business (verified October 2026)
  10. MCA 35-8-1002, consequences (verified October 2026)
  11. MCA 35-8-1003, application contents (verified October 2026)
  12. Pulled November 12, 2026: Registered Agent MT.org, pricing and service pages
  13. Pulled November 12, 2026: Mainstay Filing, Montana service page
  14. Pulled November 12, 2026: Montana Registered Agent.co, pricing and service pages