Mainstay Filing takes the top spot because the Montana formation, a registered agent and the annual report share a single $199 price.
Renewal includes Mainstay filing the annual report on your behalf. The state fee in Montana is $20 every year, due April 15, with $15 added if it is late, and Mainstay passes that fee through at cost.
Its three-year total is $200 above Registered Agent MT.org's, and what the price covers justifies that gap for us.
In the price
- The formation document prepared and filed for you
- Registered agent service across the year
- Your annual report, prepared and filed for you
- EIN application handled
Good
- Renews at $199 with no add-ons
- EIN application is part of the package
- Montana's fee is added at cost
- A single $199 yearly price that covers the annual report
Watch for
- The agent part costs $100 a year more than Registered Agent MT.org's after year one
Registered Agent MT.org makes the list at number two because a $199 formation price over the state fee, then $99 a year for the agent.
The registered office is an in-state street address supplied by the plan, and any papers served on the company show up as scans in your online account.
Its published prices leave out the annual report, so the owner files it with Montana every year.
In the price
- Articles prepared and filed
- A first year of registered agent service included
Good
- Covers your first year of registered agent service
- $199 for the formation, state fee extra
- $99 a year after that for the agent
Watch for
- Leaves the annual report to the owner
- The EIN application is an extra charge ($99)
Montana Registered Agent.co makes the list at number three because a $199 formation price over the state fee, then $99 a year for the agent.
The registered office is an in-state street address supplied by the plan, and any papers served on the company show up as scans in your online account.
Its published prices leave out the annual report, so the owner files it with Montana every year.
We found no difference in price or features between Registered Agent MT.org and Montana Registered Agent.co; choose whichever you prefer.
In the price
- Articles prepared and filed
- The first year of registered agent service
Good
- Formation costs $199 before the state fee
- Keeps the agent for $99 a year after year one
- Covers your first year of registered agent service
Watch for
- Leaves the annual report to the owner
- The EIN application is an extra charge ($99)
The 3 picks side by side
Each number out of 10 is our own mark, drawn from the weighted criteria on How we rank, and not a customer rating.
Montana LLC service pricing in 2026: first year, renewals, three-year total
Every price comes from the company's own pages as of November 12, 2026. The $35 Montana filing fee comes on top of each row and is left out of the totals.
How the order came together
Filing Shortlist puts 28% of the weight on three-year price and 28% on what the price covers. The remaining 44% goes to renewal terms, fit for the state and price clarity, and for Montana the deciding factor was what the price covers.
Montana asks for a report each year and charges $20, plus $15 when it is late. Mainstay's price covers that filing and Registered Agent MT.org's does not, so coverage beat Registered Agent MT.org's lower three-year bill.
Every criterion and weight is set out on How we rank.
Forming in Montana: filing fee and form
The Articles of Organization costs $35 to file with the Montana Secretary of State. Each service here adds that fee at cost to its own price.
Keeping the company in good order in Montana after formation
File the annual report every year, by April 15. The state fee is $20. A late filing adds $15. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Common questions about Montana LLC services
What is the price of starting an LLC in Montana?
The state filing fee is $35, and service fees run $199.
Which document creates the LLC?
The Articles of Organization, submitted to the Montana Secretary of State.
Must a new company list a registered agent when it forms in Montana?
Yes. Montana wants a registered agent named at formation and kept on file afterwards, with a street address in the state.
What does the company have to file after forming in Montana?
The annual report, every year, due April 15, for a $20 state fee.
Is the EIN application part of the price?
With Mainstay Filing it is, inside the yearly price. For the EIN application, Registered Agent MT.org and Montana Registered Agent.co bill $99. The IRS issues EINs at no charge if you apply yourself.
Which service tops the Montana LLC shortlist?
Mainstay Filing, because $199 a year pays for the Montana filing, a year as your registered agent and the annual report, and the renewal is $199.