Foreign Qualification by State

Foreign Qualification by State › Montana

Foreign qualification in Montana: the requirements

To qualify a foreign LLC in Montana, file Application for Certificate of Authority (foreign limited liability company) and pay the $70 fee, with a registered agent in the state.

Montana checklist

  • The application: Application for Certificate of Authority (foreign limited liability company), filed with the Montana Secretary of State, Business Services.
  • The fee: $70. It is the same however you file.
  • From your home state: Nothing for an LLC; Montana does not ask for a certificate.
  • A local agent: A registered agent with a street address in Montana. Each service below supplies one for the first year.
  • Afterward: Annual report (Montana Secretary of State), no fee (due: april 15).

Best 3 Foreign Registration Services in Montana (2026)

The three ways we would handle the Montana filing.

1. Mainstay Filing

$199 + $70 state fee = $269

Registered agent free for the first year, then $149 a year.

2. Registered Agent MT.org

$199 + $70 state fee = $269

Registered agent included for the first year, then $99 a year.

3. Montana Registered Agent.co

$199 + $70 state fee = $269

Registered agent included for the first year, then $99 a year.

Service prices read from each provider’s Montana page on October 28, 2026. The state fee is the official figure below and is paid to the Montana Secretary of State, Business Services.

How Montana compares

Montana is 4th of 50 by fee (median $142.50). Among the 36 states that do want a home-state certificate are Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas and California.

Montana questions

What does Montana require for foreign qualification?

Application for Certificate of Authority (foreign limited liability company), the $70 fee and a registered agent in Montana.

Is Montana stricter than other states?

It is 4th cheapest by fee, and one of the 14 that do not need a home-state certificate.

Which service is best for Montana?

Mainstay Filing, at $199 plus the state fee.

Sources