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Montana

Montana Secretary of State Business Search

Written byRegistryWise Editorial TeamFact-checked against the Montana Secretary of State · How we research

The short answer

Montana business records are searched for free on the Secretary of State's Business Search by business name or file number, and filed documents open from each record under "View Filings." The LLC annual report is due between January 1 and April 15, and the fee is waived if you file on time.

On this page
  1. LLC lookup, step by step
  2. What the status means
  3. Agent, filings, owners
  4. Your File Number
  5. Is the name available?
  6. DBA and UCC search
  7. Fees and deadlines
  8. Questions
  9. Sources

Montana at a glance

Who runs it
Montana Secretary of State, Business Services
Business Search
Cost to search
Free
Searching and downloading filed documents is free. Certified copies are $10, and a Certificate of Existence is $5.
Account needed
No
Search without signing up
Search by
Business name, File number
and 1 more

State fees

  • Form an LLC$35Series LLCs add $50 for each series named.Articles of OrganizationOfficial source
  • Annual ReportNo feeWaived if filed by April 15. $35 after April 15.Between January 1 and April 15 each year, starting the year after the LLC is formed.Official source
  • Certificate of Existence$5Proof the business is currentOfficial source
  • Change registered agentNo feeStatement of Change of registered office or agent: no fee.Every LLC must have oneOfficial source

An LLC lookup in Montana is the same search as a business search. The Business Search, kept by the Montana Secretary of State, lists LLCs alongside corporations and other registered businesses. You can search by business name or file number. It's free, and you don't need an account.

  1. Open the Business Search on biz.sosmt.gov. Type the business name or file number. Results are limited, so use "Advanced" to narrow them.
  2. Click the business name in the results to open the record.
  3. Read the registered agent's name and address in the panel on the right side of the record.
  4. Go to "View Filings" to download filed documents. The Articles of Organization are labeled "Initial Filing."
  5. To order a certificate or certified copy, log in, open the record, and click "Request Information."

Good to know in Montana: Montana's annual report is free if you file between January 1 and April 15 and costs $35 after that. Montana is also online only: the Secretary of State no longer accepts paper forms, so every filing, including the annual report and reinstatement, goes through the biz.sosmt.gov portal.

What the search shows you

  • Business name and file number
  • Status
  • Registered agent name and address (in the panel on the right of the record)
  • Filed documents under "View Filings" (articles are labeled "Initial Filing")
  • A "File Annual Report" button for the business

What the status words mean

Montana uses its own words for a company's status, and they don't always mean the same thing as in other states. Here's what you'll see on the Business Search, in the state's own wording.

StatusWhat it means
ActiveThe registration is current. A dissolved business returns to active status only after it files every missing annual report and a reinstatement application.
Involuntary DissolutionAdministratively dissolved for missed filings and fees, or for not keeping a registered agent. Montana LLCs can reinstate within 5 years of the dissolution date.
ExpiredThe registration period lapsed and must be filed again. The Secretary of State says this is common for trademarks and assumed business names (DBAs).
Active-SuspendedThe help center refers to "active-suspended (tax-related)" cases. Resolving one requires a Title 15 tax certificate from the Montana Department of Revenue. The help center doesn't define the status further.

For how these compare across states, see what business entity status means.

Finding the registered agent, filing history and owners

Registered Agent

Shown on the right side of the business record. Montana requires every LLC and corporation to keep a registered agent with a physical Montana address.

Filing history

Open the record and go to "View Filings" to see and download every filed document, including annual reports.

Owners, managers and officers

Montana annual reports list the LLC's managers or members with their business mailing addresses, so download the latest annual report under "View Filings." The state also sells a Business Principal Extract Report through "Request Information." If the state record doesn't name anyone, our guide on how to find the owner of an LLC covers where else to look.

Finding a Montana File Number

Montana gives every business on its register a File Number. It's the quickest way to pin down the right company when names are alike.

What it looks like
A letter followed by digits. A filed LLC annual report shows "BID: C255552" and the certification letter repeats it as the "Certified File Number."
Where to find yours
On the business record in the search, and on your filed documents and certification letters, where it also appears as the BID.
Search by it
Yes. The Business Search accepts it.

Your federal EIN is a different number again. See which business number a form is asking for.

Checking whether a business name is available in Montana

  1. Search the Business Search for the name you want. A name that looks open isn't guaranteed until your filing is approved.
  2. Montana requires names to be "distinguishable" (ARM 44.5.131). Small differences such as punctuation, abbreviations, or "LLC" don't count.
  3. Reserve a name for 120 days for $10.

A clear result on the state search isn't a trademark clearance. If the name matters to you, also search the USPTO trademark database and check the domain. More in our business name search guide.

DBA and UCC search in Montana

DBAs and assumed names

What it's called
Assumed Business Name
Where they're filed
An LLC registers a DBA by filing an Assumed Business Name application with the Secretary of State and naming itself as the applicant. Assumed business names appear in the same Business Search.
State fee
$20
How long it lasts
5 years, renewable for another 5 years. The state cancels a registration that isn't renewed.

UCC liens

Lenders file UCC financing statements with the Montana Secretary of State. The online search is free. Our Montana UCC search guide has the steps and fees.

Montana fees and deadlines

These are the state's own fees, before any service charges. Each row links to the official page we took it from.

Form an LLC

$35
  • Articles of Organization.
  • File online only. The office reviews the filing and emails you instructions to download the approved documents from the portal.
  • Faster options: 24-hour processing $20, or 1-hour processing $100.
File online Fee source

Annual Report

No fee
  • Due: Between January 1 and April 15 each year, starting the year after the LLC is formed.
  • If you're late: The fee becomes $35 after April 15. An LLC that keeps missing filings can be involuntarily dissolved. Reinstatement costs $35 plus $35 for each year of missing annual reports, and most LLCs also need a Title 15 tax certificate from the Department of Revenue (single-member LLCs not taxed as corporations don't).
  • If nothing has changed, you can file a "no change" report from the business record without logging in. The annual report is not a tax report.
File the report Fee source

Change your registered agent

No fee
  • Every Montana LLC must have one.
  • Statement of Change of registered office or agent: no fee.
Fee source

Certificate of Existence

$5
  • Proof the company exists and is current, from the Montana Secretary of State.
Order one Fee source

25,904 new business applications were filed in Montana from January to September 2026, up 14.9% on last year, according to the Census Bureau. See every state.

Starting a business in Montana?

A lot of people search the Business Search to see if a name is taken before they file. If that's you, here's the order to do things in.

  1. 1Check the name is free in MontanaTakes two minutes, steps on this page
  2. 2File your LLC with the stateArticles of Organization, $35 state fee
  3. 3Or let a service file it for youCompared on what you pay in year two

Step 3 goes to our comparison page, which has sponsored links. We earn a commission if you buy, and it doesn't change our rankings. How that works.

Frequently asked questions

How do I look up an LLC in Montana?

Search the Business Search, the official database kept by the Montana Secretary of State. You can search by business name or file number. It's free, and you don't need an account. Open the matching record to see the LLC's status, registered agent and filing history.

Is the Montana Secretary of State business search free?

Yes. Searching and downloading filed documents is free. Certified copies are $10 and a Certificate of Existence is $5.

When is the Montana LLC annual report due?

Between January 1 and April 15 every year, starting the year after you form. Filing in that window is free. After April 15 it costs $35.

What does "Involuntary Dissolution" mean in Montana?

The state administratively dissolved the business for missed filings and fees, or for not keeping a registered agent. To reinstate, file every missing annual report and a reinstatement application within 5 years.

Can I find out who owns a Montana LLC?

Often, yes. Montana annual reports list the LLC's managers or members, and you can download them free from the record under "View Filings."

Sources

We take every fee, deadline and rule on this page from these pages and nowhere else. Rules change, so open the source before you pay anything.

  1. 1.Montana Business SearchChecked November 8, 2026
  2. 2.Secretary of State: business services filing feesChecked November 8, 2026
  3. 3.Help center: business services articlesChecked November 8, 2026
  4. 4.Help center: how do I file my annual report?Checked November 8, 2026
  5. 5.Help center: Involuntary Dissolution and ExpiredChecked November 8, 2026
  6. 6.Help center: how to reinstate a businessChecked November 8, 2026
  7. 7.Help center: request business documents and certificatesChecked November 8, 2026
  8. 8.MCA 35-8-208: LLC annual reportChecked November 8, 2026
  9. 9.MCA 30-13-206: assumed business name termChecked November 8, 2026
  10. 10.Secretary of State: lien information and fee sheetChecked November 8, 2026

See something out of date? Report it and we'll look into it.

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