Best LLC Service in Montana (2026): Ranked and Reviewed
By Frederic Deltour, Entrepreneur and Business Consultant, 22+ years forming and operating companies.
Published: May 5, 2026 · Last updated: May 5, 2026
Montana has the lowest LLC filing fee in the country at $35 and a $20 annual report that has been waived by the Secretary of State for on-time filers in 2025, 2026, and 2027. With no sales tax and no franchise tax, Montana is one of the cheapest states for ongoing LLC maintenance. There is one caveat most comparisons skip: Montana has a state income tax (4.7% to 5.9%), so the total tax picture is not as cost-free as Nevada or Wyoming.
Montana also draws a significant number of out-of-state LLC formations specifically for the Montana vehicle registration strategy, which allows vehicles titled to Montana LLCs to avoid sales tax in high-tax states. This strategy is legal under Montana law but carries risk in the operator's home state if discovered. A formation service with state-specific knowledge of Montana's LLC rules is valuable for both standard business formations and vehicle-registration-motivated ones.
Top LLC Services in Montana: Quick Comparison
| Service & Plan | Service Fee | What's Actually Included | Registered Agent | EIN | Operating Agreement | Processing Speed | Data Privacy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest RA Best Overall |
$39 + $35 state fee |
Articles + op agreement template + mail scanning + address privacy all year + BOI help | Free year 1 $125/yr after |
$50 add-on (free at IRS.gov) |
Included | 1-5 days prep | Never sells data |
| ZenBusiness Pro Fairer NW comparison |
$199 + $35 state fee Renews $199/yr |
Articles + 1-day rush + op agreement + EIN + logo builder. No RA included (add $199/yr). Worry-Free Compliance auto-renews $199/yr if not cancelled | Not included +$199/yr extra |
Included | Included | 1-day prep | Some data sharing |
| Bizee Basic Cheapest entry |
$0 + $35 state fee |
Articles only. Op agreement +$99, EIN +$70 if needed. To match NW features: add ~$169+ | Free year 1 $119/yr after |
Not included +$70 extra |
Not included +$99 extra |
~3 weeks standard | Shares with partners |
| Bizee Standard Fairer NW comparison |
$199 + $35 state fee |
Articles + op agreement + EIN + banking resolution + tax consult. Still lacks full address privacy. Expedited prep included (but state processing same) | Free year 1 $119/yr after |
Included | Included | ~1 day prep (state: 3 wks common) |
Shares with partners |
| LegalZoom Pro For legal access |
$249 + $35 state fee |
Articles + op agreement template + EIN + 90-day bookkeeping trial (auto-renews $9.99/mo if not cancelled). Attorney access only in Premium ($299). No RA included at any plan level | Not included +$249/yr extra |
Included | Included | 1-2 weeks prep | Shares with partners |
All fees exclude mandatory $35 Montana state filing fee. EIN is always free at IRS.gov , never pay a service for this. Registered agent is legally required in every state. "Fairer NW comparison" plans include similar core features to Northwest's $39 package.
What Makes Montana LLC Formation Unique
- $35 filing fee: The lowest in the US. Filed online through Montana's ePass portal. Standard processing: 5-10 business days.
- Annual report: $20/year, due April 15. The Secretary of State has waived this fee for on-time filers in 2025, 2026, and 2027. This is a discretionary waiver, not a permanent law. Budget for $20/year and treat any waiver as a bonus. Late filing: $15 penalty. Dissolution for domestic LLCs that fail to file by December 1.
- No sales tax: Montana is one of five US states with no statewide sales tax (alongside Alaska, Delaware, New Hampshire, and Oregon). This simplifies compliance for retail and e-commerce businesses.
- State income tax: 4.7% to 5.9% (graduated). Montana has state income tax unlike Wyoming, Nevada, or South Dakota. LLC members pay Montana income tax on their share of business income.
- No franchise tax: Standard pass-through LLCs pay no Montana franchise tax.
- Vehicle registration strategy: Montana allows vehicles owned by Montana LLCs to be registered in Montana without sales tax, attracting many out-of-state LLC formations. Home states are increasingly auditing this strategy. Formation services cannot provide legal advice on whether it's appropriate for your specific situation.
- April 15 deadline conflict: Montana's annual report shares a deadline with federal income tax returns. Many Montana LLC owners miss the report because all focus goes to personal and business tax filings. Set a March 15 calendar reminder to file the annual report before tax season peaks.
- No general state business license at the state level. Industry-specific and local permits vary.
Service-by-Service Rankings for Montana
#1 BEST OVERALLNorthwest Registered Agent , $39 + state fee
At $39, Northwest is the only service that includes: Articles filing, a custom operating agreement template, free first-year registered agent with their physical Montana address on all public filings, full-year mail scanning, and access to dedicated Corporate Guides by phone with no upsells, no data selling, and no auto-renewing subscription traps.
Northwest's $39 + Montana's $35 state fee = $74 total, the lowest combined formation cost available through any professional service in the US.
What you get for $39: Articles of Organization, operating agreement template, free RA year 1 (then $125/yr), their address replaces yours on all public Montana SOS records, mail forwarding and scanning, compliance reminders, BOI filing guidance.
What is not included: EIN ($50 add-on, or get it free directly at IRS.gov in 5 minutes).
3-year service total (excl. state fees): $289 ($39 + $125 + $125). Data privacy: Never sells customer data
Start with Northwest →#2 DASHBOARD TOOLSZenBusiness Pro , $199 + state fee (renews $199/yr)
ZenBusiness Pro at $199 includes: Articles, 1-day rush preparation, operating agreement and a logo builder. What it does not include that Northwest does: registered agent service. You must add RA separately at $199/year. To get equivalent coverage to Northwest, ZenBusiness Pro + RA = $199 + $199 = $398 year one, renewing at $398/year. ZenBusiness's Starter plan is $0 but includes neither RA, EIN, nor an operating agreement. The Worry-Free Compliance service included with Starter auto-renews at $199/year if not cancelled. Read the checkout screen carefully.
Best use case: Founders who want a polished guided dashboard, are comfortable with $199/year recurring costs, and don't mind adding RA separately.
3-year total (Pro + RA, excl. state fees): $597 + $199 RA x 2 yrs = ~$995. Some data sharing
#3 FREE ALTERNATIVEInc Authority , $0 + state fee
Inc Authority offers genuinely free LLC formation with the most complete $0 package: free filing, free EIN, and free registered agent year one. That's more than any other free service includes. The catch: registered agent renews at $179/year (vs NW's $125/year), clients report regular upsell attempts during and after checkout.
Real advantage over other $0 services: Free EIN included (most competitors charge $49-$70). Free RA year one. No formation fee.
3-year service total (excl. state fees): $358 ($0 + $179 + $179 RA renewals). upsell attempts reported
Check Inc Authority free plan#4 BUDGET ENTRYBizee Basic , $0 + state fee
Bizee offers $0 formation with free first-year RA (renews at $119/yr, lowest renewal rate). No EIN, no operating agreement in Basic plan (add $169 for both). Shares customer data with marketing partners. Standard processing takes ~3 weeks.
3-year service total (excl. state fees): $238 ($0 + $119 + $119 RA renewals). Shares data with partners
#5 ATTORNEY ACCESSLegalZoom Pro , $249 / Premium $299 + state fee
LegalZoom Pro ($249) includes: Articles + operating agreement template + EIN + 90-day bookkeeping trial (auto-renews at $9.99/month if not cancelled before day 90). LegalZoom Premium ($299) adds a 30-day attorney consultation trial (auto-renews at $49/month if not cancelled before day 30). Registered agent is not included in any LegalZoom plan at any price. Adding it costs $249/year, making LegalZoom the most expensive registered agent fee of any major service.
True first-year cost to match Northwest: LegalZoom Pro $249 + RA $249 = $498, vs Northwest's $39 total (with RA included free). LegalZoom's primary advantage is attorney access, if and only if you need it. For basic LLC formation without legal complexity, Northwest provides better value by a wide margin.
Watch the auto-renewals: The bookkeeping trial (Pro) auto-renews at $9.99/month. The attorney plan trial (Premium) auto-renews at $49/month. Set calendar reminders before day 30 (attorney) and day 90 (bookkeeping) if you don't plan to continue.
Best for: LLCs with complex legal questions, attorney access needs, or founders who anticipate ongoing legal consultation.
Shares data with partners
Original Research: True 3-Year Cost for Montana LLCs
| Service | Service + RA (3yr) | MT State Fees (3yr)* | Total 3 Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest RA | $289 | $75 | $364 |
| ZenBusiness | $597 | $75 | $672 |
| Bizee | $238 | $75 | $313 |
| LegalZoom | $747 | $75 | $822 |
| DIY (self as RA) | $0 | $75 | $75 |
*MT state costs: $35 formation + $20 x 2 annual reports = $75 (assuming $20 fee applies; waiver is discretionary).
Finding: Montana is by far the cheapest state for 3-year LLC total cost with a professional registered agent. At $364 with Northwest, Montana is cheaper than Wyoming ($509), Nevada ($1,414), and California ($2,799). The $51 difference between Northwest and Bizee is proportionally larger in Montana (16% of total) than in high-fee states, but address privacy and no data selling remain the key differentiators.
How to Choose the Right Montana LLC Service
- Does privacy matter? Only Northwest commits to never selling your data. End of comparison if privacy matters.
- Is $39 a genuine barrier right now? If yes, Bizee delivers the core service at $0 upfront. Accept the data-sharing tradeoff consciously.
- Do you want fully automated annual report filing? ZenBusiness's Worry-Free Compliance plan handles this automatically at a higher overall cost.
- Do you need attorney consultations? LegalZoom is the only major service with this included. Worth the premium only for complex legal questions.
For most Montana LLC formations: Northwest Registered Agent at $39 is the correct answer. The $51 savings from Bizee over 3 years does not justify the privacy and support quality tradeoffs for most business owners.
When Northwest Is NOT the Right Choice for Your Montana LLC
- You need a state with no income tax. Montana has state income tax (4.7-5.9%). For a completely income-tax-free environment, Wyoming, Nevada, South Dakota, or Florida are better choices.
- You are using Montana solely for vehicle registration and your home state is cracking down. California, for example, has been specifically pursuing Montana LLC vehicle registrations. Formation services cannot advise on the legal risk in your home state. Consult a tax attorney familiar with your state's specific enforcement posture.
- You need expedited same-day processing. Montana's standard processing is 5-10 business days with limited expedited options. Delaware or Texas offer faster formations when speed is critical.