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Researched and written by the Launchwise Review editorial team
Launchwise Review

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

Launch guide · Montana · foreign registration

3 Best Foreign Registration Services in Montana (2026)

Researched and written by the Launchwise Review editorial team
For a 2026 launch in Montana, Launchwise Review grades foreign registration services this way: Registered Agent MT.org ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and Montana Registered Agent.co ($199). Registered Agent MT.org earns the top grade here: it registers the company in Montana for $199, first agent year included, then $99 a year.
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Our top pick

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

$199 service charge and the state's fee; the agent runs $99 annually after year one

Our mark 9.4 out of 10

Top grade, Registered Agent MT.org: $199 beyond the state fee gets the company into Montana, with the agent renewing at $99.

You get an in-state street address for the registered office, and any papers served on the company are scanned into your online account.

Add up three years and it lands below Mainstay Filing; cost is one of our two biggest criteria.

In the price

  • Montana registration filed for you
  • Year-one registered agent service

Pros

  • $199 to register, plus the state fee
  • Keeps your agent for $99 yearly
  • The first year as your registered agent is free

Less good

  • Montana only; the home state needs its own agent
  • EIN application costs extra ($99)
Visit Registered Agent MT.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read the Registered Agent MT.org launch review
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Best for expanding companies

2. Mainstay Filing: best for founders working in several states

$199 for the service, $269 due at checkout including the state fee; agent service is $149 a year from the second year

Our mark 9.0 out of 10

Next up is Mainstay Filing: $199 beyond the state's fee in whichever state you enter, with year-one registered agent service free.

Once the free first year ends, the agent is $149 a year, in any state.

Registered Agent MT.org is $100 lower across three years, which puts Mainstay Filing behind it on cost.

In the price

  • Preparation and filing of the registration
  • A free year as your registered agent
  • Same-business-day scans of legal papers served on the company, free

Pros

  • Papers served on the company are scanned the same business day, free
  • Registered agent service is free the first year
  • One price in every state
  • $199 for the service, with the state fee added

Less good

  • The agent costs $149 a year after year one, $50 above Registered Agent MT.org
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read the Mainstay Filing launch review
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Best value here

3. Montana Registered Agent.co: best for Montana registrations only

Pay $199 plus the state fee, then $99 a year for the agent

Our mark 8.7 out of 10

Rounding out the list is Montana Registered Agent.co: $199 beyond the state fee gets the company into Montana, with the agent renewing at $99.

You get an in-state street address for the registered office, and any papers served on the company are scanned into your online account.

Their posted prices and features match, so Registered Agent MT.org and Montana Registered Agent.co grade as a near tie.

In the price

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

Pros

  • Year-one registered agent duty is covered
  • A $199 service price plus the registration fee
  • $99 each year for the agent from year two

Less good

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

The 3 grades at a glance

Place Company Launch grade Service price Second year Best fit Go
1 Registered Agent MT.org 9.4 $199 $99/yr The lowest agent renewal on this page Visit Registered Agent MT.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Mainstay Filing 9.0 $199 $149/yr Founders opening a second state Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 Montana Registered Agent.co 8.7 $199 $99/yr The lowest agent renewal on this page Visit Montana Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Launchwise Review assigns every grade out of 10 itself using the criteria on How we rank; no customer ratings go into it.

Montana foreign registration service cost in 2026: first year, renewals, three-year total

Company Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Three years, total Agent covered, year one
Registered Agent MT.org $199 $99 $99 $397 Included
Mainstay Filing $199 $149 $149 $497 Free
Montana Registered Agent.co $199 $99 $99 $397 Included
Prices were copied from each company's own pages on November 12, 2026. Add Montana's $70 registration fee to any row; it is not in the totals.

Why Registered Agent MT.org grades first

At Launchwise Review, cost to launch and stay and launch paperwork handled each count for 26% of a grade, and renewal behavior, state match and price transparency split the remaining 48%. In Montana, cost to launch and stay made the call.

Registered Agent MT.org comes to $397 over three years, $100 under Mainstay Filing. Both include year one, so the renewal price broke the tie.

Every criterion and weight is listed on How we rank.

Opening in Montana as a foreign LLC: fee, form and office

Your registration goes to the Montana Secretary of State, Business Services, on the Application for Certificate of Authority (foreign limited liability company). Budget $70 for the state.

Calendar item for later: the annual report, due April 15.

Before you file, get these together

  • Your company's exact legal name and the date it was formed at home.
  • A registered agent with a street address in the state; every company graded on this page can serve.
  • The $70 state fee, ready to pay with the filing.
  • A calendar reminder for the annual report.

What skipping Montana registration can cost you

Without registration, an outside LLC cannot bring a lawsuit in Montana courts (MCA 35-8-1002(1)). The penalty can be $5 for each day.

Quick answers about Montana foreign registration services

When does an LLC from elsewhere have to register in Montana?

Once it does business there. Until then it cannot bring a lawsuit in the state's courts.

What should I budget to bring an existing LLC into Montana?

The state fee is $70; add a service fee of $199.

Does the foreign LLC still need a registered agent?

Yes. Keep a registered agent with a street address in the state for as long as the company is registered there.

Which foreign registration services are graded on this page?

Registered Agent MT.org ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and Montana Registered Agent.co ($199), top grade first.

What recurring filing follows a foreign registration?

Add the annual report to your yearly calendar.

Which service is the best way to register a foreign LLC in Montana?

Registered Agent MT.org, because $199 plus the state fee, year-one registered agent service included, then $99 a year for the agent.

See also

Sources and dates

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