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Montana Corporation Formation, 2026

Incorporating live in Montana · C-Corp & S-Corp supported

How to form a corporation in Montana for $0 service fee.

Montana state filing fee is $35. Standard processing 7 to 10 business days. We file Articles of Incorporation with the Montana Secretary of State, issue 10M authorized shares (QSBS-eligible), prepare Montana corporate bylaws, issue founder common stock with vesting and 83(b) templates, obtain your EIN, and file your BOI report.

Start your Montana Corporation

$0 service fee QSBS preserved 60-day money-back

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

Montana C-Corporation

Authorized shares10,000,000

Par value$0.0001

State fee$35

Processing7 to 10 business days

MT
SEAL
2026

$35

Montana incorporation fee

10M

Authorized shares (standard)

QSBS

Capital gains exclusion

Our service fee

Is a Montana corporation right for you

When the corporation structure fits.

FORM A CORPORATION IN MONTANA IF

You plan to raise venture capital (institutional investors require C-Corp)
You want to issue stock options to employees (ISOs)
You want QSBS eligibility for capital gains tax exclusion
You expect significant retained earnings (C-Corp can retain at 21% federal rate)
You want clear separation between operators and shareholders

FORM AN LLC INSTEAD IF

You are a solo operator or small business not raising outside capital
You want pass-through taxation with no corporate formalities
You prefer minimal annual compliance burden
You will own real estate (LLCs are standard for property holding)
You want simpler ownership transfer without share certificates

The Montana business environment

Why Montana for your corporation.

Lowest LLC filing fee in the US ($35). No state sales tax. Growing tech corridor in Bozeman. State income tax 1-6.75%.

State GDP$66BTotal state output

Population1.1MCensus estimate

Small businesses~125,000Per SBA

Notable#1 lowest LLC filing fee in the USEconomic distinction

Top industries in Montana

Agriculture (wheat, beef)Energy (oil, gas, coal, wind)Tourism (national parks)HealthcareTech (growing in Bozeman/Missoula)

Top cities

Where Montana corporations are headquartered.

Billings

Largest city. Healthcare, energy, retail, banking.

Missoula

University of Montana, growing tech, tourism.

Great Falls

Manufacturing, military (Malmstrom AFB), tourism.

Bozeman

Tech corridor, Montana State University, tourism (Yellowstone).

Butte

Mining, manufacturing.

Helena

State capital. Government, healthcare.

What we'll set up for you

A clean handoff, in four steps.

You give us the basics. We handle the state, the IRS, and the compliance clock so you can focus on the business.

01 · Name + Brand

A name that's actually available.

Real-time check against the state register, USPTO trademark database, and matching domains.

02 · State filing

Filed with the Secretary of State.

We submit your Articles, pay the state fee on your behalf, and return the stamped certificate.

03 · Federal IDs

EIN + the right tax setup.

Federal Employer ID with the IRS, plus state tax accounts when your business needs them.

04 · Stay compliant

Registered Agent + deadline tracking.

Your agent on file in every state, with every renewal and annual report tracked in one calendar.

Filing timeline

From form to filed in Montana.

Day 0

Tell us about your businessEntity name, incorporators, share structure, founder allocations

Day 1

We file with MontanaArticles submitted to the Montana Secretary of State

Day 2-5

EIN + governance docsEIN issued. Bylaws, board minutes, founder stock prepared

Day 5-30

83(b) + cap table83(b) mailed (30-day deadline). Cap table populated. Ready to operate

Compare to alternatives

Montana corp vs other formation states.

Delaware (default for VC-backed)$89+Required by most VCs. Foreign qualification in Montana still needed.

Wyoming$100No state income tax, popular for holding companies

Idaho$100Tech-corridor neighbor, faster processing

North Dakota$135Larger energy economy

Montana Corp$35Form here if you operate in Montana.

Local resources

Montana corporate resources.

Montana Department of CommerceState business support

Montana SBDCStatewide network

Montana Manufacturing Extension CenterManufacturing support

Greater Yellowstone RegionBozeman EDC

FAQ

Montana Corporation questions.

Should I form my Montana corporation as a C-Corp or S-Corp?

Most Montana corporations start as C-Corps (default federal tax treatment). S-Corp is a federal election (Form 2553) you file later, typically when net profit crosses $60-80k. For venture-backed startups, C-Corp is required: S-Corp cannot have institutional investors, non-US shareholders, or multiple share classes. We file the Montana corporation; you can elect S-Corp anytime by filing Form 2553.

What is the difference between forming an LLC and a corporation in Montana?

LLCs are simpler (no shares, fewer formalities, pass-through tax by default). Montana corporations have shareholders, a board of directors, officers, bylaws, board minutes, and double taxation by default. Corporations are the standard structure for raising venture capital because investors require preferred stock, ESOPs, and other corporate-specific instruments LLCs cannot provide.

Do I need bylaws for my Montana corporation?

Yes. Montana corporations are governed internally by bylaws (board structure, officer roles, meeting requirements, voting rules) plus the Articles of Incorporation filed with the Montana Secretary of State. We include Montana-appropriate bylaws with every formation, along with initial board minutes and a corporate governance binder.

How many shares should my Montana corporation authorize?

Standard for a new C-Corp: 10,000,000 authorized shares of common stock with a small percentage actually issued to founders. The 10M structure leaves room for an option pool (typically 10-20%) and future preferred stock issuances in financing rounds. We file the 10M authorized share structure by default; you can specify a different number.

What is QSBS and does my Montana corporation qualify?

Qualified Small Business Stock (IRC Section 1202) lets shareholders exclude up to $10M (or 10x basis) of capital gains on qualifying C-Corp stock held more than 5 years. Montana C-Corps qualify if they meet the active business test (80% of assets used in qualified trade) and the gross asset test (under $50M at issuance). We preserve QSBS eligibility from day one.

Do I need to issue founder stock with vesting?

Highly recommended. Montana founder stock without vesting means a co-founder who leaves after 6 months keeps 100% of their shares. With standard 4-year/1-year-cliff vesting, the company can reclaim unvested shares. We issue founder stock with vesting and prepare Section 83(b) election forms (due to IRS within 30 days of issuance).

When should my Montana corporation elect S-Corp status?

S-Corp election (IRS Form 2553) can save self-employment tax when net profit crosses ~$60-80k. Restrictions: 100 shareholders max, US individuals only (no entities, no non-resident aliens), single class of stock. If you plan to raise venture capital, stay C-Corp. Our service fee for filing Form 2553 is $99.

Start your Montana Corporation in 5 minutes.

Tell us a few details. We file with the Montana Secretary of State, prepare your bylaws, issue founder stock with vesting, file your 83(b) reminder, obtain your EIN, and file BOI.

Start your Montana Corp Talk to a Montana specialist

Pay only state fee QSBS preserved 60-day money-back

Related searches: form a corporation in Montana · Montana C-Corp · Montanan S-Corp · Montana incorporation cost 2026 · how to incorporate in Montana · Montana Secretary of State corporation · Montana corporate bylaws · Montana QSBS · Delaware vs Montana C-Corp

Built for real businesses

Corporations we have formed in Montana.

Bundle & save

Recommended add-ons

Most customers add these to keep their business compliant year-round.

Registered Agent - Year 1

Recommended

Required in every state. We act as your legal point of contact and forward filings same-day.

$99 /year Add →

EIN / Federal Tax ID

Most ordered

Your business identifier for taxes, bank accounts, hiring, and 1099s. Filed same business day.

$79 one-time Add →

Operating Agreement (LLC) / Bylaws (Corp)

State-compliant internal governance doc. Required by most banks at account opening.

$49 one-time Add →

Compliance Monitoring

Best value

Track every annual report, registered agent renewal, and license deadline across all your entities.

$19 /month Add →

Why File.Business

Premium compliance, no service-fee markup.

Trust you can verify

SOC 2 Type II audited platform. 220,000+ businesses served. 60-day money-back on service fees. State fees passed through at cost with no hidden markup. Explicit AUP on restricted industries.

A compliance partner, not a transaction

Most providers go quiet after checkout. We auto-track every annual report, registered agent renewal, and license deadline across your entities. The Business OS dashboard keeps your compliance score visible year-round.

Premium experience competitors cannot match

Premium positioning, transparent pricing, no service-fee markup on state or federal filings. Premium positioning, transparent pricing, no service-fee markup on state filings.

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