Starting a Business in Montana Checklist

Search business name availability with the Montana Secretary of State Do a search online to see if your business name is available: https://app.mt.gov/bes/ The name of your Montana business needs to be unique and include the proper corporate endings (“Inc” or “Incorporated” for corporations, “LLC” or “Limited Liability Company” (or similar, accepted ending for LLCs) Montana Secretary of State Secretary of State Business Services State Capitol, Room 260 1301 6th Avenue PO Box 202801 Helena, MT 59620 P: (406) 444-3665 F: (406) 444-3976 sosbusiness@mt.gov
File paperwork to create my business Form your new business with the Secretary of State. You can file by mail, fax, or in person. The filing fee is $70 for an Montana corporation or LLC.Normal processing takes the Montana Secretary of State about 10 days. But if you pay an additional fee, you can have your articles processed more quickly. You can pay $20 for 24 hour priority filing or $100 for 1 hour expedited processing. If the idea of filing legal paperwork seems frightening or you’d rather hire someone to complete the filing, you can incorporate in Montana with Northwest Registered Agent. Business Services Secretary of State Business Services State Capitol, Room 260 1301 6th Avenue PO Box 202801 Helena, MT 59620 P: (406) 444-3665 F: (406) 444-3976 sosbusiness@mt.gov sos.mt.gov
Register with the Department of Revenue You can register for multiple tax types online using the Taxpayer Access Point https://tap.dor.mt.gov/_/#1 Sales Tax: Montana does not have state sales tax. Income Tax: Individual income tax rates range from 1% to 6.9% Corporation license tax rate 6.75% ($50 minimum payment) Income Tax Withholding: If you have employees, you will need a withholding account number from the Department of Revenue. Montana Department of Revenue Department of Revenue Sam W. Mitchell Bldg. 125 N. Roberts, 3rd Floor Helena, Montana P: (866) 859-2254
Do I need a business license? There is no general state business license but you may need a license based on your location or occupation. You can apply for some Montana licenses online such as food purveyor, tobacco retail and wholesale, off-premise beer and wine, nursery, petroleum dealer(meters), weighing device(scales), or underground storage tank. http://revenue.mt.gov/forbusinesses/onestop_licensing/default.mcpx Any other registration requirements? Additional registrations may depend on the type of business you do. Keep in mind that you may need certain permits or an occupational license, in addition to any business licenses. City of Missoula Most businesses need a general business license. Some businesses, such as contractors, need a specific license. You can download the application online and return it to the business licensing division. City of Billings You need to get a business license before you do business in the city. You can download the application online and return it to City Hall. Local License Info City of Billings City Hall 210 N 27th Street Billings, MT 59101 P: (406) 657-8364 http://ci.billings.mt.us/index.aspx?nid=981 City of Missoula Business Licensing Division 435 Ryman Street Missoula, MT 59802 http://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/index.aspx?NID=810
Collect and Charge Sales Tax Do I need to collect Montana sales tax? No. Montana does not have sales tax. Montana Department of Revenue Montana Department of Revenue Sam W. Mitchell Bldg. 125 N. Roberts, 3rd Floor Helena, Montana (866) 859-2254 http://revenue.mt.gov/forbusinesses/default.mcpx