A Montana registered agent serves as the official point of contact for your business, responsible for receiving crucial legal documents and state communications. Discover why selecting the right registered agent is essential for your company's legal compliance and peace of mind.
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One of the things you’ll need to decide before filing your paperwork to form a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, or other registered business entity in Montana is who will be your registered agent. The state requires all registered businesses to have one, but what is a registered agent? What are their duties, and what are the requirements to be one?
A registered agent is an individual or company designated by the entity to receive important legal documents on behalf of the business. This position helps ensure that the right people within a business are notified in the event of time-sensitive events, such as service of process for lawsuits, garnishment notices against employees, notice of annual reports, or notifications of taxes.
A state-registered business in Montana must submit a filing that states:
(a) the name of the represented entity’s commercial registered agent; or
(b) if the entity does not have a commercial registered agent, the name and address of the entity’s noncommercial registered agent.
In addition, the registered office must be an actual street address or rural route box number in the state (Montana Code 35-7-104). The registered agent must be present at the registered office during all normal business hours so that they can receive service of process in person.
Technically, you can serve as your own registered agent if you have a physical address in the state and you’re there during normal business hours. You could also ask a family member to fill this role for you. But opting for a registered agent service offers some benefits. These services specialize in receiving and relaying official paperwork, helping ensure nothing slips through the cracks.
The best registered agent services give you peace of mind to go work around town and travel without worrying about your legal mail. If you serve as your own registered agent, you’ll be required to stay at the registered office during all normal business hours, which makes meeting up with clients, going on vacation, etc., difficult. Many reliable registered agent services also offer extra perks like digital access to your critical documents, compliance reminders, and more.
Furthermore, a professional registered agent company can help protect you from potential embarrassment. If you’re acting as your own agent, you’ll have to accept service of process yourself, which means whomever you’re with at the time — maybe a client or business partner — will know you’re facing a lawsuit. But if you use an agent service, the process server will go to the registered agent’s address. Your agent will handle these notifications privately, discreetly, and promptly.
At ZenBusiness, we offer registered agent services with great customer service.
You’ll need to name your registered agent when you complete the official paperwork with the state to form your business, so you’ll need to decide who your registered agent or registered agent service will be before you begin that process. Be sure to inform whomever you’re appointing and get their permission to serve in that role.
The cost of a registered agent in Montana varies based on whether you choose an individual or a professional service. If you opt to be your own registered agent or designate someone you know, the costs can be minimal, primarily associated with the potential need to maintain a physical street address or office space during business hours. For many small business owners, being their own agent requires no out-of-pocket cost but requires time and attention instead.
On the other hand, professional registered agent services usually come with a fee. These fees can range from $100 to a few hundred dollars annually, depending largely on the level of services offered. While using a professional service might seem like an added expense, the benefits they provide — like helping ensure compliance, protecting your professional image, and offering added peace of mind — often justify the cost for many businesses.
To change your registered agent in Montana, you have two options:
Annual Report: You can update your registered agent information when you file your annual report. This registration is an annual requirement, but the filing window is only open from January 1 through April 15. As long as you file this report before April 15, there’s no filing fee for a Montana LLC or a corporation (as of 2025); after April 15, the fee is $15.
Statement of Change: If you need to change your registered agent outside of the annual report filing window, submit a “Statement of Change of Registered Office, Agent, Both” form online with the Montana Secretary of State. Currently, Montana doesn’t charge a fee for this form.
Changing your registered agent in Florida requires some administrative effort to ensure the state records are up to date and your business remains compliant. To begin, it’s vital to first determine who your new registered agent will be. If you’re considering transitioning to a professional service or selecting another individual, ensure you obtain their consent and verify that they meet Montana’s requirements for registered agents.
After you have the agent lined up, it’s time to file paperwork. If you’re going the Montana annual report route, you’ll need to log into the Online Business Filing System (on the Secretary of State’s website) and file your report, updating the registered agent section with the new agent’s information. But if the filing period has passed, you’ll need to log into that website and head to the agent change section of your business portal. Provide the requested information about your business, your former agent, and your new agent.
With either filing method, there isn’t a filing fee to worry about (as of 2025).
When changing a registered agent, the new agent must meet the same requirements: be a Montana resident or a business authorized to conduct business in Montana, have a physical street address in the state, and be available during business hours.
If a registered agent needs to resign, they’ll need to draft a statement of resignation and deliver it to the Montana Secretary of State. Post-resignation, the registered agent remains on file for 31 days unless a replacement is appointed sooner.
Navigating the world of registered agents can be daunting, but we’re here to simplify the process for you. Our registered agent service helps ensure that your business never misses an important notice and always remains compliant with Montana state regulations regarding registered agents. With our reliable and efficient service, you can focus on growing your business while we handle the official communications.
Plus, with ZenBusiness, you get more than just a registered agent — you get a partner committed to supporting your business journey. Let us help you kickstart your enterprise with registered agent services that you can trust — choose ZenBusiness today!
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Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. If you have specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.
Written by Team ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness has helped people start, run, and grow over 800,000 dream companies. The editorial team at ZenBusiness has over 20 years of collective small business publishing experience and is composed of business formation experts who are dedicated to empowering and educating entrepreneurs about owning a company.
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