If you plan on registering an LLC in the state of Montana, one of the most important things you’ll need to do is to appoint a registered agent for your business. Specifically, a registered agent is a person who is designated to receive legal documents, government communication, and other important notices on behalf of a business. In Montana and all other states, every LLC needs to have a registered agent to ensure that businesses efficiently receive important notices and paperwork.
Not sure where to begin when it comes to finding and appointing a registered agent in Montana? Let us walk you through the process.
Each state requires LLCs and corporations to have a registered agent, but the specific requirements for registered agents can vary slightly from one state to the next. According to the Montana Secretary of State, registered agents must meet the following criteria:
If you’ve already found somebody to serve as your registered agent in the state of Montana, there are some important steps you’ll need to follow in order to make your appointment official.
First, understand that there are two different types of registered agent recognized in Montana: commercial and noncommercial. A commercial agent must be formally registered with the Secretary of State, whereas a noncommercial agent does not need a listing statement. Most business owners will opt for a commercial agent, as the appointment process tends to be simpler.
When appointing a registered agent in Montana, the first thing you’ll need to do is to fill out your LLC’s articles of organization with your agent’s information. If you’re appointing a commercial agent, you’ll only need to list their name. For a noncommercial agent, you’ll need to provide their address as well.
Once you’ve filled out all the required information, the next step will be to file your articles of organization with the state. There are two ways to do this:
Whether you file in-person or online, the fees remain the same. Filing articles of organization for a new LLC in Montana costs a flat fee of $35, plus $50 for each series member named in a series LLC.
If you need to change your registered agent at any time, you’ll need to inform the Montana Secretary of State. Specifically, this can be done by filling out a change of agent form pursuant to Montana Code 35-7-108.
According to the Montana Secretary of State website, there is no fee to amend or appoint a new registered agent so long as you fill out and submit the appropriate form. However, the process can take weeks to complete. To expedite the process, the Secretary of State does offer one-day services for a fee of $20 or a one-hour processing fee of $100.
You’re permitted to change your registered agent at any time. However, most businesses will opt to make changes at the same time they file their annual reports as a means of streamlining the process. In Montana, annual reports are due by April 15th of each calendar year.
Yes, you can serve as your LLC’s registered agent in Montana so long as you meet all the requirements. However, if you don’t meet the requirements or if you simply want to be able to focus on other important aspects of running your business, then it may make more sense to hire an official registered agent instead. This is especially true if you live in a different state than where your LLC has been registered.
By hiring a third-party registered agent, you’ll have access to an experienced professional who is able to accept and forward important business documents (including legal documents, tax forms, and service process) during regular business hours throughout the week.
And while it may be true that it costs nothing to serve as your own registered agent, the responsibilities that come along with this can be rather time-consuming. For this reason, many business owners actually find that it’s more cost-effective to hire a registered agent instead.
If you’re not sure about serving as your own registered agent, the good news is that there are other options. Most businesses end up hiring third-party registered agents to serve as an official point of contact between the state and the business itself. Registered agents can handle everything from forwarding important business documents and notices to ensuring that business owners stay informed regarding any legal or compliance issues.
And while it does cost money to hire a registered agent for an LLC, there are many benefits that come along with using this type of service as opposed to serving as your own registered agent.
For starters, having a dedicated registered agent with a Montana address is not only mandatory — but it can also provide business owners with some much-needed peace of mind. After all, it is part of a registered agent’s responsibilities to be available during regular business hours to receive and forward important mail to business owners, ensuring that they stay up-to-date on all correspondence to and from the state.
In this sense, having a registered agent can provide business owners with the peace of mind in knowing that they will be informed promptly in the event of a lawsuit, compliance issue, or anything else that requires their attention — even if they’re across the country.
LLCs are required to maintain compliance with state laws, which can be complicated and time-consuming. By working with a registered agent, you can save yourself the time and hassle that comes along with staying on top of state compliance regulations while ensuring that you receive important notices or documents in a timely manner.
Unfortunately, if you choose to serve as your own registered agent, you’ll need to be available at your listed address to receive mail and other correspondence during business hours. This can present some challenges for business owners who aren’t always able to work from home or who may need to travel on a regular basis.
By hiring a registered agent, you can enjoy the added flexibility and versatility of not being “stuck” at your business address. Instead, you can feel free to travel and work from anywhere while still knowing that you’ll receive important documents, mail, and other correspondence as needed.
Finally, it’s worth noting that registered agents typically handle basic paperwork on your behalf, saving you valuable time and hassle so you can focus on other areas of running your business. A registered agent, for example, can handle the scanning and storing of your important documents on your behalf. Likewise, some registered agents may provide assistance with such services as filing your annual report with the state.
As in all 50 states, owners of LLCs in Montana are required to list a registered agent when they file articles of organization. And if you’re like most business owners, you have better things to worry about than being at your office to accept mail during business hours; you need to be out spreading the word about your business and driving growth!
Tailor Brands offers registered agent services in Montana, as well as other services to help you establish and manage your LLC.
Many businesses offer registered agent services in Montana, but it’s important to do your research and find one that offers reasonable pricing with reliable mail forwarding. At Tailor Brands, we take a lot of pride in our Montana registered agent services and are happy to offer competitive, transparent pricing.
No, it’s not too late! Even if you’ve already listed yourself as a registered agent, you can file a change of agent with the Montana Secretary of State. Better yet, let our team at Tailor Brands handle that for you! Likewise, if you’re coming up on your deadline to submit your LLC’s annual report, you can always wait until then to list your new registered agent on your updated articles of organization.
A registered agent serves as an official point of contact between you and the state of Montana. If your business is sued, if you receive important tax documents, or if there is any other correspondence from the state to your business, your registered agent will receive and forward this mail to you in a timely manner so you can stay informed and take action quickly.
This portion of our website is for informational or educational purposes only. Tailor Brands is not a law firm, and the information on this website does not constitute legal advice. All statements, opinions, recommendations, and conclusions are solely the expression of the author and provided on an as-is basis. Accordingly, Tailor Brands is not responsible for the information and/or its accuracy or completeness. It also does not indicate any affiliation between Tailor Brands and any other brands, services or logos on this page.
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