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Order $89 to $99 Montana registered agent service online for immediate access to our address and state forms. No additional charges.
Your business must appoint a Montana registered agent to receive documents in legal matters, including notice of lawsuit. Our reliable registered agent service fulfills this requirement. You get:
Every corporation and LLC must appoint a registered agent in Montana to be able to operate in the state legally. By receiving service of process and other notices on your behalf, your agent plays a vital role in promptly attending to any legal or regulatory issues your organization might face in Montana.
To help you meet this obligation, this article will show you:
You’ll also learn how Harbor Compliance handles the duties of a registered agent to help you keep your organization in good standing with the state of Montana.
According to Section 35-7-114 of the Montana Code, a registered agent’s main responsibility is to accept service of process, notices, and demands on behalf of your organization. They must forward such correspondence to the address you provide them so that you can take appropriate action.
While these duties aren’t particularly complex, their inadequate execution can have serious consequences. For example, if your agent fails to accept or deliver a notice of a lawsuit, you may remain unaware of your entity’s involvement in litigation. Accordingly, you might miss the court hearing and the chance to prepare a defense.
In cases like this, the court will issue a ruling known as a default judgment, typically favoring the plaintiff. To avoid such scenarios, choosing a reliable agent that performs their duties diligently is essential.
There are two broad categories of registered agents you can appoint in Montana:
Like 11 other states, Montana has fully adopted the Model Registered Agents Act (MoRAA), which further breaks down registered agents into two categories—commercial and noncommercial. The following table explains the main differences between the two:
| Agent Type | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Commercial agent | An individual or organization whose primary activity involves serving as a registered agent. Commercial agents register with the Montana secretary of state by filing a listing statement, after which they’re added to the state’s list. |
| Noncommercial agent | An individual or organization that consents to be the represented entity’s registered agent without filing a listing statement with the secretary of state. |
By filing a listing statement, commercial agents make their information available to the secretary of state, so appointing them is simpler than enlisting a noncommercial agent.
The process of appointing a registered agent is straightforward—all you need to do is fill out the relevant section of your formation documents, which depend on your business structure:
If you’re expanding your organization from another state, you’ll name the agent in your foreign qualification filings.
In both scenarios, the information you’ll need to provide depends on the type of agent you’ll appoint, as per Section 35-7-105 of the Montana Code. If you go with a commercial agent, you only need their name, as the secretary of state has all other information on file. To appoint a noncommercial agent, you must also provide the address of the agent’s registered office to which all notices will be delivered.
If you want to replace your existing registered agent with a different one, you can do it through Montana’s online filing portal by following these steps:
At Harbor Compliance, we provide an exceptional Registered Agent Service to help organizations in Montana meet state requirements effortlessly and ensure no important notices are missed.
We will receive your notices at our local office in Kalispell, scan them, and deliver them to you digitally on the same day. You’ll get an email with a link to the Client Portal, which serves as your central hub for managing all official correspondence.
The Client Portal also gives you access to pre-filled state forms, making it easy to submit filings for various purposes. The forms contain our signatures wherever necessary to accelerate the filing process.
Our portfolio of services extends far beyond the Registered Agent Service. The following table shows some of the main ways we can help you meet your legal obligations:
| Service Category | Overview |
|---|---|
| Entity lifecycle management | Whether you need help with name reservation, DBA management, formation document amendments, obtaining a business license, or filing initial and annual reports, we can take the process off your shoulders. |
| Nonprofit formation | We handle the incorporation or charitable registration process from start to finish and can secure your 501(c) tax exemption. |
| Tax registration and management | Harbor Compliance simplifies tax-related tasks such as obtaining your Employer Identification Number (EIN), payroll tax registration, and sales and use tax registration. |
| Document filing and retrieval | As part of our drop-off filing service, we’ll deliver your time-sensitive filing documents directly to the secretary of state, giving them priority. We can also retrieve a certificate of good standing, reinstatement, or authority, as well as certified copies of important documents. |
You have several options if you decide to appoint an individual agent, though each comes with significant drawbacks:
Appointing a commercial agent like Harbor Compliance eliminates the above issues. Partnering with us brings numerous benefits, most notably:
There are three distinct scenarios in which you can partner with us:
Below, you’ll see specific steps for appointing us as your agent in the above situations.
Harbor Compliance offers three comprehensive formation services suitable for different business structures:
Each service encompasses the formation process from start to finish, including the appointment of Harbor Compliance as your registered agent. Choose your preferred entity type, and we’ll take it from there.
If you prefer a more involved approach, you can Order our Registered Agent Service separately and follow these steps:
If you’re expanding your organization from another U.S. jurisdiction, our Foreign Qualification Service package gives you a hands-off way to get your organization up and running in Montana quickly.
Complete the foreign qualification wizard, and we’ll obtain your Montana certificate of authority and appoint us as your agent in the state.
To replace your current agent with Harbor Compliance, you can purchase the Registered Agent Service and use our details in the aforementioned Registered Agent/Office Change by Entity form.
Alternatively, you can let us handle the transition before completing your order. While signing up for the Registered Agent Service, you’ll see the Change of Agent service add-on option. Tick the box next to it, and we’ll complete the change on your behalf.
Located in nearby Kalispell, MT!
Appoint us as your Montana registered agent when you incorporate your business or form your LLC. Sign up for registered agent service and file using the state forms and instructions in your Client Portal. The forms are pre-filled and signed as required by the state.
Appoint us as your agent when you apply for a certificate of authority to transact business in Montana. Sign up for Montana registered agent service and file using the forms and instructions in your Client Portal. The forms are pre-filled and signed as required by the state.
Changing your registered agent to us is easy. Sign up for Montana registered agent service and file using the forms and instructions in your Client Portal. The forms are pre-filled and signed as required by the state.
Harbor Compliance is a provider of nationwide registered agent service. We can help you consolidate your agent representation and achieve cost savings. Our specialists manage the process to change registered agents so that virtually no work is required on your part. We will complete the state filings to appoint us as your registered agent. Additionally, we can extend your subscription term so that you avoid double payment for any portion of your current contract. There’s no reason to wait. Simply contact us for consolidation and we’ll take care of the rest. If you have registered agent appointments spanning multiple states or entities, contact us today.
Here are some of the main questions regarding Montana registered agents. If you need further assistance, visit our Information Center.
Regardless of your business structure, a registered agent is your organization’s official point of contact with the secretary of state, accepting service of process on your behalf.
You can appoint yourself as the individual registered agent of your organization—a legal entity cannot be its own agent.
To become a commercial agent, you must submit a listing statement to the Montana secretary of state. To become an organization’s noncommercial agent, you can give consent for them to enlist you.
You can search registered agents by name or registration number through the secretary of state’s online portal.
When you sign up for our Registered Agent Service, you won’t only meet a crucial legal requirement—you’ll get a trusted partner who will make sure important notices are delivered timely and efficiently.
We’re here to support your organization’s overall regulatory standing—find out how by doing the following:
If you want to learn about our registered agent service in other states, refer to the following table:
