In the United States, just because you are registered to do business in one state does not mean that you can legally do business in another state.  If you want to transact any serious business in a state other than the state in which your LLC is registered, most likely you will have to register with the state in which you want to do business before you can legally conduct business there. 

For example, a LLC that is registered in California wants to do business in Montana.  The California LLC is a "Domestic" LLC in California and will be a "Foreign" LLC in Montana.

The California LLC needs to register with the Montana Secretary of State as a Montana Foreign LLC.

The use of the term Foreign in this case refers specifically to individual US states.  The US government, including the IRS, considers a Foreign company to be a company that is registered outside of the United States.

You want to do business in the state of Montana but are registered as a LLC in another state.  In order to legally conduct business in the state of Montana you must register with the Montana Secretary of State as a Foreign LLC.  The process of registering as a Foreign LLC in Montana is called Montana LLC Foreign Qualification.

The process of Montana LLC Foreign Qualification is similar to the process of forming a Domestic LLC in Montana.  Your original home LLC formation documents (frequently called Articles of Organization) and By Laws apply to your Montana Foreign LLC.  The Officers and Directors of your home LLC will have the same roles in the Montana Foreign LLC.  Specific requirements to qualify as a Foreign LLC in Montana are explained below. 

Once you have made the decision to Qualify as a Foreign LLC in Montana, a Montana lawyer can file your documents and act as a middle man for a few hundred dollars an hour; or you can use an online service provider like All Business Documents to perform these services.

The short answer is no.  The state of Montana does not legally require a lawyer to form a Montana Foreign LLC.

Our detailed Foreign Qualification page may help you understand some of the implications of forming a Montana Foreign LLC.  However, if there is anything about forming a Foreign LLC in Montana that you're not sure about you should seek the advice of a competent Montana lawyer, a Montana accountant, or both before you form a Foreign LLC in Montana.

Once you have made the decision to form a Foreign LLC in Montana, a Montana lawyer can file your documents and act as a middle man for a few hundred dollars an hour; or you can use an online service provider like All Business Documents to perform these services and save money that you can use in your new Montana Foreign LLC.

You are not legally required to reserve a Company Name for a new Montana LLC Corporation before you submit your application to Form a Foreign LLC in Montana.

The LLC name that you have registered in your home state may or may not be available in Montana.  In that case you need a different name your Montana Foreign LLC.  Whether or not you need to reserve a company name for your new Montana Foreign LLC depends entirely on your business situation.  The Montana Secretary of State uses LLC names on a first come first served basis.  So if you think that someone may snatch the Company Name that you have in mind, you may want to reserve that Montana Foreign LLC Name.

If the Name you have chosen for your new Montana Foreign LLC is already in use by a currently active Montana Corporation or LLC then you will have to register a DBA Name with the Montana Secretary of State.  "DBA" is an abbreviation for "Doing Business As."

We verify that the Name you have chose for your new Montana Foreign LLC is available before we submit your Foreign LLC filing to the Montana Secretary of State.  If necessary we can register a DBA Name in Montana for you so that you can open your new Montana business as quickly as possible.

1. Choose a name for your Montana Foreign LLC
2. File Registration Documents with the Montana Secretary of State
3. Determine how you want your Montana Foreign LLC to be taxed

1. Choose a name for your Montana Foreign LLC
   
   You can use the same name in Montana that you use in your home state, however, if the name of your Domestic LLC is not available you need to choose another name.  Your Montana Foreign LLC name can identify the type of products and services your business will provide; or it may be the name of the founder; or it can be a combination of the two or something else.
   
   In any case, the Montana Foreign LLC name that you choose must be distinguishable from the name of any other registered Montana LLC or other business entity and the name must also be different from any reserved names on record with the state of Montana.  Your Montana Foreign LLC name must not imply that it was formed for a purpose other than that stated in the Articles of Organization for your Domestic LLC and your Montana Foreign LLC name must not be a name that is likely to mislead the public.
   
   The name of a Montana Foreign LLC must include the word "Limited Liability Company" or or the abbreviation "LLC" or "L.L.C.".
   
   It's important to choose a good name for your Montana Foreign LLC because if you want to change it after you qualify you will have to file amended documents with the Montana Secretary of State (and pay a fee).
   We will check to make sure that your requested Montana Foreign LLC name is available and conforms to all state of Montana Limited Liability Company naming regulations.
2. File Registration Documents with the Montana Secretary of State
   
   In order to Qualify as a Foreign LLC in Montana you must file Registration Documents with the Montana Secretary of State.  In Montana the registration documents are named "Certificate of Authority of Foreign Limited Liability Company Application".
   
   The registration documents must include certain specific information about your Montana business.  If the LLC Registration Documents do not conform exactly to state of Montana Foreign LLC requirements they will be rejected. 
   
   If you need to change any of the information on your registration documents after your Montana Foreign LLC has been approved, you may amend the registration documents for your Montana Foreign LLC but you will have to pay a fee to the state of Montana in order to make the changes official.
   
   
3. Determine how you want your Montana Foreign LLC to be taxed
   
   The Montana Corporate Income Tax Rate is 6.75%.  You may choose that your Montana Foreign LLC is to be taxed as a C Corporation or S Corporation. 
   
   A C Corporation is what you may think of as a traditional Corporation like General Electric or Ford.  C Corporations pay a Corporate income tax to the state if that state taxes Corporations. 
   
   You may choose to have your Montana Foreign LLC taxed as a S Corporation.  S Corporations "pass through" all corporate profits to the shareholders (owners) who then pay tax at their applicable personal rate.  S Corporations do not pay any Montana Corporate Income Tax.
   
   Corporation Income Tax in the state of Montana is referred to as the Corporation License Tax.  The Montana Corporation License Tax is a franchise tax levied on corporations for the privilege of doing business in the state of Montana. 

   The Montana Corporation License Tax rate is 6.75% and is calculated on net income earned in Montana.

   Corporations whose only activity in Montana consists of making sales, and do not own or rent real estate or tangible personal property, and whose annual gross volume of sales made in Montana does not exceed $100,000, may elect to pay a tax of 1/2 of 1% of gross sales.

   The minimum Montana Corporation License Tax is $50.  However, if a Montana corporation has no property, payroll, or sales in Montana during the tax period, it is excluded from the minimum payment.  All Montana corporations must file a tax return even if they are excluded from the minimum payment.
   
   If you form a Single Member Montana Foreign LLC and do not specify to the IRS how you want to be taxed your Single Member Montana Foreign LLC will be taxed as a Sole Proprietorship.  If you form a Multiple Member Montana Foreign LLC and do not specify to the IRS how you want to be taxed your Multiple Member Montana Foreign LLC will be taxed as a Partnership.
   
   Click here for more Montana Corporate Tax Information .
   If you choose to be taxed as an S Corporation, we can prepare the S Corporation election form for your Montana Foreign LLC and include it with your final Foreign LLC documents.

1. Obtain Business Licenses from the cities and counties in which you plan to do business
2. File the required reports for your Montana Foreign LLC
3. Keep proper records of your Montana Foreign LLC on file
4. Pay your taxes to the state of Montana

1. Obtain Business Licenses from the cities and counties in which you plan to do business
   
   Note that forming a Montana Foreign LLC doesn't take the place of obtaining a local business license, tax registration certificate, or other required business permits.  A Montana Foreign LLC merely creates an ownership structure that limits the owners' personal liability.  You may still need to take care of getting set up to do business with your local government.
   
   Depending on the nature of the business and the location of your Montana Foreign LLC within Montana you may need to get one or more local business licenses or permits.  The business licenses or permits that are required for your Montana Foreign LLC vary depending on your business activities and the specific locations within the state of Montana in which you want to conduct business.
   
   If your Montana Foreign LLC will be selling products in Montana you may be required to obtain a Reseller's Permit from the appropriate Montana state agency.  If your Montana Foreign LLC will be selling products in Montana you will also be responsible for all applicable local and state of Montana sales taxes if there are any.
   We have the expertise to find out exactly which state and local permits that you need for your specific business.
2. File the required reports for your Montana Foreign LLC
   
   The Montana Annual Report includes basic information about your Montana Foreign LLC including information on your business location as well as the names of the Officers and Directors.
   
   Failure to submit a properly completed Montana Annual Report to the Montana Secretary of State on or before the due date may subject the Montana Foreign LLC to being administratively dissolved in the state of Montana or having its authority to transact business in the state of Montana revoked by the Montana Secretary of State.
   
   Penalties may accrue if you fail to file any Montana Foreign LLC Annual Report to the Montana Secretary of State by the due date.
   
   
3. Keep proper records of your Montana Foreign LLC on file
   
   Keep the following records on file and available at the principal business office of your Montana Foreign LLC:
   • Names and addresses of all Members and Managers of the Montana Foreign LLC
   • Foreign LLC formation documents and any Amendments to them
   • Montana Foreign LLC Operating Agreement and any Amendments to them
   • Copies of any LLC Resolutions which have been adopted by the Montana Foreign LLC
   • Copies of all tax returns and Annual Reports for the Montana Foreign LLC for the last 3 years
   
   
4. Pay your taxes to the state of Montana
   
   Foreign LLCs that either do business in the state of Montana or that derive income from sources within the state of Montana are subject to Montana and federal tax laws.  If you are engaged in intrastate business and derive income from other states besides Montana, you must allocate the amount of income derived from the state of Montana in order to determine your Montana state taxes.

In order to Form a Foreign LLC in Montana you'll need the following information about your LLC:

• The name of your new Montana Foreign LLC along with your second choice of a name in case the name that you want is not available
• Physical address of the Foreign LLC office in Montana (not a PO Box)
• A description of the nature of the business you are planning to operate with the Montana Foreign LLC
• Whether the Montana Foreign LLC will be managed by LLC Members or Managers
• When the Montana Foreign LLC will start and when it will cease to exist (normally the Foreign LLC starts on the date the application is filed and will exist perpetually)

Remember - ALL the information that you provide when you Form a Foreign LLC in Montana becomes part of the public record.  Our data entry forms include the absolute minimum amount of information that is required in order to Form a new Foreign LLC in Montana.

Processing times for new Montana Foreign LLC applications vary depending on the work load of the Secretary of State's staff.  We've found that normal processing of new Montana Foreign LLC applications takes the state around 10-12 business days.  Add 2-3 days for the time period for shipping the final documents by mail.  Choosing our Express Mail option can shave a couple of days off the total processing time for your new Montana Foreign LLC.

The Montana Secretary of State reserves the right to extend expedite periods in time of extreme volume, staff shortage or equipment malfunction.  We are dependent on, and have no control over, the staff and systems of the Montana Secretary of State.

In our experience 10-12 business days is the time it usually takes the Montana Secretary of State to process a new Montana Foreign LLC application. We get your Montana Foreign LLC application to the MT Secretary of State ASAP. Once it is at the state we have no control over the new Montana Foreign LLC application process.

The state of Montana charges $80.00 to Form a Foreign LLC in MT.  If you choose All Business Documents to help you Form your Foreign LLC in Montana our processing fees are $145.00.  This includes:

• Same day processing in of your new Montana Foreign LLC order
• MT Name Check and Reservation
• Prepare Certificate of Authority of Foreign Limited Liability Company Application
• File Formation Documents with the Montana Secretary of State
• Certified Copies of Formation Documents
• Montana Foreign LLC Checklist
• Priority Mail Delivery
• Unlimited Customer Support