Form Your Montana C Corporation
Stand up an investor-ready C Corp in the Treasure State with the lowest filing fee in America, no franchise tax, and the stock-and-board structure venture capital requires
Filed in Montana
The Treasure State · MT
- State filing fee$35
- Processing time7-10 business days standard; 24-hr expedite available
- Our formation feeFree (you pay $100 if you choose a paid plan)
- Annual report$0 by Apr 15 (otherwise $35) — due April 15th annually
- State tax rate6.75% corporate income tax
- Expedited option1 business day (+$20)
Form your Montana C-Corp — pay only the state filing fee, nothing more.
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Everything to launch your Montana C-Corp
Free formation means you pay only the $35 state filing fee. All core services are included at no extra charge.
Articles of Incorporation filing
We prepare and submit your Articles of Incorporation to the Montana Secretary of State.
Registered agent
Required in Montana — we act as your agent for the first year.
EIN from the IRS
Your federal Tax ID — required to open a US business bank account and file taxes.
Corporate bylaws
Professionally drafted corporate bylaws — defines ownership, voting, and profit splits.
Benefits of forming an C-Corp in Montana
Montana pairs the lowest incorporation filing fee in the country with no state franchise tax and no sales tax, letting founders preserve cash while standing up an investor-ready C Corporation. The state's 6.75% corporate income tax sits alongside the federal 21% flat rate, and the clean board-and-stock structure gives venture capitalists and institutional investors the governance they expect to fund a priced round.
Lowest incorporation filing fee in the nation at just $35
The entity structure venture capitalists and institutional investors require to fund a priced round
Issue stock and equity, set up a cap table, and grant options to employees and advisors
No Montana state franchise tax and no state sales tax to drain operating cash
Perpetual existence — the corporation survives changes in ownership, directors, and officers
Annual report fee currently $0 (waived through 2027 if filed by Apr 15; standard $35)
QSBS / Section 1202 capital-gains benefits may apply to qualifying C-corp stock
Clean board-and-bylaws governance that scales from seed to IPO
Key features of a Montana C-Corp
- Lowest incorporation filing fee in the nation ($35)
- Investor-ready structure for VC funding, priced rounds, and SAFEs
- No Montana state franchise tax
- No state sales tax (0%)
- Perpetual existence with board-and-bylaws governance
Major industries in Montana
Form your Montana C-Corp in 6 steps
We handle every step while you stay in the loop. Processing takes 7-10 business days standard; 24-hr expedite available.
- 01
Choose Your Corporation Name
Your name must include a corporate identifier such as 'Corporation,' 'Incorporated,' 'Company,' 'Limited,' or an abbreviation like 'Corp.' or 'Inc.' Check availability through the Montana Secretary of State's business entity search.
- 02
Appoint a Registered Agent
Montana requires a registered agent with a physical address in the state to accept legal documents and service of process on behalf of your corporation.
- 03
File Articles of Incorporation
Submit your Articles of Incorporation to the Montana Secretary of State, including your authorized share count. The filing fee is just $35 — the lowest in the nation. Standard processing is 7-10 business days, with 24-hour expedited service available.
- 04
Adopt Bylaws and Appoint Directors
Hold an organizational meeting to adopt corporate bylaws, appoint your board of directors, elect officers, and authorize the issuance of stock. Montana requires at least one director.
- 05
Issue Stock and File 83(b) Elections
Issue shares to founders and record them on your cap table. Founders receiving restricted stock should file an 83(b) election with the IRS within 30 days of the grant to lock in tax treatment.
- 06
Obtain an EIN and File the Annual Report
Apply for a free EIN from the IRS for banking, payroll, and federal taxes. File your Montana annual report by April 15th — the $35 fee is currently waived to $0 through 2027 if filed on time.
Montana C-Corp costs at a glance
Kicker formation is free — you pay only the required state fees. No hidden charges.
Montana C-Corp requirements checklist
Everything you need to form and maintain a Montana C-Corp in 2026.
- File Articles of Incorporation with the Montana Secretary of State
- Appoint a registered agent with a physical Montana address
- Adopt corporate bylaws and appoint a board of directors (minimum one director)
- Authorize and issue stock, then maintain a cap table
- Obtain an EIN from the IRS for federal taxes, banking, and payroll
- File the annual report by April 15th (standard $35, currently waived to $0 through 2027 if filed on time)
- Hold organizational and annual meetings with documented minutes
Filing information
- Formation document
- Articles of Incorporation
- Filing agency
- Montana Secretary of State
- Registered agent
- Required
- Corporate bylaws
- Recommended
- EIN
- Required
- Name reservation fee
- $10 (120 days)
Free formation — pay only the state fee
Kicker formation is free. You pay the $35 Montana state filing fee and nothing more for the Starter plan. Optional plans add registered agent, EIN, corporate bylaws, and compliance.
Starter
- Articles of Incorporation filing
- Name availability check
- Digital document delivery
- Formation status tracking
Booster
- Everything in Starter
- Registered agent (required in Montana)
- EIN / Federal Tax ID
- Expedited processing (1–2 days)
- Corporate bylaws
- Priority support
- Kicker Voice — 3-day free trial
- Kicker Pay — free for 15 days
Founder
- Everything in Booster
- Business mailing address
- Bookkeeping — 3 months free
- Dedicated account manager
- Rush processing
- Kicker Voice — 6-day free trial
- Kicker Pay — free for 30 days
Kicker
- Everything in Founder
- ITIN filing & preparation
- Same-day priority processing
- 2nd year annual filing $0
- Kicker Voice 12-day + Kicker Pay 60 days free
Compare all plans on our pricing page.
Montana C-Corp questions, answered
Common questions about forming an C-Corp in Montana. Can't find an answer? Talk to our team.
How much does it cost to incorporate a C Corporation in Montana?
Montana charges just $35 to file Articles of Incorporation — the lowest incorporation fee in the nation. The annual report's standard fee is $35, currently waived to $0 for reports filed by April 15 (through 2027). Our service fee starts at $100 plus the state fee.
How long does it take to form a Montana C Corporation?
Standard processing through the Montana Secretary of State takes 7-10 business days. If you need it faster, 24-hour expedited service is available for an additional fee.
Why choose a C Corporation instead of an LLC in Montana?
A C Corporation is the structure venture capitalists and institutional investors require. It lets you issue stock and equity, maintain a cap table, grant options, run priced rounds and SAFEs, and operate under a board of directors with corporate bylaws — none of which an LLC supports cleanly. It also has perpetual existence, so it survives changes in ownership and management.
How is a Montana C Corporation taxed?
C Corporations pay a flat 21% federal corporate income tax plus Montana's 6.75% state corporate income tax. Profits distributed to shareholders as dividends are taxed again on shareholders' personal returns — the 'double taxation' that defines a C Corp. Montana has no state franchise tax and no sales tax (0%).
What is an 83(b) election and when do I file it?
An 83(b) election tells the IRS to tax your restricted stock at grant rather than as it vests, which can dramatically reduce taxes for founders. You must file it with the IRS within 30 days of receiving the restricted stock — the deadline is strict and cannot be extended.
Can my Montana C Corporation qualify for QSBS tax benefits?
Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) benefits under Section 1202 may apply to stock in a qualifying C Corporation, potentially excluding a portion of capital gains when you sell. The rules changed in 2025 and depend on your specific facts, so confirm eligibility and current limits with a qualified tax advisor.
Does my Montana corporation have to file a BOI report with FinCEN?
Under FinCEN's March 2025 interim final rule, U.S. domestic entities and U.S. persons are exempt from Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reporting. Only entities formed outside the U.S. that register to do business in a U.S. state are still required to file.
How many directors does a Montana C Corporation need?
Montana requires at least one director. The same person can serve as the sole director, officer, and shareholder, so a single founder can incorporate and run the company while keeping the full board-and-stock structure investors expect.
Montana government filing resources
Filing fees for common C-Corp services
Official Montana state charges for the filings you may need after formation — our service fee is separate, and we confirm the current amount before filing.
$10.00 fee (same across all entity types).
Montana's good-standing document is the 'Certificate of Existence' (domestic entities, $5).
Learn more'Certified copy of any document' is a $10.00 flat fee per document (not charged per page).
$10.00 per document/notarization, regardless of the number of pages (a document notarized by multiple notaries may be charged per notarization).
Montana has NO general sales tax, so there is no seller's permit / sales-tax permit / resale-permit registration.
Learn moreNO FEE — the Montana SOS Business Services Filing Fees schedule lists 'Statement of Change — registered office, agent or both' as NO FEE for corporations.
Learn moreProfit corporation base reinstatement fee $30.00, PLUS an additional $35.00 per year for each year of delinquent annual reports.
Learn moreEverything you need to run your Montana C-Corp
Formation is the first step — stay compliant and operational with these services.
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Ready to form your Montana C-Corp?
Formation is free — you pay only the $35 Montana state filing fee. Personal-asset protection, pass-through taxation, and a complete document package, filed in 7-10 business days standard; 24-hr expedite available.
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