Montana Secretary of State Business Search Instructions

Last Updated on January 30, 2024

The Business Registry of the Montana Secretary of State is the record keeper of the entities or corporations that are incorporated with the Secretary of State of Montana. The business registry has all filing and authorization records of the entities stored, which can be accessed by the public through the online search tool. Entities like the Corporation, Limited Liability Company, Limited Partnership, Limited Liability Partnership, and Limited Company have their information in the registry.

Sole proprietorships and General Partnerships do not register with the Secretary of State.

While the business registry contains a lot of data, it does not track business licenses.

Montana Business Name Search

The online business entity search tool facilitated by the Secretary of State of Montana is a great option for users to find any information related to a registered business structure they are looking for. For the search, you need to have the Business Entity name with you.

We have tried to assist you in your search by giving detailed guidelines about the same, illustrated by suitable images.

Step 1. Visit the Montana Secretary of State’s website, and it will take you to the search page for a registered entity with the Montana Secretary of State. The page looks similar to the one below.

Step 2. Type in the business name in the appropriate field. For a sample search, let us type in Semitool in the Business Name field. The screenshot below refers to the same.

Step 3. Click on the link of the entity you want to research further.  In this example, we will look at the last result, Semitool, Inc.

Here is the information available, which includes:

• Legal Name
• Entity Status (Active Good Standing, Dissolved, Inactive, etc.)
• Business Identifier (only the SOS number, not the Employer Identification Number from the IRS)
• Entity Type (Corporation, Limited Liability Company, etc.) and (Domestic (in-state) and Foreign Entity (out-of-state)
• Formation Date
• Date last Annual Report was filed
• Registered Agent Information
• Principal Office Address

Also see: How to form an LLC in Montana

Additionally, from this page, you can order a Certificate of Existence or Certificate of Fact for a small fee.

Business Licenses

The business name registration is different from business licensing in Montana.  The Montana Department of Revenue has more information regarding Montana business licenses.

Registered Agent

In Montana, one of the requirements for a registered business is that a Registered Agent has to be named. This agent is a single point of contact in case the business needs to be served with legal papers or contacted by the state. One of the business owners often files as the entity's Registered Agent. When they file, their home address is often used (PO Boxes aren’t allowed), and the owner's name and address are now a public record that can be looked up by anyone. This can be a big concern, especially for home-based businesses. Using a commercial Registered Agent service like Northwest Registered Agent will keep their personal address from being public record.

Also see: How to do a Montana UCC search

Information on SOS Montana (MT)

Secretary of State Contact Information

P.O. Box 202801
Helena, MT 59620-2801

(406) 444-3665
sosbusiness@mt.gov

Office:

The Secretary of State of Montana is one of the elected constitutional offices within the state responsible for a wide range of public affairs. The Montana Secretary of State is, in fact, an executive branch of the government. The present Secretary of State of Christi Jacobsen.

Functionalities:

The functionalities of the Secretary of State of Montana are quite extensive. He is the keeper of the Great Seal of the State and the public records and archives. She is also a member of the Montana Board of Land Commissioners and is responsible for administering school trust lands.

Apart from the above duties, her responsibilities prioritize the following divisions of the state:

• Administrative Rules Service Division
• Business Services Division
• Certifications and Notaries Division
• Election and Government Services
• Records Management Bureau

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State Business Name Search Instructions