Montana Business Entity Search
Find a registered business through Montana Secretary of State, Business Services. Use the official link below, then check the search options and name rules for Montana.
Official website: biz.sosmt.gov · Opens in a new tab
Montana search options and record coverage
Montana's official business search locates corporations, LLCs, assumed business names, and foreign entities by legal name or business record. The record provides status, registered agent and office, annual reports, and filed documents; use the entity record for managers or officers where publicly filed. Online filings, certificates, and annual reports are available through Business Services.
Checking a business name in Montana
Montana requires entity names to be distinguishable and to use the correct corporation or LLC designator. Capitalization, punctuation, spacing, generic terms, and suffixes should not be assumed to cure confusing similarity. Acceptance does not clear trademarks, assumed names, professional restrictions, or local rights.
Montana name reservations
Montana name reservation is $10.00 under the current fee rules. The accessible extract did not clearly state the reservation period; confirm the current form. Reservation only protects filing priority and does not clear trademarks, assumed names, or professional licensing.
DBA, trade names, and fictitious names
Montana calls a DBA an Assumed Business Name and registers it statewide through the Secretary of State. The current fee schedule lists an assumed-business-name registration charge; use https://biz.sosmt.gov/ and the Business Filing Fees PDF for the live amount. A registered assumed name does not create a separate legal entity.
What do you need after the search?
- Official proof of standing — find certificate fees and ordering instructions.
- A missed report or inactive registration — check deadlines and reinstatement rules.
- A new business registration — compare Montana formation and filing fees.