How to Reinstate an LLC in Montana
An involuntarily dissolved Montana LLC can be reinstated through the Montana Secretary of State, Business Services Division. $35 reinstatement application plus $35 for each missing annual report. Time limit: Within 5 years of the dissolution date, per the Secretary of State. Foreign LLCs cannot reinstate and must requalify.
How reinstatement works in Montana
Montana uses the term involuntary dissolution for an LLC dissolved by the Secretary of State, most often for failing to file annual reports. A domestic LLC can reinstate within 5 years of the dissolution date; after that, the owners would have to form a new entity. Reinstatement is done entirely in biz.sosmt.gov: each missing annual report is filed first at $35 apiece, then the Reinstatement form is selected from the Filing Actions menu with its own $35 fee. Most LLCs must also upload a Title 15 Certificate from the Montana Department of Revenue, which confirms the LLC's state tax filings are in order. Single-member LLCs that are not taxed as corporations are exempt from that certificate. Out-of-state LLCs whose Montana authority ended cannot use reinstatement at all and must register again as a new foreign entity.
Steps to reinstate a Montana LLC
- File every missing annual report at $35 each
- File the reinstatement application
- Title 15 Certificate from the Montana Department of Revenue, unless the LLC is a single-member LLC not taxed as a corporation
- Form to use: Reinstatement (Filing Actions menu in biz.sosmt.gov).
- Online at biz.sosmt.gov: file each missing annual report first, then choose Filing Actions and the Reinstatement form, upload the Title 15 Certificate if required, and pay.
What reinstatement costs: a worked example
An LLC dissolved after missing 2 reports:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Reinstatement fee | $35 |
| 2 missed Annual Reports at $20 | $40 |
| Late penalties, if charged on each ($15 each) | $30 |
| Estimated state total | $105 |
$35 reinstatement application plus $35 for each missing annual report. Whether late penalties are charged again at reinstatement varies; the state calculates the exact total when you file. Taxes, interest and tax-clearance costs are extra where they apply.
The most common cause is a missed Annual Report. See the Montana Annual Report guide for deadlines so it does not happen again.
Reinstatement in Montana and nearby states
| State | Reinstatement fee | Time limit |
|---|---|---|
| Montana | $35 | 5 years |
| Idaho | $30 | 10 years |
| Wyoming | $100 | 2 years |
| North Dakota | $135 | 1 year |
| South Dakota | $150 | Not published |
Mistakes that slow down a Montana reinstatement
- Submitting the reinstatement form before filing every missing annual report, which the portal requires first.
- Forgetting the Title 15 Certificate from the Department of Revenue for an LLC taxed as a corporation or with multiple members.
- Waiting more than 5 years after dissolution, after which reinstatement is no longer available.
Montana LLC reinstatement: questions
How long do I have to reinstate a dissolved Montana LLC?
The Secretary of State allows a domestic Montana LLC to reinstate within 5 years of its dissolution date. Foreign LLCs whose authority ended are not eligible for reinstatement and must requalify by filing a new registration. After the 5-year window closes, the owners of a domestic LLC would need to form a new entity.
What does Montana LLC reinstatement cost?
The reinstatement application is $35, and every missing annual report must also be filed at $35 each. An LLC that missed three reports would pay $105 in reports plus $35 for reinstatement, for $140 in state fees, before any cost of obtaining a Department of Revenue tax certificate.
Do I need a tax certificate to reinstate in Montana?
Most domestic LLCs must upload a Title 15 Certificate from the Montana Department of Revenue, requested through its Transaction Portal. Single-member LLCs that are not taxed as corporations do not need it. The certificate is uploaded in biz.sosmt.gov as part of the reinstatement filing, after all missing annual reports are filed.
- mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0350/chapter_0080/part_0020/section_0080/0350-0080
- mca.legmt.gov/bills/MCA/title_0350/chapter_0080/part_0020/section_0090/0350-0080
- sosmt.gov/wp-content/uploads/business_filing_fees.pdf
- sosmt.gov/business/fees
- help.sosmt.gov/en-us/article/how-do-i-file-my-annual-report-ywawrv
- help.sosmt.gov/en-us/article/how-to-reinstate-a-business-o1cg9a
- sosmt.gov/secretary-christi-jacobsen-continues-montana-business-support-by-waivi
Related: Montana annual requirements · Starting an LLC in Montana · Reinstatement in every state
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Last reviewed October 30, 2026 against the sources listed above. Figures marked † could not be confirmed on an official page. General information, not legal or tax advice.