WEBVTT

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In this slideshow, we'll walk through how to register a business in the state of

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Montana using our online filing portal system.

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To use these slides as a guide while you file your business registration,

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just open up a separate browser on your computer so you can easily toggle back

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and forth. Please note that you can file a registration from mobile

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devices, but it's easier on a computer.

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Before we dive in, please note that the Secretary of State's office can only help

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you with business registrations, not a business license,

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contractor registration, or tax ID numbers.

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Those are handled by other agencies, and we recommend you

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refer to slide 16, titled "Additional

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Resources," to determine who you should contact for help.

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Okay, let's get started.

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The first step is to open your internet browser and type

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sosmt.gov in the search bar.

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Step two,

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click on the Business & UCC button in the top left of your screen.

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Then select Business & UCC Homepage from the

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dropdown menu.

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If you're on a mobile device, click the three lines in the top right corner.

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Click Business & UCC, then select Biz

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Homepage from the dropdown menu.

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The Business & UCC homepage provides a great overview of our services and

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important resources. We encourage you to review these

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resources when you have time.

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On to step three, click the Filing Portal Login link

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in the top right-hand corner of your screen.

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This will direct you to our online filing portal system, where you will

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register your business.

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If you're on a mobile device, click the three lines in the top right corner,

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then click Filing Portal Login.

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Step four,

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log in or create an account. When prompted in the portal, you will

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either need to log into an existing account or create an account.

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If you have an existing login, please enter it now.

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If not, click Create an Account button.

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You'll receive a verification email to activate your account.

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Go to your email, click on the link, and then you can sign in.

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You'll know that you're logged in to our SOS filing portal when you see the

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shopping cart icon with your name and username in the top right-hand

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corner.

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In step five, we're choosing a business form.

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Click the Forms tab on the left-hand side of your screen.

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On mobile devices, tap the three white bars in the top left

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corner.

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In the Forms section, you'll see options like Registration of an Assumed

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Business Name,

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Articles of Organization for a Limited Liability Company, and

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more. If you're unsure of which form applies to

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you, click the link on this slide to view helpful

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information on different business structures.

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You can also access this resource by clicking the Help button in the filing

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portal. That's on the left side of your screen.

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Okay, step six. On the Forms tab, select the appropriate

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form based on your business structure.

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Please note, domestic refers to

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Montana-based businesses, while foreign refers to

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businesses that were formed in another state or

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country that will be doing business in the state of Montana.

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Okay. In step seven, we will be filling out the form.

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Follow the guided template in this form by answering all the questions.

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Fields with the red asterisks are the ones that are required,

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and if there are errors, you will see a red X in the selection

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tab.

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Correct the errors and continue to move forward through the form.

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Remember that everything you enter is public information.

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Please do not include private or sensitive information like

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Social Security numbers, tax ID numbers, or bank account

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information.

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After each selection, scroll down and hit Next Step.

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You will continue to need to scroll down through each page to

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see all the required fields.

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Okay, step eight,

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select a registered agent if your form requires one.

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You can act as your own registered agent, but remember, this makes your physical

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Montana address public information.

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If you prefer, you can hire

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a commercial registered agent. Please click the Lists tab

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on the left-hand side of your screen for a list of available commercial

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registered agents to choose from.

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If you choose to use a commercial registered agent, you can search their name in

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the registered agent search to auto-fill their information.

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Just please be sure to select the option that says Commercial

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Registered Agent.

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Sometimes multiple results will pop up, and you will need to

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choose the one that states commercial.

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Otherwise, it will be sent back for correction.

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For more information on the purpose and duties of a registered agent, please click

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the question mark button in the top right-hand corner.

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Some filings may require some additional documentation.

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All attachments must be uploaded in a PDF format.

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Attachments cannot include sensitive information.

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If you submit a filing with sensitive information, it will be sent back for

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correction.

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Okay. We're on step nine. Almost done.

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You are going to sign the filing.

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All boxes must be completed on the final page of the filing.

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Please be sure to check each declaration and scroll down for any

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additional questions.

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For the signer details, you must include a full first and last

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name. We cannot accept initials. There's also a phone number and

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email address required.We're on to step 10.

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You're going to click the File Online button and pay.

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This will direct you to the payment portal system.

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Click Add New Payment Method on the right, and enter the payment

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information for your credit card or e-check.

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You'll see a confirmation page if the payment is successful.

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If not, you may need to re-enter your information.

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Once submitted, your application will appear as pending in your work queue.

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You'll see updates under My Work Queue on the left side of the screen.

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You'll also receive communication from our office, such as approval documents

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or correction notices. Please be sure to download and save or

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print approval documents for your records.

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Filings are processed in the order that they are submitted.

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For a quicker turnaround, you can choose to pay for a 24-hour or

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1-hour processing options. Otherwise, our team will work through

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standard processing as quickly and accurately as possible.

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As stated at the beginning of this slideshow, our office only handles business

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registrations. For your convenience, we've listed some other

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organizations you may need to contact in the process of starting a

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business, and that's depending on the business type and industry.

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This is not an exhaustive list. It is just meant to be a helpful

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starting point for your business journey.

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If you need assistance, we got you covered.

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The quickest way to get your answers is by utilizing our

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FAQ section on our Business Help Center.

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It's full of information, easy to use, and provides step-by-step

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instructions on our most common questions that we get asked.

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The chatbot feature allows you to quickly search for your answers using

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keywords.

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If you're unable to find an answer in the help center, you can always

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email your questions to

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sosbusiness@mt.gov or give our team a

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call.

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On behalf of the Secretary of State's office, thank you for doing business in

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Montana. We are proud to support you and welcome your business to our

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great state.