How to Change an LLC Name in Montana (Step-by-step)

Q: How much does an LLC name change cost in Montana?

An LLC name change in Montana costs $15 . This is the filing fee for the Articles of Amendment, the official form used to change your Montana LLC name. If you’d like to learn about all the Montana LLC costs, please see Montana LLC Costs .

Can I change the name of my LLC in Montana?

Absolutely! You can easily change your Montana LLC name.

The first step is to file a form called the Articles of Amendment with the Secretary of State and wait for it to be approved. This is how you officially change your LLC name in Montana.

The filing fee for the Articles of Amendment in Montana is $15.

After the state approves your LLC name change, you should then notify the following 3 places:

the IRS
state tax department
your business bank account

And finally, you can update your LLC name in other places like your website and marketing materials.

This page will guide you through the process and include helpful tips along the way.

Note: We’ve changed the names of our own LLCs over the years. So we have first-hand experience with filing the paperwork as well as dealing with the IRS and financial institutions.

What are the steps for changing an LLC name in Montana?

Check if your new LLC name is available
File the Amendment form (and wait for approval)
Update the IRS
Update the Montana Department of Revenue
Update financial institutions (credit card companies, banks)
Update business licenses
Update other places (branding materials, business accounts, etc.)

How much does it cost to change an LLC name in Montana?

It costs $15 to change your LLC name in Montana. This is the online filing fee for the Articles of Amendment form.

How do I change my Montana LLC name?

In order to change your LLC name, you must file the Articles of Amendment with the Montana Secretary of State. This officially updates your legal entity (your Limited Liability Company) on the state records.

Note: The Montana Secretary of State is responsible for LLC formation and administration, including name changes.

We provide step-by-step instructions on how to file the Articles of Amendment online. (Montana doesn’t accept Amendment filings by mail.)

Can I change my LLC name myself?

You can file the Articles of Amendment yourself or you can hire a company to do this for you.

Because the Amendment filing in Montana can be confusing and time consuming, many people choose to hire a company for help.

Need to save time? We recommend hiring MyCompanyWorks ($99 + state fee) to file your LLC name change.

Step 1: Make sure your new Montana LLC name is available

Before filing your amendment form (the Articles of Amendment), you should check that your new LLC name is available in Montana.

This is important because two businesses in the state can’t have the same name, or be too similar. This is called LLC name distinguishability.

If you file an amendment for a name that’s already taken, the state will reject your filing. And if that happens, you’ll need to re-file with a different name.

To avoid that, look up your desired Montana LLC name ahead of time using the state’s business entity search.

Check name availability: Our Montana LLC Name page has information about how to use the business entity search tool. It also explains details about name rules in Montana.

Step 2: File the Montana LLC name change form

The Montana LLC name change form is called the Articles of Amendment.

(It’s called this because you’re amending your Montana Articles of Organization. The Articles of Organization are the formation documents that created your Montana LLC.)

How to file the Articles of Amendment in Montana

Get Started

Go to the Montana Online Business Services page.

From the account dashboard, find the Business Services box. Click the link Renew/Amend/Cancel a Business.

Business Search

Next, you’ll locate your LLC’s business record.

Enter the first word or two of your LLC’s name and click to search.

Then click on your LLC in the search results.

In your LLC’s business record, click the Filing Actions button.

Then, click the form Articles of Amendment – Domestic Limited Liability Company.

Filing Information

Filing Fees & Processing Options
Select your processing option. This determines how quickly the Secretary of State will review and approve your filing.

Most people select “Standard Processing” for $15 and a 7-10 business day approval time.

If you need your LLC name change to be approved faster, you can pay extra to expedite the filing.

Filing Effective Date
The entity will be effective:
Most people select “when filed with the Secretary of State“.

That means your LLC name change would be effective when the Secretary of State approves it.

Alternatively, you can choose a specific future date. Click the Specific Future Date button and a date up to 90 days ahead.

Entity Details
There’s nothing to do in this section. It displays your LLC’s current business entity information. Just confirm you’re looking at the right company.

Click Next Step to continue.

Limited Liability Company Type

Leave this set to “Limited Liability Company“.

Most people form regular, for-profit LLCs.

If you have a different, special type of LLC, you would indicate that here. But it’s very uncommon.

Entity Name

Do you need to amend your entity name or provide name consent?
Click Yes.

A previously filed reserved name will be used for this filing:
If you don’t have a name reservation, click No.
Most people don’t reserve a name ahead of time. It’s not required.

If you do have a name reservation, click Yes.
Then select the previously reserved name from the dropdown menu.

Proposed Name of Business Entity
Delete your LLC’s current name from these fields, and enter the new LLC name. Enter it again to confirm.

Make sure to include a designator (ending). In Missouri you can use these designators:

LC
L.C.
LLC (most common)
L.L.C.
Limited Company
Limited Liability Company

After you enter the new LLC name, the system will automatically check to see if the name is available for use in Missouri. If it is available, the box will turn green with a checkmark next to the name:

In that case, click the first button below for “The business name selected is unique across all registered businesses. No error message is noted above“.

If the box turns red with an X next to the name, your name is not available. There will be an error message like this: “This name is already taken. Please provide a different name to continue.”

Enter a different new LLC name and try again.

Once you have a good name with no error messages, click Next Step to continue.

Entity Details

If you are only changing the LLC name, you can skip this step. Simply click Next Step to continue.

Otherwise, you can use this page to make changes to:

your LLC’s duration (making your LLC automatically shut down on a certain date)
your business purpose (optional)
and your LLC’s mailing address.

Registered Agent in MT

This page shows your LLC’s current Montana Registered Agent.

Amend the appointed registered agent?
There are 3 options for this question:

No, keep the current agent information listed above.
If you only need to change the LLC’s name and want to keep the same Registered Agent, click the button for No, keep the current agent.

Yes, the current agent has new name/address information.
If you’re keeping the same Registered Agent but they have a different address, click this button.

You must file a different form (called the Registered Agent/Office Change). The system will direct you how to file that form.

I’d like to appoint a new registered agent.
If you want to change the person listed as the Registered Agent, click this button. Or if you hired or fired a Commercial Registered Agent company and need to change that, click this button.

You can then lookup a Commercial Registered Agent using the Search function or click Add New Agent to add an individual person as the Registered Agent.

After adding a new Registered Agent, be sure to click the box confirming that the Registered Agent consents to serve as your LLC’s agent in Montana.

Click Next Step to continue.

Principals

If you’re just changing the LLC name, you can skip this step and click Next Step to continue.

Otherwise, you can change your LLC’s management type. Simply add/remove Members and Managers (aka Principals) below.

Learn more about management types: Member-managed vs Manager-managed LLCs.

Documents

Most people skip this step.

The Articles of Amendment form doesn’t require any attachments.

Click No, and then Next Step to continue.

Review

Check the information you’ve entered. If you need to go back to make changes, use the steps on the left to navigate.

Once everything looks good, click Next Step to continue

Sign & Submit

Declarations
Click the three boxes to confirm you’re authorized to file the Amendment.

Signature

Signer’s Capacity
Select “Self” from the dropdown menu.

Signature
Type your name to electronically sign the filing.

Date
You can click Today to complete this field with today’s date.

Daytime Contact
Enter your Phone Number and Email.

Don’t worry, this information doesn’t go on public record. The Secretary of State will use this to contact you if they have questions about the Articles of Amendment filing.

Submit

Click the File Online button to proceed to the payment process.

Enter your billing information and credit card info and submit the filing to the state.

Wait for approval from the Secretary of State

After submitting your Articles of Amendment to the state, please wait for approval.

Approval times vary, but on average, it takes 5-6 business days for your Montana business name change to be approved.

When you file online, you’ll receive your name change approval by email.

Reminder: Changing your LLC name with the Secretary of State still leaves your old LLC name in place everywhere else. Essentially, you’ve only changed your LLC name with one part of the state government, and you need to update it everywhere else.

Step 3: Change your Montana LLC name with the IRS

After your new LLC name is approved, the next step is to update your Montana LLC name with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This updates the name connected to your LLC’s EIN number.

We have step-by-step instructions here:
How to change LLC name with IRS

Step 4: Update your LLC’s Account with the Department of Revenue

After your new LLC name is approved, you need to update your business’s account with the state’s tax department (the Department of Revenue).

Note: In most states, it’s called the Department of Revenue or Department of Taxation. In Montana it’s called the Department of Revenue, and you’ll update your new LLC name with the Business and Income Tax Division.

Typically, you can update your LLC name in one of three ways:

online
by mail
by phone

But it differs from state to state, so we recommend you call the Montana Department of Revenue. You can ask about the process to update your business name.

Step 5: Update financial institutions with your new LLC name

Besides updating your Montana LLC name with the IRS and Montana Department of Revenue business tax department, you’ll also want to contact the following places and let them know about the name change.

Financial institutions:

LLC business bank account
business checks
business debit card
business credit cards
Paypal or other online banking solutions
business loans or lines of credit
brokerage accounts
bookkeeping software, like Quickbooks

Pro Tip: You don’t have to rush to update these the same day or even the same week. Your existing checks and credit cards will still work, but it’s important to eventually get everything updated to your new LLC name.

Step 6: Update or Get a New Business License

If you have a state business license or a local business permit, you’ll need to change the name on that license.

Sometimes that means applying for a new license and canceling the old one. Or sometimes you can just change the name on your existing license.

Montana doesn’t have a general business license requirement. But your LLC might have an industry- or occupation-specific license.

If that’s the case, contact your state licensing agency or licensing board for information on how to update the state business license:

Montana Department of Revenue: Business License List
Montana Department of Labor & Industry: Professional Boards & Licensing

And contact your local government (like a city clerk or county clerk) for the process to update any local business permits. You can find your county clerk on the Montana Association of Counties website, and you’ll need to look up your town or city, too.

Step 7: Update marketing materials and other places with your new LLC name

Tip: We recommend making a spreadsheet to keep track of everything. Enter the place you are changing your LLC name, their contact information, and maybe a notes section. Here’s an LLC name change checklist that you can use: Google Docs | Excel

Below are some examples of places to update with your new LLC name.

Branding and online presence:

online stores (like eBay, Shopify, Amazon)
website, domain registrar, hosting company
letterhead, logos, invoices, contracts, and important documents
social media accounts

Professional services:

Registered Agent Service (if you hired one)
accountant
attorney

Other government agencies:

local tax office (ex: city, county, township)
business licenses and permits
sales tax permit
utility companies
Department of Labor (if you have employees)

Stay calm: Don’t stress out thinking you have to change your LLC name everywhere right away. That’s not the case. Take your time and do the important ones first. Give yourself a few days or a few weeks to get them all done. Technically, your old business name will still work for quite some time.

Update your Montana LLC Operating Agreement

It’s a good idea to update the name on your LLC’s Operating Agreement. Don’t worry, this is a simple process. You can either:

You can make a new version of the Operating Agreement you already have. Update the document with your new LLC name, and have the LLC Member(s) sign.
Or, you can use our free template on Montana LLC Operating Agreement to create a new Operating Agreement with the new LLC name.

Tip: This is a good opportunity to review the other sections in your Operating Agreement and make any needed updates there, too. Have the LLC Member(s) sign, and distribute copies like you did with your initial LLC Operating Agreement.

Change LLC Name in Montana FAQs

How much does an LLC name change cost in Montana?

An LLC name change in Montana costs $15.

This is the filing fee for the Articles of Amendment, the official form used to change your Montana LLC name.

If you’d like to learn about all the Montana LLC costs, please see Montana LLC Costs.

Can I file my Montana LLC name change by mail?

No, you can’t the Articles of Amendment by mail to change your Montana LLC name.

Montana doesn’t accept mail filings for business name changes.

How many times can I change my Montana LLC name?

You can change the name of your Montana LLC as many times as you want. The state doesn’t care, as long as you pay the filing fee.

You’re allowed to change the name of your Limited Liability Company for any reason. The Amendment form doesn’t ask you why you want to change the name. No Montana law limits when you can file an Amendment to change the name of a company.

Who can change the Montana LLC name?

Generally speaking, the LLC Members (owners) can change the LLC’s name.

So, as long as all the LLC Members agree, you can go ahead and file the Amendment.

Technically, the LLC Members should vote to agree on the new name. However, a vote can be something informal, like an email or phone call.

Do I need a new EIN if I change the name of my Montana LLC?

No, you don’t need a new EIN number.

Getting a new EIN Number will actually cause confusion at the IRS, and that can create issues for your business.

So don’t get a new EIN number for your LLC.

Instead, you will simply change your Montana LLC name with the IRS (see above for instructions).

Do I need a lawyer to change the Montana LLC legal name?

No, you don’t need to hire a lawyer. You can file the Articles of Amendment yourself or you can hire a company to do it for you.

If you want to hire a company, we recommend MyCompanyWorks.

Need to save time? We recommend hiring MyCompanyWorks ($99 + state fee) to file your LLC name change.

How do I change a Montana DBA?

That depends whether you’re changing the DBA attached to your existing business, or if you want to change the LLC’s name and keep the same DBA.

To change a DBA (assumed business name):

Simply register a new DBA using the Registration of Assumed Business Name forms.

To keep your DBA after an LLC name change:

You will file the Registration of Assumed Business Name form for the same DBA but using the new LLC name.

You might need to cancel the old DBA registration before you can do this. Call the Secretary of State for help with this process.

Can I file the Articles of Amendment to change the DBA?

The Articles of Amendment process described above doesn’t work to change your DBA name. It only changes the actual company name.

How do I change my LLC name in another state?

You can change an LLC name in any state. Click the link below to learn how to change your LLC’s name in that state.

Matt Horwitz

Founder & Educator, LLC University®

Matt Horwitz is the leading expert on LLC education, and has been teaching for 15 years. He founded LLC University in 2010 after realizing people needed simple and actionable instructions to start an LLC. He's cited by Entrepreneur Magazine, Yahoo Finance, and the US Chamber of Commerce, and was featured by CNBC and InventRight.

Matt holds a Bachelor's Degree in business from Drexel University with a concentration in business law. He performs extensive research and analysis to convert state laws into simple instructions anyone can follow to form their LLC - all for free! Read more about Matt Horwitz and LLC University.

Change LLC Name in Montana