Montana Warns Businesses About Misleading Filing Notices

State waives annual report filing fees until 2026 to ease burdens for local entrepreneurs

Mar. 14, 2026 at 12:04am

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Montana's Secretary of State is alerting businesses about deceptive mailings and emails that look official but demand large payments to file business documents or annual reports. The key message is that filing annual reports may not cost anything right now, as the state has waived the filing fee until 2026 as part of an effort to reduce paperwork and costs for business owners.

Why it matters

These misleading solicitations, often from out-of-state companies, can take advantage of hard-working Montana business owners. The state is taking action to protect businesses and ensure they can easily access official documents and file required paperwork without unnecessary fees.

The details

According to the Secretary of State's office, these notices often come from private companies using official-sounding names and government-style formatting, though some include small-print disclaimers saying they are not affiliated with the government. The state has been reducing fees and redundant paperwork, including waiving the annual report filing fee for all Montana businesses that submit their report by April 15, 2026.

  • The Secretary of State's office began waiving the annual report filing fee in 2024.
  • The filing fee will be waived again in 2027.

The players

Christi Jacobsen

Montana's Secretary of State, who is alerting businesses about the deceptive mailings and has waived the annual report filing fee as part of an effort to reduce paperwork and costs for business owners.

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What they’re saying

“I made a promise to make it easier to do business in Montana. I won't stand by and let these deceptive solicitations, which often stem from out-of-state, take advantage of hard-working Montanans.”

— Christi Jacobsen, Montana Secretary of State

What’s next

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The takeaway

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