Foreign registration · no form number

Montana Corporation Foreign Registration in Washington

A corporation formed in Montana that wants to do business in Washington files an online registration (no form number), with $200 in state fees. Washington also wants Montana's Certificate of Existence ($5), dated within 60 days. We file it with the Secretary of State, Corporations & Charities Division from your Montana records, then serve as your registered agent there for year one.

Montana and Washington side by side

	Montana formed here	Washington registering here
Document	Montana Certificate of Existence	Foreign Registration Statement (Profit types) (no form number)
State fee	$5	$200 at order (filing fee $180 plus charges collected at filing)
How it is handled	Montana: online	Filed online with Washington
Office	Montana Secretary of State, Business Services	Washington Secretary of State, Corporations & Charities Division
Official page	biz.sosmt.gov	sos.wa.gov
Age rule	Dated when issued	Accepted if dated within 60 days
Yearly filing	Annual Report, no fee, every year	Annual Report, $70, every year
Due	April 15	Last day of the month of WA certificate of authority
Late yearly filing	$15 late fee	$25 late fee
Agent	Your Montana registered agent	Our Washington registered agent

From Montana to Washington, step by step

Order the Montana certificate
The Certificate of Existence ($5) is ordered from Montana separately; it is not part of our Washington order. Washington counts 60 days from the day Montana issues it, so the order goes in shortly before filing.
We prepare and file the registration
It lists us as your Washington registered agent, next to your Montana name and formation date, with the certificate attached. Once Montana's certificate is in hand, Washington's filing goes in. Once Washington approves it, the Montana company can do business there.

Washington costs for Montana companies

Item	Amount
State fees, paid at order	$200
Certificate of Existence, paid to Montana	$5
Our service, with a year of Washington registered agent service	$199
First-year total, Montana certificate included	$404

Will your Montana name work for Washington?

Washington can hold a name for $30 before you file.

Your Washington agent and the Montana one

Montana and Washington both call it a registered agent. Your current registered agent stays for Montana; ours takes Washington's papers and notices.

Yearly filings: Washington and Montana

Each year your corporation files Montana's Annual Report (no fee) and Washington's Annual Report ($70). With our $149 registered agent renewal, Montana plus Washington comes to $219 a year. The new registration does not replace any home-state filing.

LLC or corporation, Montana to Washington

An LLC formed in Montana files its own registration with Washington ($200 in state fees, the same, plus the Certificate of Existence ($5)). After that come Montana's Annual Report ($20) and Washington's Annual Report ($70). See the LLC filing.

The other way: Washington into Montana

A corporation formed in Washington that registers with Montana files Montana's registration (no form number) with $70 in state fees. See that filing.

Common questions: Montana to Washington

Does my Montana company need to register in Washington?

Yes, once a Montana business operates there; Washington registers it as a foreign corporation.

Is this a certificate of authority?

Washington calls it registration for Montana corporations; other states say certificate of authority.

How much does the Washington registration cost?

$399 at checkout plus $5 to Montana for the Certificate of Existence, $404 in all (checkout is $200 in state fees plus our $199).

Do I need Montana's certificate of good standing?

Yes: Washington wants Montana's Certificate of Existence ($5), no more than 60 days old at filing.

What are the yearly costs for Montana and Washington?

$219 a year: our $149 registered agent renewal, nothing to Montana and $70 to Washington for the yearly reports.

Does Washington require a registered agent?

Yes: the Montana registered agent stays, and ours covers Washington for year one.

Can I form a new Washington corporation instead?

Yes, but Montana keeps the original, so you run two companies: the new one files Washington's Annual Report ($70), and the original keeps Montana's Annual Report.

How do I withdraw from Washington later?

Montana companies leave by filing a Statement of Withdrawal; until then, Washington's report stays due alongside Montana's filings.

Official sources

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