HELENA, Mont. — Montana is already off to a record-breaking pace of new business registrations in 2025.
In early January, Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen joined the Governor’s Office in celebrating a record year of business creation in 2024. Weeks later, Secretary Jacobsen announced that the Montana Business Economic Report showed more than 6,000 new businesses registered with the state in January 2025, compared to roughly 5,600 in January of 2024.
“Montanans continue to reserve their business names, create their limited liability companies (LLCs), and prepare to begin their dream of operating their own business,” said Secretary Jacobsen. “Our Business Services specialists have been outstanding in providing excellent customer service and assisting these businesses on their venture.”
Last month, Secretary Jacobsen and Governor Greg Gianforte announced that nearly 64,000 new businesses were registered in Montana in 2024, the fourth consecutive year of record registrations. To celebrate the announcement, the Secretary and Governor visited East Helena’s Granite Peak Athletics, which registered in May 2024.
“It was a really smooth process to register our business and get it started,” said Connor Moore, who co-founded the business with Nolan Gilbert. “The Small Business Development Center also provided a checklist of everything we needed to do to get this thing up off the ground. It was a super smooth process, a lot easier than I thought it would be.”
During her first term, Secretary Jacobsen cut registration fees for new Montana businesses in half and eliminated several other fees entirely. She also waived the annual report filing fee for all Montana businesses in 2024 and 2025, saving Montana businesses millions of dollars.
Under Secretary Jacobsen’s leadership, the Secretary of State’s Office has increased efficiencies, including through the online business filing system, which reduces the SOS staff’s review and processing time. Businesses now enjoy 24/7 access to their registrations, filings, and documents.
“We’re committed to supporting local Montana businesses as they start their journey with our office,” said Secretary Jacobsen. “We’re proud to be simplifying and removing regulations and partnering closely with the business community in Montana to remove red tape and make it easier than ever to do business in our state.
“Thanks for doing business in Montana!”
