Department Of Commerce

SMALL BUSINESS LICENSING INFORMATION

Local city and county offices provide all business licensing in Montana. The State of Montana provides professional licenses. Visit the Montana Department of Revenue for more information. Contact the Secretary of State’s office for any business registration information.

Check out all your options for licensing your business under each tab below. In a hurry? Print out or save our business licensing 101 PDF.

Several types of licenses, registrations and certifications are issued by the Montana Department of Agriculture, including:

  1. Licenses: commodity dealer, feed program, fertilizer dealer, nursery, pesticide applicator, pesticide dealer, private farm pesticide applicator, commodity dealers and warehouses, produce, seed dealer
  2. Registrations: alfalfa leaf cutter bee, honeybee (apiary), feed product, fertilizer product, pesticide product
  3. Certifications: organic, noxious weed seed free forage, potato, export
Contact the Department of Agriculture for more information:
Montana Department of Agriculture
Technical Services Bureau
406-444-5400

Contact your local city and/or county office(s) to determine what licenses and registrations are required for businesses in your region, as their requirements vary.

Montana League of Cities and Towns municipal directory

The Department of Justice's Gambling Control Division handles the application and licensing process for gambling and casino-related activities.

Contact:
Montana Department of Justice
Gambling Control Division
406-444-1971

The Montana Department of Revenue's Alcoholic Beverage Control Division processes applications for new and annual renewals to license establishments selling on-premise all alcoholic beverages, restaurant beer and wine, off-premise beer and wine; this includes wholesalers, manufacturers, wineries, breweries and distilleries.

Contact:
Montana Department of Revenue
Alcoholic Beverage Control Division
406-444-6900

The Montana Department of Revenue's Cannabis Control Division processes license applications for new and annual renewals to license cultivators, dispensaries, manufacturers, testing laboratories and marijuana transporters and for combined-use. The division processes worker permit applications which allow individuals to work in the marijuana industry. 

The Cannabis Control Division also processes medical marijuana cardholder applications and maintains a registry for individuals with debilitating medical conditions which entitles them to purchase marijuana and marijuana products at a reduced tax rate.

Contact:
Montana Department of Revenue
Cannabis Control Division
406-444-0596

All incorporated construction contractors and construction contractors with employees must register with the Montana Department of Labor and Industry's Construction Contractor Registration Unit. Construction contractors without employees, plumbers and electricians may register but registration is not required.

Montana Department of Labor and Industry
Construction Contractor Registration Unit
406-444-7734

Montana workers are required by law to either be insured under a workers' compensation policy, or they may apply for the independent contractor exemption certificate.

Montana Department of Labor and Industry
Independent Contractor Central Unit
406-444-7734

Visit the Montana Contractors licensing page for more information.

The eStop Business Licenses Program administered by the Department of Revenue offers a convenient, accessible and streamlined system for the business community to acquire and maintain the state registrations and licenses needed to conduct business from seven partner agencies. 

eStop business licenses include:

  • Traditional and sports bet lottery
  • Retail food
  • Nursery retail sales
  • Landscape service
  • Sod farmers
  • Underground storage tanks
  • Measuring devices (meters)
  • Weighing devices (scales)
  • Tobacco products
  • Alternative nicotine
  • Vapor products
  • Off-premise retail sales for beer and wine

Contact:
Montana Department of Revenue
eStop Business Licenses
406-444-6789

Businesses engaged in specific professions and occupations are licensed and regulated by the state. Please contact the Montana Department of Labor and Industry for precise licensing requirements or apply online. View the full list of professional licenses here.

Contact:
Montana Department of Labor and Industry
Business and Occupational Licensing Bureau
406-841-2300
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Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Montana Department of Commerce. SBDC services are provided in a nondiscriminatory way to all legal residents and citizens in the US.