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About eStop Business Licenses


Simple, Convenient and Secure online services are now available!

eStop Business Licenses Online Service lets certain businesses apply or renew up to eight state licenses all at once with one payment.

eStop Business Licenses Offered

 

Montana Lottery

Retail food establishment
Tobacco products and alternative nicotine or vapor products
Beer and wine retail sales
Nursery
Petroleum dealer (meters)
Weighing device (scales)
Underground storage tanks

 

This method of licensing is especially convenient for grocery and convenience stores with gas pumps. They can get their food, tobacco products, alternative nicotine or vapor products, beer and wine, and petroleum-related licenses all at once.

Questions? Call eStop Business Licenses toll-free at (866) 859-2254 (in Helena, 444-6900), fax us at (406) 444-7723 or email estop@mt.gov.

Montana License Lookup

eStop Business Licenses include just eight of the hundreds of state licenses. For a comprehensive A to Z list of all Montana licenses visit Montana License Lookup.


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eStop Licensing Board of Review


Board of Review

The board’s duty, as established in 30-16-302, MCA, is to provide policy direction to the Department of Revenue for administration of the eStop Business Licenses program. The board of review includes the directors of the departments of Agriculture, Labor and Industry, Environmental Quality, Livestock, Montana Lottery, Revenue, Justice and Public Health and Human Services, a member appointed by the president of the senate, and a member appointed by the speaker of the house.

Current Statutory Members Include

Directors:

Ron de Yong, Agriculture – RdeYong@mt.gov
Pam Bucy, Labor and Industry – PBucy@mt.gov
Tracy Stone-Manning, Environmental Quality – TStone-Manning@mt.gov
Marty Zaluski (acting), Livestock – CMacKay@mt.gov
Mike Kadas, Revenue – Mkadas@mt.gov
Tim Fox, Justice – TimFox@mt.gov
Richard Opper, Public Health and Human Services – ROpper@mt.gov

Angela Wong, Lottery - AWong@mt.gov

Citizen members:

Tawna Parisot - tmparisot@bigskyweb.com
Jeff Pattison - Pattison.jeff@gmail.com

For More Information Contact:

Tracy Morano

Bureau Chief
(406) 444-4008
TMorano@mt.gov


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Licensing and Forms


Applying for new licenses using eStop Business Licenses is simple and convenient. A business may apply for one or more licenses by completing a single copy of the eStop Business Licenses Master Application and supplemental forms.

How to apply and pay online

Completing the application online speeds up the process, allows you to make your payment online, track your application process and helps to ensure that the application is complete when you submit it.

eStop Business Licenses Guide

Guide - eStop Business Licenses

Call eStop Business Licenses toll-free at (866) 859-2254 (in Helena, 444-6900) or by email at estop@mt.gov, to request a eStop Business Licenses Guide to be mailed.

Forms and Applications

Form MA - Master Application for eStop Licenses
F-1 - Floor Plan Form
Form G-1 - Grocery Inventory
FIRELTR - Fire code requirements and information pertinent to fire and life safety requirements for drinking and dining establishments (A and B Occupancies)
Form MGR-1 - Management Agreement

Montana Lottery:

          Traditional Lottery Retailer Application Forms, Instructions and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

          Montana Sports Action Licensing Retailer Application and Forms
Off-Premises Consumption Beer and Wine License Application - Off Premises Liquor License
Underground Storage Tanks - Montana Department of Environmental Quality - Notification for Underground Storage Tanks

Underground Storage Tanks Full - Montana Department of Environmental Quality - Notification for Underground Storage Tanks Full

Assistance completing the application form:

Instructions are included in the eStop Business Licenses Guide. If you have questions or need assistance completing the application, please feel welcome to contact eStop Business Licenses toll-free at (866) 859-2254 (in Helena, 444-6900).

Licenses and Registrations


Montana Lottery Licenses

Licensing Fees:

Traditional Lottery License - $50 one-time fee

Montana Sports Action License - $75 annually

The process to become a licensed Lottery retailer begins with submitting an eStop Master Application, a Lottery application and submitting a $50 application fee.  The next steps in the process involve information gathering and background checks. Once the Lottery application has been approved, the Montana Lottery will place a lotto terminal in the retailer’s establishment.  The Lottery retailer must provide prominent space for the terminal and scratch ticket dispenser(s) at an agreed–upon location in the store. The Lottery’s Sales Rep will guide you on the best placement for the Lottery equipment.  All equipment is provided by the Lottery at no charge to the retailer.

Traditional Lottery Retailer Application Forms, Instructions and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Montana Sports Action Licensing Retailer Application and Forms

Retail Food Establishment License

License Fees

Small food establishment with two or fewer employees working at any one time - $85

Large food establishment with more than two employees working at any one time - $115

New Applications, Changes in Ownership and Changes in Location

1.  Contact your local county environmental health office. Contacting your registered sanitarian early in the eStop application process could save you time and money.

2.  Provide information requested by the registered sanitarian for review.

3.  Other applicable requirements, such as zoning, business licenses, fire and building approval, will need to be met.

4.  Once plans and a pre-opening inspection have been completed and approved, the registered sanitarian will notify Food and Consumer Safety Section; then your license will be issued.

5.  The county environmental health office must be notified for approval before any changes in the establishment affecting food menu items or license endorsements.

6.  The county environmental health office must be notified for approval before remodeling, location change, or ownership change.

Renewals

Licenses with no changes will be renewed when a registered sanitarian notifies the Food and Consumer Safety section of the approval.

Click here to check out the Food and Consumer Safety, Dept. of Health & Human Services Web Page.


Tobacco products and alternative nicotine or vapor products Licenses

Regulations

The Department of Revenue is mandated by Montana law to administer the tobacco products and alternative nicotine or vapor products licenses tax, which includes overseeing the following primary purposes of the tax:

To promote public welfare, stabilize the sale of cigarettes, and maximize and protect state revenues from this source.

Basic Distribution

Montana law prohibits the sale of tobacco products and alternative nicotine or vapor products to persons less than 18 years of age (16-11-304, MCA).

All retail businesses must clearly post signs and prohibit sales to persons under 18 years of age. Cigarette vending machines may only be placed at locations where alcoholic beverages are sold for consumption on the premises and within the line of sight of the employees and/or the owner of the premises (16-11-306, MCA). The enforcement of tobacco product and alternative nicotine or vapor product sales to minors is regulated through Title 16, Chapter 11, Part 3, Youth Access to Tobacco Products Control Act.

Minimum Price Requirements

To be in compliance with the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA), all cigarettes sold in Montana must be listed on the Montana Attorney General's list of approved brand families.

To be approved, the manufacturer must:

Be participating in the Master Settlement Agreement and faithfully fulfilling its financial obligations under this agreement, or be nonparticipating manufacturer who has set up a qualified escrow fund and has placed the required amounts into that fund. And also must file monthly reports to the Attorney General's office detailing the status of the escrow account or the MSA financial obligations, and the brands of cigarettes to be sold in the state.

In addition, the cigarette manufacturer must submit to the Department of Revenue a wholesale base price of each approved brand of cigarettes. This allows the department to set and post the cigarette minimum price, including all applicable federal and state taxes and markup (16-10-103, MCA).

A brand of cigarette can be distributed in Montana only with an established minimum price. The minimum price of each brand establishes the lowest price for which that specific brand can be sold within the state.

The Department of Revenue publishes a new wholesale and retail minimum price within five (5) working days after the registered cigarette manufacturer informs the department of the new base price.

Registration and Licensing Requirements


Off Premises Beer and Wine License Renewal (Liquor)

Off-Premises Liquor License Fees:

Non-Refundable Processing Fee $200
Beer $200
Wine $200
Beer/Wine $400

Processing a license application take approximately two (2) to three (3) months based upon the Department of Revenue's determination of receipt of a completed application (16-4-207 MCA). You will be notified when a decision regarding the application has been made.

You may request Temporary Operating Authority by completing Section 3 of the Off-Premises Liquor License Application form if the location has been previously licensed in the last year.

Submitting an incomplete application may add additional time to the process.

For additional information, please call (406) 444-6900.

Penalty:

33.33% 1 day after the due date
66.66% 31 days after the due date
100% 61 days after the due date

Montana Code Annotated


Nursery License

Dept. of Agriculture's Nursery Program

Nurseryman

Department of Agriculture

A nursery license is required for businesses and individuals that distribute, sell or resell nursery stock. A nursery license is required for landscaping and lawn maintenance businesses if the business provides, plants or installs new plants or turf, and receives payment for the plants. The license is valid for one year from the date of issue.

Businesses or individuals that sell or distribute nursery stock at more than one location only need one nursery license per tax identification number.

License fees are based on gross annual sales as reported on your tax documents. Small plant vendors who operate only in Montana and sell less than $1000 gross annual sales of plant material are not required to get a license.

If your gross annual sales are: The license fee is:
Less than $1,000 No License required
More than $1,000 but less than $5,000 $25
Greater than $5,000 $100

There is a $25 initial application fee and late license renewals result in a $25 late fee. Payment must be received before the last business day of the license month.

Definitions

Firm - An individual, company, partnership, association or corporation.

Landscape service - A firm that buys, sells, or resells nursery stock. “Nursery” means the business or location where nursery stock is grown or offered for sale, resale, or as part of a landscape service

Nursery Stock - Botanically classified plants or parts of plants, including but not limited to tropical potted plants, aquatic plants, cut trees and their products and turf or sod grass. The following plants and plant materials are not considered nursery stock:


field crop plants and seeds
pasture grasses
cut plants not for propagation
fruits or vegetables for human or animal consumption
cut trees and products that are going to be processed to a point that they no longer represent a pest risk
plant debris for disposal or processing

Small plant vendor - A Montana firm that is engaged in the business of selling or distributing nursery stock, including coniferous Christmas decorations, that grows in Montana all nursery stock offered for sale or distribution, and has gross annual sales of less than $1,000 in a calendar year.

Montana Code Annotated


Underground Storage Tanks (USTs)

Department of Environmental Quality - Montana Underground Storage Tank Program

Annual Fees and Registration

Owners and operators of UST systems which have not been properly closed according to Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) 17.56.14 must pay an annual tank registration fee to the department for each tank owned or operated by the owner or operator.

  • $36 per tank 1,100 gallons or less capacity
  • $108 per tank over 1,100 gallons

Above-ground storage tanks (ASTs) with underground piping are subject to the same registration fees based on the AST size.

If there is a change in ownership or owner information, please complete the Notification for Underground Storage Tanks form below and submit it to the department within 30 days. Upon receipt of the notification form, the Department of Environmental Quality will issue a valid Operating Permit to the new owner.

Notification for Underground Storage Tanks (Owner Change Only)

Montana Code Annotated 75-11-505(6)

Administrative Rules of Montana 17.56.14


Petroleum Dealers License (Meters)

Department of Labor and Industry - Business Standards Division - Weights and Measures Bureau

Petroleum Dealers

License is required where any of the following devices are in use to buy, sell, or trade (money is charged based on the device’s measurement of a product or service. In Section II of the Master Application, list each device type to be registered on a separate line, and the total number of each type of device. Fees shown are for each individual device. (30-12-203 MCA)

Meters:

PA $21 Retail meters, listed delivery less than or equal to 20 gallons per minute
PB $70 High speed retail/wholesale meters, listed delivery 21 to 130 gallons per minute
PC $83 Wholesale meters, listed delivery greater than 130 gallons per minute
PD $102 LPG (propane) meters

Montana Code Annotated

Administrative Rules of Montana for Weights and Measures

Penalty:

Note: Weighing and Measuring Devices may be removed from this service for continued non-payment.

Meters - Petroleum Dealers:

  50% assessed for licenses delinquent over 60 days

Weighing Device License (Scales)

Department of Labor and Industry - Business Standards Division - Weights and Measures Bureau 

Weighing Device

License is required where any of the following devices are used to buy, sell, or trade (money is charged based on the device's weight of a product or service). In Section II of the Master Application, list each device type to be registered on a separate line, and the total number of each type of device. Fees shown are for each individual device. (30-12-203 MCA)

Scales:

SA or S1 $20 Manufacturers listed capacity 0 – 499 pounds
SB or S2 $33 Manufacturers listed capacity 500 – 1,999 pounds
SC or S3 $64 Manufacturers listed capacity 2,000 – 7,999 pounds
SD or S4 $165 Manufacturers listed capacity 8,000 – 60,000 pounds
SE or S5 $280 Manufacturers listed capacity greater than 60,000 pounds

Montana Code Annotated

Administrative Rules of Montana for Weights and Measures

Penalty:

Note: Weighing and Measuring Devices may be removed from this service for continued non-payment.

  50% assessed for licenses delinquent over 60 days

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Food Inspection


Inspection Procedures - Retail Food Establishment License

For new applications: An inspection must be conducted, and approval received, from the county sanitarian before a eStop License can be approved. Once a licensee has passed inspection, the inspector will provide notification of approval.

A list of county sanitarians can be found here.

For renewals: eStop Business Licenses will renew a Retail Food Establishment License when a county sanitarian has indicated the license may be renewed.


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Payment and Penalties


Renew and Pay Online - Simple, Convenient and Secure online services are now available!

eStop Business Licenses Service

Payments

Check: Please make your check payable to eStop Licenses.

Credit Card: VISA and Master Card are accepted. Please include your credit card account information in the appropriate area of the Master Application form or Master License Renewal form.


Late Fees and Penalties: Several of the licenses included in eStop Business Licenses have a late fee or penalty. The late fees and penalties are as follows:

Retail Food Establishment - Late Fee/Penalty = $25.00 - Late penalty assessed 1 day after the due date
Off-Premises Beer and Wine - Late Fee/Penalty = 33.33% - 1 day after due date, 66.66% - 31 days after the due date, 100% - 61 days after the due date
Nursery - Late Fee/Penalty = $25.00 - Late penalty assessed 1 day after the due date
Meters/Petroleum Dealers - Late Fee/Penalty = 50% - Late penalty assessed 60 days after the due date
Scales/Weighing Devices - Late Fee/Penalty = 50% - 60 days after due date (Standard), 50% - Calendar year license term - Penalty due after July 1 (On Farm)

Note: Weighing and Measuring Devices may be removed from service for continued non-payment.


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License Renewal


Renewing licenses online through eStop Business Licenses Service is simple, convenient and secure.

eStop Business Licenses Service

Businesses will receive notification from eStop Business Licenses when it is time to renew licenses. The notification document will list all the licenses a business currently holds and the cost of renewing each license.

Renew and Pay Online!

Or,

•   Mail the completed renewal form, including the appropriate payment, to eStop Business Licenses, Montana Department of Revenue, PO Box 8003, Helena, MT 59604-8003.

•   Fax the completed renewal form to (406) 444-7723 (and mail the payment).

•   Deliver the completed renewal form, including the appropriate payment, to eStop Business Licenses, 340 N Last Chance Gulch, Helena, MT 59601.


If you have questions or need assistance completing the renewal form, contact eStop Business Licenses toll-free at (866) 859-2254(in Helena, 444-6900).