Lobbying License
If you are being paid to support or oppose legislation in Montana, you must in most cases be licensed as a lobbyist by the state Commissioner of Political Practices.
Lobbying as an Elected Official
- An elected county official may lobby for or against the introduction or enactment of legislation/policy by legislators and/or other public agencies/officials.
- While elected officials are exempt from the normal reporting requirements of lobbyists, they still may need to register with the Commissioner of Political Practices (COPP) as a “Principal” if the county pays for lobbying activities conducted on the county’s behalf by hired or contract lobbyists and/or county employees.
The license fee is $150 unless the commissioner waives the fee because its payment constitutes a hardship. A person may also not have to be licensed if the amount paid for supporting or opposing legislation falls below a threshold outlined in state law.
Lobbyist licenses expire on December 31 of each even-numbered year or at the request of the lobbyist. For more information, contact:
Commissioner of Political Practices
1209 8th Avenue
PO Box 202401
Helena, MT 59620-2401
406-444-2942
cpphelp@mt.gov
Search for a LobbyistRead Lobbying Tips from MACoRead About Reporting