Maine Business Name Search: How to Check and Reserve a Name

Before you file paperwork to form your LLC or corporation in Maine, you need to know two things: whether your desired name is available, and how to lock it down before someone else does. A Maine business entity search is the only way to confirm availability, and a name reservation keeps your choice protected for up to 120 days while you finish your formation documents.

This guide walks you through both steps, with exact URLs, fees, and timelines so you can move forward without surprises.

Why Search and Reserve Your Maine Business Name First

If you skip this step, you risk filing formation documents with the Maine Secretary of State only to discover someone else already registered your chosen name. That means your filing gets rejected, you lose your filing fee, and you have to start over with a new name. A name search costs nothing; a rejected filing costs time and money you cannot get back.

A name reservation is optional but strongly recommended. For $20, the state holds your name for 120 days while you prepare your formation documents, gather signatures, and arrange your registered agent. It removes the race condition: no one else can reserve or file with that name during your reservation period.

What You Need Before You Start

Gather these materials before you begin your Maine business name search:

• Your desired business name. Have it written down, along with 2 or 3 backup options in case your first choice is taken.
• A web browser. The Maine Secretary of State search tool is free and works on any device with internet access.
• Confirmation of your entity type. Know whether you are forming an LLC or a corporation. This matters for naming rules (see below).
• $20 (optional, for name reservation). If you decide to reserve your name, you will pay this fee by credit card when you submit Form MLLC-1 or MBCA-1 online.
• Email address. The reservation form sends a confirmation to this address, and it becomes your official contact for the reservation.

Maine Business Naming Rules You Must Know

The Maine Secretary of State enforces strict naming rules. If your name does not meet these requirements, it will be rejected, even if the name is not already taken. Here are the rules that apply:

For LLCs

Your Maine LLC name must contain one of these designations (per 31 MRSA 1508):

• "limited liability company" (full phrase)
• "limited company" (full phrase)
• "L.L.C." (with periods)
• "LLC" (no periods)
• "L.C." (with periods)
• "LC" (no periods)
• "L3C" or "l3c" (if you are forming a low-profit LLC)

Example compliant names:

• Acme Services LLC
• Portland Consulting L.L.C.
• Maine Tech Ventures, Limited Liability Company

Your name can also include words like "Inc." or "Corp.", but they do not satisfy the LLC designator requirement. If your name is "Acme Services Inc.", it will fail because it lacks an LLC marker.

For Corporations

Your Maine corporation name must include one of these (per 13-C MRSA 401):

• "Incorporated" or "Inc."
• "Corporation" or "Corp."
• "Company" or "Co."

Your corporation name may also include the word "Limited" or "Ltd.", but it is not required.

General Naming Requirements (Both Entity Types)

In addition to entity-type designators, Maine requires that:

• The name must be distinguishable from every other LLC or corporation name already on file with the Maine Secretary of State. "Distinguishable" means it cannot be confusingly similar, even if spelled slightly differently or with different punctuation.
• The name cannot contain certain words unless you hold a license or special permission from a state agency (e.g., "bank", "insurance", "credit union", "university").
• The name cannot use words that imply an activity you are not actually carrying out (e.g., "pharmacy" if you are not a licensed pharmacy).

Step-by-Step: Search for Your Maine Business Name

Step 1: Go to the Maine Secretary of State Business Search Tool

Open your web browser and navigate to:

https://apps3.web.maine.gov/nei-sos-icrs/ICRS

This is the official Maine business entity search database. It searches all registered LLCs, corporations, partnerships, and other entities on file with the state.

Step 2: Choose Your Entity Type (Optional but Recommended)

When the search page loads, you will see a search field and dropdown menus. Under "Entity Type", select either "Domestic LLC" (if you are forming an LLC in Maine) or "Domestic Corporation" (if you are forming a corporation). This narrows results to only the entity type you care about.

If you leave this blank, the search returns ALL entity types, which can be noisy and make it harder to spot conflicts.

Step 3: Enter Your Desired Business Name

Type your full business name (including the LLC or Corp. designator) into the search field. For example, if your name is "Northwoods Consulting LLC", type it exactly as you plan to file it.

Do not search for just "Northwoods Consulting" without the LLC designator. The search is exact-match by default, and you want to verify the full name you intend to use.

Step 4: Click Search

Click the "Search" button (or press Enter). The system will return one of these results:

• No results found: Your name is available. No LLC or corporation with this name is currently registered in Maine. You can proceed to the reservation step.
• One or more results found: A name match exists. Click on the result to see the registered entity's details: owner name, date of registration, and status (active, inactive, or dissolved). If the match is an exact duplicate, your name is taken. If it is a similar-but-different name, you must decide whether the difference is enough to avoid confusion. The state decides this during your filing, so when in doubt, try a different name.

If your first choice is taken, repeat Steps 3 and 4 with your backup name choices.

Step 5 (Optional): Do a Supplementary Manual Check

The Maine Secretary of State search tool is reliable, but a best practice is to also:

• Search the web for your name to see if anyone is using it as a domain or business brand, even if not registered with Maine.
• Check the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) database at https://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/ to see if anyone has registered a similar trademark federally. A federal trademark does not prevent you from using the name for a different business type, but it can create legal liability if you operate in a similar market.

These steps are not required by Maine law, but they reduce the risk of disputes after you launch.

Step-by-Step: Reserve Your Maine Business Name

Once you have confirmed your name is available, you can reserve it for 120 days by filing a name reservation form. This step is optional, but it is strongly recommended because it prevents anyone else from registering the name while you complete your formation documents.

Step 1: Choose Your Reservation Form

The form you use depends on your entity type:

• For an LLC: Form MLLC-1 (Name Reservation Request)
• For a Corporation: Form MBCA-1 (Name Reservation Request)

Download the correct form from the Maine Secretary of State website at:

https://www.maine.gov/sos/corporations-commissions

Go to the "Forms" section for your entity type and look for the name reservation form.

Step 2: Fill Out the Reservation Form

The name reservation form is brief. You will need to provide:

• The name you want to reserve: Write it exactly as you intend to file your formation documents. Example: "Acme Marketing Solutions LLC"
• Your entity type: LLC or Corporation (this is usually pre-selected on the form)
• Your name and contact information: The person or organization requesting the reservation. This does not have to be the LLC member or corporation shareholder; it can be your attorney, accountant, or anyone authorized to request it on your behalf.
• Your email address: The state will send a reservation confirmation to this address. Use an email you check regularly.

Do not sign the form. Maine does not require a signature for name reservations (unlike formation documents).

Step 3: Submit the Form and Pay the $20 Fee

As of 2026, Maine does not yet offer online filing of name reservation forms. You must submit the completed form by mail or in person:

• By mail: Send the form to:
  Maine Secretary of State
  Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions
  Division of Corporations, UCC and Commissions
  101 State House Station
  Augusta, ME 04333-0101
  Include a check or money order for $20 payable to "Maine Secretary of State".
• In person: Visit the same address during business hours (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET) and deliver the form with cash or check.

Processing time for a name reservation is typically 3 to 5 business days. You will receive an email confirmation to the address you provided on the form.

Step 4: Save Your Reservation Confirmation

When the state approves your reservation, you will receive an email with a confirmation number and the reservation expiration date. Write down this expiration date: your name is protected until midnight on that date. If you do not file your formation documents before this date, the reservation expires and anyone can register that name.

Most reservations last 120 days from the filing date, which gives you plenty of time to prepare your formation documents, but plan accordingly.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Forgetting the Entity-Type Designator

This is the most common error. You cannot register "Acme Services" as an LLC; it must be "Acme Services LLC" or "Acme Services, Limited Liability Company". The state will reject a filing that lacks the proper designator, no matter how distinguishable the name is from others.

Assuming Your Reservation is Automatic

Some entrepreneurs think that searching for a name and finding it available means it is automatically reserved. It is not. Anyone else can reserve or file with that name the moment after you search it. File your reservation form immediately if you want to lock down the name.

Waiting Until After You File Formation Documents to Search

File your formation documents (the Certificate of Formation for an LLC or Articles of Incorporation for a corporation) only after you have confirmed your name is available. Filing with an unavailable name results in rejection and a lost filing fee.

Registering a Name You Do Not Intend to Use

A name reservation is just that: a reservation. If you decide not to form the business, or you change your business name before filing formation documents, you cannot recover the $20 reservation fee. Make sure you are committed to the name before you reserve it.

Confusing a Maine Name Search with a Federal Trademark Search

The Maine business entity search only checks the state registry. It does not check federal trademarks (USPTO) or domain names. If trademark or domain name protection matters to you, conduct those searches separately before settling on a final name. This is especially important if you plan to operate across multiple states or online.

After Your Name Search and Reservation: What Comes Next

Once you have confirmed availability and (optionally) reserved your name, the next steps depend on your entity type:

• If you are forming an LLC: File your Certificate of Formation (Form MLLC-6) with the Maine Secretary of State. Filing fee is $175. Processing time is 40 to 55 business days.
• If you are forming a Corporation: File your Articles of Incorporation (Form MBCA-6) with the Maine Secretary of State. Filing fee is $145. Processing time varies but is typically similar to LLCs.

You will also need to appoint a registered agent (a person or company authorized to receive legal documents on behalf of your business). This is required by Maine law before your formation documents are accepted.

If your business name is different from your legal business name (e.g., you are operating under a "doing business as" name), you will also need to file an assumed-name form with the Maine Secretary of State at a cost of $125.

Expected Results and Timeline

Here is what you can expect from a Maine business name search and reservation:

Step	Cost	Timeline	Result
Search for name availability	Free	Instant (online)	Confirmation that your name is available or taken
Reserve your name (optional)	$20	3 to 5 business days	120-day protection for your name; email confirmation received
File formation documents (LLC or Corp)	$145 to $175	40 to 55 business days	Your business is officially registered with Maine; Employer ID obtained from IRS

From start to finish, the name search is instant, but the full process of naming and forming a business in Maine typically takes 4 to 8 weeks, depending on how quickly you gather your formation documents and file them.

Key Resources

• Maine Business Entity Search: https://apps3.web.maine.gov/nei-sos-icrs/ICRS
• Maine Secretary of State, Corporations Division: https://www.maine.gov/sos/corporations-commissions
• LLC Name Reservation Form (MLLC-1): https://www.maine.gov/sos/sites/maine.gov.sos/files/inline-files/mllc1.pdf
• Maine Small Business Development Centers: https://www.mainesbdc.org/

Disclaimer

This article is informational content about Maine business naming procedures and is not legal or tax advice. Business formation involves complex legal and tax considerations that vary depending on your specific situation. Do not rely on this article as a substitute for advice from a qualified attorney or CPA licensed in Maine. Before filing any formation documents, consult with a legal professional to ensure your business structure, name, and registered agent designation comply with Maine law and your personal business goals.

Fees and processing times in this article are accurate as of September 2026. Contact the Maine Secretary of State directly if you need the most current information.