Maine Secretary of State Business Filing Fees: LLC $175, Corporation $145, Nonprofit $40, Name Reservation $20 and Agent Fees
Maine Secretary of State Business Filing Fees: LLC $175, Corporation $145, Nonprofit $40, Name Reservation $20 and Agent Fees
The Maine LLC filing fee is $175 for a Certificate of Formation (Form MLLC-6) filed with the Secretary of State. That is the starting point, not the full state bill. This guide lists the Secretary of State fees you are most likely to meet, separates one-time charges from recurring ones, and shows where state fees end and local or activity-based costs begin.
This is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Fees, forms and processing times change. Confirm current figures on the official agency pages linked below before you file or pay, and talk with a qualified attorney or CPA if your ownership, structure or tax position is complex.
Formation fees at a glance
The table below covers the statutory fees for entity formation and related filings. Each figure comes from the Secretary of State fee schedule and the statutes that govern it.
| Filing | Form | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| LLC Certificate of Formation | MLLC-6 | $175 | Filed under 31 MRSA 1531 |
| Corporation Articles of Incorporation | MBCA-6 | $145 | Filed under Title 13-C, the Maine Business Corporation Act |
| Nonprofit articles | Confirm on the SOS forms page | $40 | Filed under 13-B MRSA 1401 |
| Name reservation | MLLC-1 | $20 | Holds the name for 120 days. Nonprofit reservations are $5. |
| Amendment | n/a | $50 | Changes to filed documents |
| Restatement | n/a | $80 | Restated formation documents |
| Certificate of existence | n/a | $30 | Proof of good standing |
| Copies | n/a | $2 per page, plus $5 per certification | Copies of filed records |
| Preclearance of a document | n/a | $100 | LLCs and corporations |
| Service of process on the Secretary | n/a | $20 | Corporations |
Recurring state filings are the annual reports. Both are due June 1 each year.
| Report | Form | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| LLC annual report | MLLC-13 | $85 | Foreign LLCs pay $150. |
| Corporation annual report | MBCA-13 | $85 | Foreign corporations pay $150. Domestic and foreign nonprofit corporations pay $35. |
The Maine LLC filing fee, step by step
The $175 is a one-time charge. Here is the order most new LLCs follow:
- Search the name. Use the Secretary of State business search at apps3.web.maine.gov/nei-sos-icrs/ICRS to confirm the name is free.
- Use the right ending. Under 31 MRSA 1508, the name must include “limited liability company,” “limited company,” “L.L.C.,” “LLC,” “L.C.” or “LC.” A low-profit LLC uses “L3C” or “l3c.”
- Reserve the name if needed. A reservation on Form MLLC-1 costs $20 and holds the name for 120 days. Download MLLC-1 (PDF).
- Appoint a registered agent. See the section below.
- Complete Form MLLC-6 and pay $175. Maine does not accept online formation filings. Print the fillable PDF and mail it or deliver it with payment.
- Decide on expedited handling. This is optional and costs extra (see below).
- Calendar the first annual report. The first report is due between January 1 and June 1 of the year after formation, and it costs $85.
Expedited service and processing time
Expedited handling is set by Secretary of State rule (Rule 29-250, Chapter 200), not by statute. The rule sets two options per entity:
- 24-hour service: $50 per entity
- Immediate service: $100 per entity, completed at the time the request is made
Availability depends on staffing when you make the request. The Bureau has warned of delays when expedited volume is high, so do not rely on expedited handling for a deadline you cannot miss.
The Secretary of State’s corporations and LLC pages, read on October 28, 2026, state a processing time of 2 to 7 business days for corporate filings. Backlog notices have changed this figure before, so check the Secretary of State corporations page for the current number before you plan around it.
Registered agent fees
Every Maine LLC and corporation must appoint and continuously maintain a registered agent under the Model Registered Agents Act (Title 5, chapter 6-A). Corporations call this person a clerk. The agent is either:
- A commercial registered agent listed with the Secretary of State and identified by its CRA public number.
- A noncommercial registered agent who gives a physical street address in Maine. A P.O. box is not allowed, though you may also list a separate mailing address.
The agent must consent to serve, and that consent is certified on the formation document under 5 MRSA 105.2. Agent appointments and changes are filed on Form CLKRA-3 for $35. Nonprofit appointments and changes are $15. Two related agent fees apply to commercial agents themselves: a $150 commercial agent listing fee and a $50 commercial change statement. Those charges fall on the agent business seeking listing, not on a company that simply hires one. Confirm on the Secretary of State forms page whether any agent fee is charged at formation in addition to the $175.
Assumed name (DBA) fees
How you file a trade name depends on your entity type:
- LLCs and corporations file a Statement of Intention to do Business under an Assumed Name (Form ASUM-5) with the Secretary of State for $125.
- Sole proprietors and general partnerships file a sworn assumed-name certificate with the clerk of the city or town where the business is carried on, under 31 MRSA 1. The state does not publish municipal fees, which each city or town sets. Call the clerk’s office to confirm the amount.
Forms and instructions are available at the Secretary of State LLC forms page.
Fees that are not on the state list
This is where first-time owners get surprised. Maine has no general statewide business license and no general town license. Registering an entity or an assumed name is a filing, not a license. Licensing is handled by activity:
- Municipal licenses. Cities and towns license named activities by local ordinance, and fees vary widely from town to town. Check with your municipal office.
- Eating places. The Department of Health and Human Services Health Inspection Program licenses them. Check its current fees with the program.
- Food processors. The Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry licenses them. Confirm fees with the department.
- Trades. State boards under the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation license specific trades. Maine has no HVAC license and no general contractor license.
Maine’s 16 counties license nothing for ordinary businesses. The state has 482 organized municipalities: 23 cities, 430 towns and 29 plantations. To identify the permits your activity needs, use the free Business Answers assistant at maine.gov/businessanswers.
Sales tax and income tax after formation
Filing with the Secretary of State does not register you for taxes. If you sell taxable goods or services, you will need a sales tax permit from Maine Revenue Services at revenue.maine.gov. The rates are:
- 5.5% general rate
- 8% on prepared food and on-premises liquor
- 9% on lodging
- 10% on short-term car rentals
The list of taxable services is closed. Lawn care, towing, handyman work and junk removal are not on it. An LLC is taxed by default as a pass-through, so members report income on Maine individual returns at 5.8% to 7.15%. For tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, a 2% surcharge applies to Maine taxable income above $1,000,000 for single filers, $750,000 for married filing separately, and $1,500,000 for married filing jointly or head of household. An LLC that elects corporate treatment pays corporate income tax at 3.5% to 8.93%. Maine has no LLC franchise tax and no separate LLC annual tax. Work with a CPA before choosing a tax election.
What a first year actually costs
For a standard single-member Maine LLC, the required state costs are predictable:
| Item | Fee | When |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Formation (MLLC-6) | $175 | At filing |
| First annual report (MLLC-13) | $85 | Between January 1 and June 1 of the year after formation |
| Required subtotal | $260 | |
| Name reservation (optional) | $20 | Before filing |
| 24-hour or immediate service (optional) | $50 or $100 | At filing |
| Agent change on CLKRA-3 (if needed) | $35 | When the agent changes |
Your registered agent and any licensing costs are separate from these figures. Local licenses and activity permits can add more than the entire state filing budget, so research them before you sign a lease or buy equipment.
Where to get help
- Secretary of State: maine.gov/sos/corporations-commissions
- Online annual report filing (InforME): Annual Report Online. Formation documents cannot be filed online.
- Maine Revenue Services: maine.gov/revenue
- Maine Small Business Development Centers: mainesbdc.org, a free advisory resource for planning and paperwork questions
- SBA in Maine: sba.gov/district/maine
Maine LLC filing is inexpensive on paper, but the mistakes that cost money usually happen in the details: a name that lacks the required ending, an agent address that is a P.O. box, or an annual report that was missed on June 1. Check each figure in this guide against the agency page before you pay, and consult a qualified attorney or CPA for anything involving ownership disputes, multiple owners, or tax elections.