Register your Maine LLC Online
Complete the form below in 2–3 minutes. Your LLC and EIN come at no extra cost — you only pay Maine’s own $227 state fee.
- Enter your desired LLC name
- Choose your state
- Receive your LLC and free EIN by email
Trusted by Thousands Nationwide
What is an LLC in Maine?
An LLC (Limited Liability Company) is a simple structure for running your business under a professional name. It separates your business from your personal name, and it's the most common way to add a partner, sell the business, or look like a real company instead of a side project.
That separation goes further than the name. If the business owes money or gets sued, your house, car, and personal bank accounts are generally off-limits — as long as you run the LLC properly. It doesn't protect you from something you personally did wrong.
A sole proprietorship skips all of that. You're doing business under your own name or a DBA, and everything stays tied to you personally.
A corporation does the same separation as an LLC, but it's built for a different job: issuing stock and bringing in outside investors. An LLC is simpler to run and cheaper to keep up if that's not you right now.
Benefits of an LLC in Maine
- Add partners or co-owners whenever you're ready
- Transfer ownership if you sell the business
- “Maine Company, LLC” shows you’re a real business
- Shows you’re registered (Maine Secretary of State)
- Get a matching domain like MaineCompanyLLC.com
- Simpler upkeep than forming a corporation
What's different about a Maine LLC
Maine doesn't offer online filing for your Certificate of Formation — every application is mailed or hand-delivered to the Bureau in Augusta, and standard processing takes several weeks with no fixed date. If you need a firm turnaround, Maine sells one: $50 for 24-hour service, $100 for immediate, same-day service.
Maine has no separate LLC franchise tax — the annual report above is the one recurring state cost every Maine LLC owes, regardless of income. Maine also doesn't require you to publish a notice in a newspaper, unlike a handful of other states.
Cost to start an LLC in Maine
$227 to the Maine Secretary of State — that's it. We don't charge a filing fee on top of it. A Maine corporation runs $197 through the same process.
| What you get |  | Others |
|---|---|---|
| EIN (Tax ID) | Free | up to $99 |
| Registered agent | Freefirst year | up to $249per year |
| Name check | Free | usually free |
| Maine state filing feespaid to the state — same for everyone | $227 | $227 |
Free EIN with your Maine LLC
Your EIN (Employer Identification Number) is what opens a business bank account and identifies your company to the IRS — it's like a Social Security Number for your LLC. It's included at no extra cost, right alongside your LLC.
LLC vs Corporation in Maine
An LLC is simpler and more flexible, and keeps “LLC” in your business name. A corporation is a more formal structure built for issuing stock and outside investment, and keeps “Inc” or “Corp” in the name instead. 97% of our clients choose an LLC.
What is a Sole Proprietor in Maine?
A sole proprietorship means you're doing business as an individual. You can file a DBA with your city or town to use a name other than your own. As an individual, you can't add a partner to the business, because everything is tied to your personal name and Social Security Number. If you later want to add partners or sell the business, you'll need to start an LLC or corporation.
File a DBA Under Your LLC
A DBA (Doing Business As), also called an Assumed Name in Maine, lets one LLC operate under more than one business name. In Maine, that's a separate, state-level filing with the Secretary of State's Bureau of Corporations — the same office that formed your LLC, not your city or town.
A DBA isn't required if you're fine using your LLC's own name.
Example: Maine Company, LLC dba Maine Auto Brokers.
DBA vs LLC in Maine
A DBA only gives you another name to use. The LLC is the actual business entity that owns the DBA name and holds all legal rights.
Common Questions
Why start an LLC in Maine?
It separates the business from your own name, lets you add or remove owners as the business grows, and reads as a real, established company.
How long does it take to get a Maine LLC?
Filing takes a few minutes on this page. Maine doesn't offer online filing or a guaranteed turnaround for standard processing — every application is mailed in and takes several weeks. If you need a firm date, Maine's own paid rush options run 24-hour or same-day service.
What's Maine's LLC annual report, and what does it cost?
$85, due between January 1 and June 1 every year after your first. It's a state filing requirement, not a tax, and it's the one cost every Maine LLC owes going forward. Miss the deadline and Maine adds a flat $50 late fee.
Do I need an EIN for my Maine LLC?
Yes, for a business bank account and for the IRS to recognize your company. It's included free when you file here.
What's a registered agent, and do I need one?
A registered agent is the Maine street address the state sends legal mail to. Every LLC needs one, and it's included free for your first year when you file here.
Do I need an operating agreement?
Maine doesn't require one to file, but a bank often asks for one to open your business account. You can add it when you file, or write your own later.
Still deciding on a name?
Try the free name generator — type a word you like, get real available options back, then come straight here to file.
Sources (6)
Every fact on this page was checked directly against Maine's own filing agency and statutes — verified September 20, 2026.
- 31 M.R.S. §1680 — Filing and copying fees — the $175 formation fee, $85/$150 annual report, $50 late fee, $125 assumed-name fee
- 31 M.R.S. §1665 — Annual report for Secretary of State — the January 1–June 1 filing window
- 13-C M.R.S. §123 — Filing, service and copying fees — the $145 corporation filing fee
- Code of Maine Rules, Ch. 200 — the $50 (24-hour) / $100 (immediate) expedited-service fees
- 31 M.R.S. §1510 — Assumed or fictitious name of an LLC — the state-level DBA filing requirement
- Maine SOS — Limited Liability Company Forms — current forms and fee cross-check, Certificate of Formation (MLLC-6)