Maine LLC Cost: $175 Formation + $85 Annual Report (2026)

By StartBusinessByStatePublisher: Robert Smith Research process

Make your Maine business official. Have your LLC paperwork prepared and filed so you can focus on getting your business off the ground.

Your business name checked before filing.
Your formation paperwork prepared and submitted.
Your formation documents together in an online account.

$0 service fee + $175 state filing fee

Start my Maine LLC

Filing service by ZenBusiness. Choose Starter for the $0 service fee. State follow-up charges and optional services and renewals are separate.

We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no additional cost to you.

Get the paperwork handled and your company underway

With ZenBusiness, you provide the details and its team handles the Maine formation filing. You get electronic documents and customer support by phone, chat and email.

Use your approved LLC records to open a company bank account, organize your ownership agreement and do business under the company name. The state-specific costs and next steps below help you plan what comes after approval.

What it costs to start a Maine LLC

A Maine LLC costs $175 to file a Certificate of Formation (Form MLLC-6) with the Maine Secretary of State, Division of Corporations, UCC and Commissions. The domestic annual report is $85, due by June 1 each year, with the first report in the year after formation.

Start with Form MLLC-6 and the SOS LLC forms & fees list. These are government charges, separate from anything a formation company bills you.

Expense	Amount	When it applies
Certificate of Formation (Form MLLC-6)	$175	Required when forming the LLC
Minimum formation total	$175	Excludes expedite and optional purchases
24-hour expedited filing	+$50	Optional (next business day)
Immediate (same-day) expedited filing	+$100	Optional; confirm cutoff with Corporations
Domestic annual report	$85	By June 1 each year; first in year after formation
Annual report late penalty	$50	In addition to the $85 fee if filed late before dissolution
Optional name reservation (MLLC-1)	$20	Optional

Budget example: $175 to form plus $85 for the first on-time domestic annual report equals $260 across those two SOS filings—before expedite, permits, insurance, or professional help.

There is no Maine SOS franchise or minimum LLC tax identified; the recurring SOS cost for a domestic LLC is the $85 annual report (foreign annual report is listed higher on the forms page).

Choose the services you want with your filing

Starter’s base formation service does not renew. Registered-agent service, an EIN service, an operating agreement and faster preparation are optional purchases.

The preselected website-builder trial renews at $15/month after 30 days; you can remove it at checkout. Optional Worry-Free Compliance is free for the first year and renews at $199/year. Registered-agent service is listed separately at $199/year; first-year promotions may differ.

Review the services and renewal terms in your order. Provider details checked October 14, 2026 against ZenBusiness’s formation plans.

How to start your Maine LLC

Use your company details to get the formation paperwork prepared and submitted. Here is how the filing service works:

Enter your business details. Choose Maine, your company name and the information requested for the filing.
Review your services and order. Select Starter for the $0 base service fee. ZenBusiness prepares and submits the formation document from your answers.
Save your approved company records. Once the filing office accepts the paperwork, use the documents to finish your banking and business setup.

Your Maine filing checklist and required next steps

Check the name. Search Maine ICRS and confirm the name includes “limited liability company,” “limited company,” or an allowed abbreviation (LLC, L.L.C., LC, L.C.; L3C for low-profit). Optional reservation MLLC-1 is $20. Filing acceptance is not a trademark clearance.
Gather agent details and consent. Choose commercial or noncommercial registered agent, confirm the physical address if noncommercial, and be ready to state consent on the Certificate.
Decide effective date and any special designations. MLLC-6 allows filing-date or later effective date, plus optional low-profit or professional designations and an optional statement of authority.
File the Certificate of Formation. Follow current SOS instructions for MLLC-6 (mail to 101 State House Station, Augusta, or any live ICRS online path). Pay $175 plus optional expedite (+$50 / +$100).
Confirm acceptance. Save the filed Certificate, check ICRS/public record, and retain receipts. A payment receipt alone is not proof every detail was accepted correctly.

Check your proposed name in the Maine business search.

How long does approval take?

Standard processing depends on mail/queue volume unless you purchase 24-hour (+$50) or same-day (+$100) expedite—confirm same-day cutoffs with Corporations ((207) 624-7752) before promising a date. A service’s preparation time is separate from Maine’s review. ZenBusiness lists standard preparation at 7–10 business days before state processing; state review follows the service’s preparation.

If a lease, financing, or opening date depends on the LLC, leave room for mail delays and corrections. Completing an online questionnaire is not the moment the company is approved.

Can I file directly with Maine?

Yes. You can prepare and submit the filing yourself through the Maine official LLC filing service. A formation service handles preparation and submission from the information you provide. The government charges and required follow-up steps above still apply.

Choose your Maine registered agent

Form MLLC-6 allows a commercial registered agent (with CRA public number) or a noncommercial registered agent with a Maine physical location—not a P.O. box. The form states that the registered agent has consented to serve (5 M.R.S. § 105.2). A member may serve as noncommercial agent if those address and consent rules are met. See MLLC-6.

Consider whether you can reliably receive legal documents at a Maine street address. If seasonal work or travel keeps you away from that address, a commercial agent may be more practical. Compare delivery procedures and renewal costs before choosing.

Plan your address use before filing. SOS records are public. Agent and other required addresses are separate fields. Ask which address fields the agent service covers. Supply accurate information in every field.

Maine LLC annual report: what happens after formation?

The annual report updates or confirms the state’s business record; it is not an income-tax return. Deliver it between January 1 and June 1; the SOS Filing an Annual Report page treats June 1 as the legal deadline. The first report is due in the year following the calendar year of formation (31 M.R.S. § 1665(3)). Domestic fee: $85.

Late filing adds a $50 penalty in addition to the annual report fee if filed late but before dissolution/revocation. Continued failure can lead to administrative dissolution (domestic) under § 1667. Prefer the SOS Annual Reports Online path linked from the Filing an Annual Report hub.

Example: an LLC formed in 2026 files its first $85 annual report in 2027 by June 1. Set reminders for January and May, verify the contact email on file, and save the confirmation. If you buy compliance assistance, check that the report was actually submitted.

Starting near year-end? Formation late in 2026 still pushes the first annual report into 2027, but the June 1 deadline arrives quickly after year-start. Choose the formation date around real operations, then calendar June 1 immediately.

Get your Maine LLC filing underway

Put the formation paperwork in ZenBusiness’s hands. Starter has a $0 service fee plus the applicable Maine charges detailed above.

Start my Maine LLC

Continue to ZenBusiness to enter your details and review your order. Optional services and renewal details.

We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no additional cost to you.

Put your approved LLC to work

Adopt your operating agreement. Maine requires a limited liability company agreement to be entered into or otherwise existing. It may be made before, at or after filing the Certificate of Formation; it is not filed with the Secretary of State. A written agreement is useful for recording ownership, contributions, decisions and distributions, but Maine also recognizes oral or implied agreements. Paying a provider to prepare one is optional. Read Maine’s LLC agreement requirement. Use the basic LLC operating agreement tool as a starting point.
Get an EIN when needed. Form the entity first, then use the free IRS application if eligible. A paid EIN service handles the application for you. Save the confirmation for banking and tax records.
Open your business bank account. Ask the bank for its document checklist and establish a bookkeeping process. Use the correct legal business name on applications and contracts; keep any trade-name registrations consistent.
Complete taxes and operating approvals. LLC formation does not itself select S-corporation taxation or issue a professional license. The IRS explains LLC tax classifications. Identify the state and local requirements for your actual work before opening.
Check the current BOI rule. As of this review, FinCEN exempts entities created in the United States from beneficial-ownership reporting. A newly created domestic LLC generally falls within that exemption. Consult FinCEN directly for the current rule.

Insurance guidance for your Maine business

Match coverage to your services, employees, equipment and client contracts. Start with the relevant guide:

Continue with the Maine business guide for the broader startup process.

Maine LLC questions before you start

What is the cheapest way to form a Maine LLC?

Certificate of Formation (Form MLLC-6) costs $175 with the Maine Secretary of State. You can file directly or use ZenBusiness Starter, which offers a $0 formation service fee plus the same $175 state fee. Optional expedite (+$50 or +$100) and later annual reports are additional.

Is the Maine annual report due when I form the LLC?

No. The first annual report is due between January 1 and June 1 of the year following the calendar year of formation. The domestic fee is $85. Late filing adds a $50 penalty before administrative dissolution risk.

Can I be my own Maine registered agent?

Yes, as a noncommercial registered agent if you provide a Maine physical street address (not a P.O. box) and the Certificate states that the agent has consented to serve. A commercial registered agent with a CRA public number is the alternative.

Does forming an LLC give me a Maine business license?

Formation creates the entity with the Secretary of State. Industry licenses, local permits, tax accounts, and insurance requirements are separate steps before you open.

Can I get an EIN without buying a service?

Yes. The IRS issues EINs free. Form the LLC first, then check eligibility for the IRS online application or use its alternative application instructions.

This guide is for creating a new Maine LLC. If you already have an LLC formed in another state, check Maine’s foreign LLC authority requirements before creating a second company.

Page updated October 14, 2026. State-source review: September 14, 2026. ZenBusiness package terms checked October 14, 2026.