State hub · Maine
Maine LLC true cost (2026)
Maine state side: $175 formation filing, $85 for Annual Report – Domestic in the 3-year model, ~$430 state fees over three years (methodology below) — #38 of 51 on the cheapest-states ranking. Provider markup is separate — use the table for formation/RA path + state fees.
Maine state filing fees
These are state fees — not Northwest / ZenBusiness / Bizee / LegalZoom service fees. The collecting agency is Maine Secretary of State – Bureau of Corporations, Elections & Commissions. Filings go through www.maine.gov/sos/cec/corp.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Articles / Certificate of Formation | $175 | Certificate of Formation (MLLC-6) $175; optional expedite +$50 (24-hour) or +$100 (same-day). |
| Annual Report – Domestic | $85 | Domestic $85 / foreign $150. Late fee commonly $50. |
| 3-year state subtotal (model) | $430 | Formation $175 + 3× domestic annual report $85 = $430. Excludes expedite options. |
When Maine actually bills you
Maine's recurring filing is due Annually by June 1 (typically file starting early January; first report year after formation) — put it in a calendar the day you form, because the state will not chase you before it penalises you.
| Point in time | What Maine charges | Amount | Running total |
|---|---|---|---|
| At formation | Articles / Certificate of Formation | $175 | $175 |
| Year 1 cycle | Annual Report – Domestic | $85 | $260 |
| Year 2 cycle | Annual Report – Domestic | $85 | $345 |
| Year 3 cycle | Annual Report – Domestic | $85 | $430 |
Provider + Maine state (3-year)
Provider totals from the national comparison (formation + RA Y1–Y3, state fees excluded there) plus the Maine state subtotal of $430.
| Provider | Plan | Provider 3-yr | + state |
|---|---|---|---|
| northwest | Formation $39 (RA Y1 included) | $289 | $719 |
| zenbusiness | Starter $0 + RA add-on | $497 | $927 |
| bizee | Basic $0 (RA Y1 free) | $298 | $728 |
| legalzoom | Basic $0 + RA $249/yr | $747 | $1,177 |
Partner link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices above are researched from public pages, not supplied by the provider. How this site makes money.
How Maine ranks against the other 50 charters
Across the 51 jurisdictions covered on this site, Maine sits at #38 — the 38th cheapest three-year state charter — at $430 in Secretary of State and revenue-department dollars. That is $395 more than Montana, the cheapest charter in the ranking ($35), $150 above the $280 median, and $2,080 less than California at $2,510. In plain terms, Maine lands in the pricier half of the table.
- Just cheaper: Oregon ($400), New Hampshire ($400).
- Just pricier: Arkansas ($495), Florida ($541.25).
- Full table: all 51 states ranked by 3-year state fees — including where the ranking flips once you add a professional registered agent.
Registered agent (Maine)
- Commercial clerk / registered agent required under Maine LLC / registered agents rules.
Put the agent next to the state's own bill: three years of Maine state fees is $430, while the cheapest provider path in our national 3-year comparison runs $289 (Formation $39 (RA Y1 included)) and the most expensive runs $747 (Basic $0 + RA $249/yr) — a $458 spread for the same statutory job. On the cheapest path the service, not Maine, is about 40% of your three-year outlay. Choosing the agent well is usually a bigger lever than choosing the state.
Gotchas (fact-based)
- Standard processing can be lengthy (SOS has published multi-week queues); expedite is extra.
- Miss June 1 and late fees / administrative dissolution risk apply.
Who Maine is for / not for
Often a fit when…
- Maine-operating LLCs needing a domestic formation despite higher formation fee.
Often a poor fit when…
- Cost-minimizers comparing to low-fee plains/mountain states.
Orientation only — not legal advice.
Common questions about Maine LLC cost
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Maine?
$175 to Maine Secretary of State – Bureau of Corporations, Elections & Commissions for the formation filing. Certificate of Formation (MLLC-6) $175; optional expedite +$50 (24-hour) or +$100 (same-day). That is the state charge only. A formation service is a separate bill on top: Formation $39 (RA Y1 included) works out to $39 in year one, versus $249 on the most expensive path we track.
What are the ongoing Maine LLC fees after year one?
$85 for the Annual Report – Domestic, due Annually by June 1 (typically file starting early January; first report year after formation). Domestic $85 / foreign $150. Late fee commonly $50. Recurring state charges are what make a low formation fee misleading — they are the reason this site models three years instead of one.
What does a Maine LLC really cost over three years?
$430 in Maine state fees, plus whatever your provider charges. With the cheapest tracked path that is $719 all-in over three years; with the most expensive it is $1,177 — a $458 difference that has nothing to do with Maine.
Do I need a registered agent in Maine?
Yes. Commercial clerk / registered agent required under Maine LLC / registered agents rules. Confirm Maine's DIY-versus-commercial agent rules with Maine Secretary of State – Bureau of Corporations, Elections & Commissions before you file — a home address here becomes public record. On the money side, the four providers tracked here charge $0–$249 in year one for formation plus the agent, then $125–$249 a year in agent renewal after that — separate from every Maine figure above.
Is Maine a cheap state to form an LLC?
On charter cost alone, Maine ranks #38 of 51 at $430 over three years, against a $35 floor and a $2,510 ceiling. But cheapest charter is not the same as cheapest outcome: if you operate somewhere else you will likely foreign-qualify there and pay that state's fees and taxes too. See the full 3-year state fee ranking for the comparison.
How the Maine three-year number is built
Formation $175 + 3× domestic annual report $85 = $430. Excludes expedite options. Figures are re-derived from the cited Maine sources rather than copied from other guides.
Deliberately excluded from the Maine state subtotal:
- Professional registered agent fees (same shopping problem in every state)
- County newspaper publication (NY, AZ, and similar — variable)
- Card / portal convenience fees unless fixed on the SOS schedule
- Expedites, name reservations, certified copies, foreign qualification
- Income / sales / payroll taxes and variable gross-receipts tiers above a stated floor
Unverified / confirm before filing
- Provider checkout upsells: see the national comparison page.
- Re-check live Maine Secretary of State – Bureau of Corporations, Elections & Commissions fee schedules — amounts change.
Sources (official)
Keep comparing
- Cheapest states to form an LLC (2026)
All 51 charters ranked by three-year state fees — see exactly where Maine's $430 lands.
- LLC formation true 3-year cost: Northwest vs ZenBusiness vs Bizee vs LegalZoom
The provider side of the Maine math, with the upsells worth skipping.
- All 51 state hubs
Same fee model, state by state.