Skip to content
Biz Formation Academy

A plain textbook on LLC paperwork, one state per chapter.

Textbook chapter 1 · Maine

Maine LLC Formation Chapter (2026): 7 Sections and the 3 Best LLC Services

For forming an LLC in Maine in 2026, this chapter recommends Maine Registered Agent.co ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and ME Registered Agent.org ($199), ranked from first to last. Formation in Maine comes to 7 sections and a $175 state fee, plus $85 for the annual report.
Written by the Biz Formation Academy editorial board

Read first

Fee to form $175 See legislature.maine.gov; page last consulted October 2026
Annual report $85 a year Stated timing: June 1
State cost, years 1 to 3 $345 Service fees excluded
Sections in this chapter 7 Outlined below

You will be able to explain

  • The official Maine fee and form
  • What the agent rule says
  • The state filing that repeats
  • Who to consider for filing

Recommended reading for Maine

Ranked by the grading page: three-year cost (34%), paperwork completed (30%), second-year price, fit with Maine rules and clarity of the price list.

1. Maine Registered Agent.co: best for an economical Maine start

Read this one first
Formation $199; renewal $99 annually

First place goes to Maine Registered Agent.co; forming a Maine LLC costs $199 and the agent for year one is part of that price; the agent renews at $99.

Over three years it costs less than Mainstay Filing, and three-year cost counts for 34% of the ranking.

The annual report remains the owner's task every year.

Price covers

  • The Maine formation, prepared and submitted
  • One year of agent service is built into the price

Advantages

  • $99 a year after that
  • $199 to form
  • The first agent year is free

Limitations

  • The price does not cover filing the annual report
  • The EIN application is not included ($99)
Visit Maine Registered Agent.co Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

2. Mainstay Filing: best for no annual report to prepare

All fifty states
$199 a year plus the state fee ($424 due at checkout)

The second recommendation, Mainstay Filing: one annual payment, $199, completes the filing, the registered agent and the annual report; renewal is $199.

Total three years and it comes to $200 more than Maine Registered Agent.co.

The annual report is handled too, with Maine's $85 added at cost.

Price covers

  • The formation filing is prepared and submitted
  • Registered agent for the full year
  • Annual report prepared and filed
  • The EIN application is part of the price
  • Official fee with nothing added

Advantages

  • The EIN application is in the price
  • A flat $199 each year
  • $199 on renewal

Limitations

  • Maine Registered Agent.co renews for $100 less
Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

3. ME Registered Agent.org: best for owners who prepare their own reports

Single-state plan
Formation $199; renewal $99 annually

ME Registered Agent.org is ranked third: forming a Maine LLC costs $199 and the agent for year one is part of that price; the agent renews at $99.

The annual report remains the owner's task every year.

Maine Registered Agent.co and this service cost the same.

Price covers

  • The Maine formation, prepared and submitted
  • One year of agent service is built into the price

Advantages

  • The first agent year is free
  • $199 to form
  • $99 a year after that

Limitations

  • The price does not cover filing the annual report
  • The EIN application is not included ($99)
Visit ME Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

The services compared

#ServiceFirst yearFrom year twoThree-year total
1 Maine Registered Agent.co $199$99/yr$397 Visit Maine Registered Agent.co Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Mainstay Filing $199$199/yr$597 Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 ME Registered Agent.org $199$99/yr$397 Visit ME Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Prices come from each company's own site, consulted November 13, 2026. Every row also owes the $175 state fee.

How a Maine LLC is formed

  1. Section 1

    Choose a name that is available

    Start in the business name records of the Maine Secretary of State. A name already registered in Maine may cause the filing to be rejected.

    A spare name saves a second search later.

  2. Section 2

    Select a registered agent for the LLC

    Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. A commercial registered agent listed with the Secretary of State, or a noncommercial agent: an individual or entity serving as agent in Maine, or the holder of a named position in the company.

    A noncommercial agent lists a physical street address in Maine, not a P.O. box. Commercial agents keep their address on file with the state.

    The recommended services all supply the registered agent role.

    Reference: See legislature.maine.gov; page last consulted October 2026

  3. Section 3

    Decide between self-filing and a service

    Filing yourself costs $175. Hiring one of the recommended services adds $199 for preparing the paperwork.

  4. Section 4

    Section four is the Certificate of Formation

    Required: the Certificate of Formation (Form MLLC-6), the $175 fee, and delivery to the Maine Secretary of State. The office states a wait of 10 to 15 business days (home page).

    Reference: See legislature.maine.gov; page last consulted October 2026

  5. Section 5

    Secure the LLC's EIN

    With the state's approval in hand, the company can ask the IRS for a federal tax number; opening a business bank account depends on it. The Mainstay Filing annual price already includes this section.

  6. Section 6

    Record how the company will be run

    An operating agreement is the document in which the owners of a Maine LLC record who owns what and how decisions are made. It stays with the company and is never filed with the state.

  7. Section 7

    Maintain good standing in Maine

    Calendar entry for the owner: the annual report, at $85, every year, due June 1. Lateness is penalized at $50.

    Reference: See maine.gov; page last consulted August 2026

The price list

SectionRecipientTotal
Forming the LLC State agency$175
Annual report State agency$85 every year
Missing the deadline State agency$50
Service fees (optional) The service$199 in the first year
Three years of state fees State agency$345

The filing fee, two later reports and any minimum tax make up the state's three-year total; the bibliography shows where each figure came from.

The reasoning behind the ranking

Tuition over three years decided first place in Maine. It is 34% of the ranking, and the rest comes from chapters the price completes, second-year bill, fit for the state syllabus and clarity of the price list.

A three-year total of $397 for Maine Registered Agent.co, which is $200 below Mainstay Filing, explains the order.

What readers ask

What does Maine charge to form an LLC?

Expect to pay $175 to file. Service charges among the ranked companies fall between $199.

Which form creates the LLC?

The Certificate of Formation (Form MLLC-6) creates the company, and the Maine Secretary of State is the recipient.

Is a registered agent required?

Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

How long does Maine take to process the filing?

Stated processing time: 10 to 15 business days (home page).

What does Maine require each year?

Enter the annual report in the calendar: $85, every year, June 1.

Can I form the LLC without a service?

The state accepts filings directly from owners, so no service is needed: $175 plus a registered agent.

Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?

Maine Registered Agent.co, because the filing price is $199, and later years of agent service are $99 each. After it come Mainstay Filing and ME Registered Agent.org.

More chapters

Bibliography and primary texts

  1. Cited for Maine Secretary of State: maine.gov, edition of August 2026.
  2. Cited for Maine Secretary of State: maine.gov, edition of August 2026.
  3. Cited for Maine report due date: maine.gov, edition of August 2026.
  4. Cited for 31 M.R.S. sec. 1531: legislature.maine.gov, edition of August 2026.
  5. Cited for Maine formation fee: Filing fee, official source: legislature.maine.gov, edition of October 2026.
  6. Cited for Maine registered agent statute: legislature.maine.gov, edition of October 2026.
  7. Cited for Processing time, official source: maine.gov, edition of October 2026.
  8. Maine Registered Agent.co, pricing page: consulted November 13, 2026
  9. Mainstay Filing, Maine service page: consulted November 13, 2026
  10. ME Registered Agent.org, pricing page: consulted November 13, 2026