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Statewise Business The state fee almanac for LLCs, sourced line by line.

Foreign LLC guide · Maine

Maine Foreign LLCs (2026): Registration Fees and the 3 Best Services

Maine in 2026, foreign LLC registration: we rank Mainstay Filing ($199), ME Registered Agent.org ($199) and Maine Registered Agent.co ($199) in that order. Registering costs $250 in Maine, with a $150 yearly report afterwards; three-year state fees stand 35th of 50.

Entry by the Statewise Business almanac desk ·

Maine figures on file

35thof 50, foreign LLC state feesLowest fees rank first (shared rank). All fifty rows
Foreign registration fee
$250maine.gov, read October 2026
Report each cycle
$150Annual report for a foreign LLC
Certificate from home
90 daysMaximum age when filed
State fees over three years
$550The registration and two years of upkeep

Our Maine entries

Five published criteria, listed on the methodology page, decide the order.

1. Mainstay Filing: best for a second or third state

Where we would begin$199 to register, $149 yearly after

Mainstay Filing opens the list: $199 plus Maine's own fee, then $149 a year for the agent from year two.

Over three years it costs $100 more than ME Registered Agent.org; on our weights the extra filings it covers outweigh that.

From the second year, the agent costs $149 annually.

In the price

  • The registration filing, handled for you
  • The registered agent role costs nothing in year one
  • The same service fee in each state

Strengths

  • Registered agent free for year one
  • A $199 service fee
  • One fee anywhere

Weak points

  • ME Registered Agent.org's agent renews $50 lower
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

2. ME Registered Agent.org: best for an inexpensive Maine filing

In-state option$199 to register, $99 yearly after

Entry 2 is ME Registered Agent.org: the Maine registration at $199 with a year of agent service, then $99 yearly.

In the price

  • Registration filed for you
  • A year of agent service

Strengths

  • $199 over the state fee
  • Then $99 a year
  • Agent covered in year one

Weak points

  • Serves Maine alone
Visit ME Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

3. Maine Registered Agent.co: best for another Maine option

In-state option$199 to register, $99 yearly after

Entry 3 is Maine Registered Agent.co: the Maine registration at $199 with a year of agent service, then $99 yearly.

Price for price it matches ME Registered Agent.org; either does the job.

In the price

  • Registration filed for you
  • A year of agent service

Strengths

  • Then $99 a year
  • Agent covered in year one
  • $199 over the state fee

Weak points

  • Serves Maine alone
Visit Maine Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Prices in a row

#EntryYear-one priceYears two onService fees over three years
1Mainstay Filing$199$149/yr$497Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2ME Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397Visit ME Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3Maine Registered Agent.co$199$99/yr$397Visit Maine Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Each price was taken from the company's own pages on November 12, 2026. Maine's $250 registration fee is extra in every row.

Work out the total

Registration fee $250, then the $150 report from year two, added to the service's prices.
State $550 and service $497 make $1,047 over 3 years with Mainstay Filing.

Maine among its neighbors in the rank

PositionStateThree-year foreign LLC fees
34thVermont$495
35thAlaska$550
35thMaine$550
37thArkansas$570
38thKentucky$645
The whole table is on Foreign LLC fees by state; the lowest fees rank first.

Maine foreign registration: fee, form, office

The Maine Secretary of State, Division of Corporations, UCC and Commissions takes the Statement of Foreign Qualification to Conduct Activities (Form MLLC-12) and a $250 fee from foreign LLCs. Send along certificate of existence, at most 90 days.

Later on it files the Annual report for a foreign LLC ($150), June 1.

Filing checklist

  • Certificate of existence, at most 90 days.
  • The registered name and formation date from home.
  • Someone to act as registered agent in Maine.
  • A way to pay the $250 state fee.

Penalties for not registering in Maine

A suit it tries to bring is blocked until registration is on file (31 MRSA 1629(1)).

Basis for the order

Requirements covered settled first place in Maine. It carries 28% of the score, and the other criteria are added cost over three years, renewal terms, fit with state rules, fee clarity.

Coverage of several states beat ME Registered Agent.org's lower renewal.

Maine foreign registration service questions

What does a foreign LLC pay to register in Maine?

$250 as the official fee. Service fees: $199.

What is the foreign registration form in Maine?

Statement of Foreign Qualification to Conduct Activities (Form MLLC-12), filed with the Maine Secretary of State, Division of Corporations, UCC and Commissions.

Is a certificate from the home state required?

Yes, certificate of existence, dated within 90 days of the filing.

What does a foreign LLC owe each year?

It files the Annual report for a foreign LLC for $150.

What happens if the LLC operates there unregistered?

A suit it tries to bring is blocked until registration is on file (31 MRSA 1629(1)).

Does a foreign LLC need a registered agent in Maine?

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

Who should handle the registration?

Mainstay Filing leads, then ME Registered Agent.org and Maine Registered Agent.co. The lead comes down to requirements covered.

More entries

Citations for this entry

  1. Maine Secretary of State, from maine.gov, last read August 2026
  2. Maine Secretary of State, from maine.gov, last read August 2026
  3. Maine report due date, from maine.gov, last read August 2026
  4. 31 M.R.S. sec. 1531, from legislature.maine.gov, last read August 2026
  5. Maine formation fee: Filing fee, official source, from legislature.maine.gov, last read October 2026
  6. Maine registered agent statute, from legislature.maine.gov, last read October 2026
  7. Maine Secretary of State, foreign entities, from maine.gov, last read October 2026
  8. Form MLLC-12, from maine.gov, last read October 2026
  9. 31 MRSA § 1622, foreign qualification, from legislature.maine.gov, last read October 2026
  10. 31 MRSA § 1623, activities that do not, from legislature.maine.gov, last read October 2026
  11. 31 MRSA § 1629, consequences of not qualifying, from legislature.maine.gov, last read October 2026
  12. Vermont Secretary of State, foreign registration, from sos.vermont.gov, last read October 2026
  13. Vermont Secretary of State, fees and statutes, from sos.vermont.gov, last read October 2026
  14. 11 V.S.A. § 4112, application for certificate of, from legislature.vermont.gov, last read October 2026
  15. 11 V.S.A. § 4113, activities that are not, from legislature.vermont.gov, last read October 2026
  16. 11 V.S.A. § 4033, annual report, from legislature.vermont.gov, last read October 2026
  17. Form 08-0497, Certificate of Registration, from commerce.alaska.gov, last read October 2026
  18. Alaska Statutes, AS 10.50.600 to 10.50.670, from akleg.gov, last read October 2026
  19. Alaska Statutes, AS 10.50.675 to 10.50.720, from akleg.gov, last read October 2026
  20. Alaska Statutes, AS 10.50.750 to 10.50.765, from akleg.gov, last read October 2026
  21. Alaska Statutes, AS 43.70.020 to 43.70.030, from akleg.gov, last read October 2026
  22. Arkansas Secretary of State, foreign LLC forms and, from sos.arkansas.gov, last read October 2026
  23. Form FL-01, from sos.arkansas.gov, last read October 2026
  24. Act 1041 of 2021, Uniform LLC Act, from arkleg.state.ar.us, last read October 2026
  25. 2026 LLC franchise tax report and instructions, from sos.arkansas.gov, last read October 2026
  26. Form FL-04, application for cancellation, from sos.arkansas.gov, last read October 2026
  27. Kentucky Secretary of State, business filings, from sos.ky.gov, last read October 2026
  28. Form FBE, Certificate of Authority, from web.sos.ky.gov, last read October 2026
  29. KRS 14A.9-020, consequences of transacting business without authority, from apps.legislature.ky.gov, last read October 2026
  30. KRS 14A.9-010, authority to transact business required, from apps.legislature.ky.gov, last read October 2026
  31. KRS 14A.6-010, annual report, from apps.legislature.ky.gov, last read October 2026
  32. Kentucky Secretary of State, fee schedule, from sos.ky.gov, last read October 2026
  33. Kentucky other cost: Limited Liability Entity Tax, official, from revenue.ky.gov, last read October 2026
  34. Mainstay Filing Maine service page, taken November 12, 2026
  35. ME Registered Agent.org pricing page, taken November 12, 2026
  36. Maine Registered Agent.co pricing page, taken November 12, 2026