Session 1 · Maine
Maine LLC Formation Class (2026): 7 Assignments and the 3 Best LLC Services
Key facts for this class
Class goals
- Where and how to file a Maine LLC
- What the agent rule says
- The state filing that recurs
- Our recommendations, with reasons
If you want someone else to file
1. Mainstay Filing: best for new owners who want the work done
We start with Mainstay Filing; you hand in $199 each year and the formation, the registered agent and the annual report are taken care of.
Three years of tuition run $200 above ME Registered Agent.org's, but this service does more of the homework, and the grade rewards that.
You never touch the annual report; the $85 state fee is passed through and nothing more.
Covered by the tuition
- Filing made with the state
- Registered agent for the whole year
- Annual report filed on time
- EIN application included
- The official fee, nothing added
Strengths
- Renews for $199
- $199 a year covers filing, agent and report
- It files your EIN application for you
Weak spots
- ME Registered Agent.org renews for $100 less
2. ME Registered Agent.org: best for Maine LLCs with a small budget
Our second pick, ME Registered Agent.org: $199 above the state fee, with year one of the agent covered, then $99 a year.
The annual report is not in the price, so you hand it in every year.
Covered by the tuition
- Filing made with the state
- A year of agent service is part of the price
Strengths
- $199 and the state fee
- No agent fee in year one
- $99 a year after that
Weak spots
- The annual report remains your responsibility
- It bills $99 for the EIN assignment
3. Maine Registered Agent.co: best for a local filer
Our third pick, Maine Registered Agent.co: $199 above the state fee, with year one of the agent covered, then $99 a year.
The annual report is not in the price, so you hand it in every year.
On price, it is level with ME Registered Agent.org.
Covered by the tuition
- Filing made with the state
- A year of agent service is part of the price
Strengths
- $199 and the state fee
- No agent fee in year one
- $99 a year after that
Weak spots
- The annual report remains your responsibility
- It bills $99 for the EIN assignment
All the tuition in one table
| # | Service | First year | From year two | Three-year total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | $199 | $199/yr | $597 | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | ME Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Visit ME Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | Maine Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Visit Maine Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
The assignments
-
Assignment
1Pick the LLC's name
Class starts with a look at the Maine register at the Maine Secretary of State.
Check at the same time whether the web domain is free.
-
Assignment
2Decide who will be a registered agent
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.
Any of the graded services can take the registered agent role.
Textbook page: legislature.maine.gov, last read in October 2026
-
Assignment
3Weigh doing it alone against paying for help
Filing on your own costs only the $175 state fee. A service adds $199 and does the forms; see the grades for the order.
-
Assignment
4Complete, sign and file the Certificate of Formation
the Maine Secretary of State forms the LLC once it accepts the Certificate of Formation (Form MLLC-6) and $175. The office lists a wait of 10 to 15 business days (home page).
Textbook page: legislature.maine.gov, last read in October 2026
-
Assignment
5Request an Employer Identification Number
The IRS gives out EINs, not Maine. Apply once you are approved, then hand the number to your bank. Mainstay Filing does this one for you at no added charge.
-
Assignment
6Draft the operating agreement
Even a Maine LLC with a single owner is better off with a written operating agreement in the files.
-
Assignment
7Get ready for year two
Expect Maine to ask for the annual report every year, due June 1, with a fee of $85. Miss the deadline and $50 is added.
Textbook page: maine.gov, last read in August 2026
The bill
| Item | Payee | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Filing to form the LLC | The state | $175 |
| Annual report | The state | $85 every year |
| Late fee | The state | $50 |
| Paid help | Service | $199 in the first year |
| State fees over years one to three | The state | $345 |
Why Mainstay Filing is first
What decided it was homework the price does, which carries 34% of the grade.
Taking over the annual report tipped the grade toward the bundle.
Maine questions
Which Maine fees come with a new LLC?
Maine bills $175. Hire a service and add $199.
Which form creates the LLC?
Assignment 4 shows how to fill out the Certificate of Formation (Form MLLC-6) and where it goes: the Maine Secretary of State.
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?
The state posts 10 to 15 business days (home page).
What does Maine require each year?
Expect Maine to ask for the annual report every year, at $85, with timing described as June 1.
Can I form the LLC without a service?
A service is optional. Owners can file with the $175 fee as long as they appoint a registered agent.
Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?
Mainstay Filing, ME Registered Agent.org and Maine Registered Agent.co, from the highest grade to the lowest.
Textbook pages and extra reading
- Study tip for Maine Secretary of State: everything above comes from maine.gov, which we reread in August 2026. Open it and follow along.
- Study tip for Maine Secretary of State: everything above comes from maine.gov, which we reread in August 2026. Open it and follow along.
- Study tip for Maine report due date: everything above comes from maine.gov, which we reread in August 2026. Open it and follow along.
- Study tip for 31 M.R.S. sec. 1531: everything above comes from legislature.maine.gov, which we reread in August 2026. Open it and follow along.
- Study tip for Maine formation fee: Filing fee, official source: everything above comes from legislature.maine.gov, which we reread in October 2026. Open it and follow along.
- Study tip for Maine registered agent statute: everything above comes from legislature.maine.gov, which we reread in October 2026. Open it and follow along.
- Study tip for Processing time, official source: everything above comes from maine.gov, which we reread in October 2026. Open it and follow along.
- Tuition figures from Mainstay Filing (Maine service page), November 13, 2026
- Tuition figures from ME Registered Agent.org (pricing page), November 13, 2026
- Tuition figures from Maine Registered Agent.co (pricing page), November 13, 2026