Initial Fees and Licenses in Maine

April 13, 2006

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If you're going to operate your business in Maine, when you start up you're going to incur filing fees and licensing fees depending on the type of business you run and your business form (corporation, sole proprietorship, partnership, or limited liability company (LLC)).

Corporations. If you're doing business as a domestic corporation (a corporation incorporated in Maine) in Maine, you will be subject to various fees when you start up. Domestic corporations, upon filing articles of incorporation, pay to the Secretary of State fees based on the amount of capital stock. (Capital stock is the total amount of stock authorized for issue by a corporation.) For example, if your corporation has up to $2,000,000 in shares, the tax is $30 per $100,000.

The following are some additional filing requirements and payments by domestic corporations to the Secretary of State:

Document	Minimum Fee
Articles of incorporation	$125
Articles of amendment	$35
Articles of merger	$80
Articles of dissolution	$35
Restated articles of incorporation	$80

If you're doing business as a foreign corporation (a corporation organized outside of Maine) in Maine, you will be subject to initial fees when you start up. The following are the filing requirements and payments by foreign corporations to the Maine Secretary of State:

Document	Fee
Application for authority to do business in Maine	$250
Articles of merger	$80
Amendment to an application for authority to do business in Maine	$70
Application for surrender of its authority	$70

Limited liability companies (LLCs). If your company is either a domestic or foreign limited liability company (LLC), you must file documents as applicable with the Maine Secretary of State.

The filing fee for articles of organization is $125. The filing fee for a foreign LLC's application for a certificate of authority also is $250. The filing fee for the annual report required of all LLCs is $60.

Licenses and fees. Maine requires that you obtain a license and pay a fee if you are operating certain types of businesses in the state. Below is a partial list of some of the types of businesses required to obtain a license. Be sure to check with the state to make sure you are complying with the license requirements for your particular profession.