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Plain answers · Maine

3 Best Foreign Registration Services in Maine (2026), Plainly Answered

We'd pick Maine Registered Agent.co ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and ME Registered Agent.org ($199) in Maine for 2026, in that order. The state's registration fee is $250 with any of them; service fees reach $397 to $497 over three years.

By the Plain Charter editorial team ·

Answer in brief

State fee to register
$250
Certificate required?
Yes (90 day limit)
Yearly upkeep
$150, Annual report for a foreign LLC
Who we'd use
Maine Registered Agent.co, Mainstay Filing then ME Registered Agent.org

Maine: our picks

Prices come from each company's own pricing. How we choose.
1Our first pick

1. Maine Registered Agent.co: best for a lean registration

$199 to register, $99 yearly

Maine Registered Agent.co is the one we'd hire first in Maine, because you pay $199 over the state fee, then $99 each year.

It beats Mainstay Filing on three-year cost, the factor we weigh most.

The price covers

  • Registration, filed
  • First agent year

Upsides

  • Service fee $199
  • Agent service, year one
  • Then $99 yearly

What to weigh

  • Home state needs a separate agent
Visit Maine Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Works in any state

2. Mainstay Filing: best for one price in any state

$199 to register, $149 yearly

Mainstay Filing comes second: it charges $199 on top of the state fee and includes the registered agent free for the first year, then $149 a year.

Over three years it is $100 dearer than Maine Registered Agent.co.

After the free year, the registered agent renews at $149 a year.

The price covers

  • Application prepared and sent
  • Registered agent, free for year one
  • One price nationwide

Upsides

  • $199 plus state fee
  • Year-one agent included
  • All fifty states

What to weigh

  • $50 a year more for the agent
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3One-state plan

3. ME Registered Agent.org: best for a low agent renewal

$199 to register, $99 yearly

ME Registered Agent.org is next: you pay $199 over the state fee, then $99 each year.

Price for price it ties Maine Registered Agent.co.

The price covers

  • Registration, filed
  • First agent year

Upsides

  • Service fee $199
  • Agent service, year one
  • Then $99 yearly

What to weigh

  • Home state needs a separate agent
Visit ME Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Prices together

#PickFirst-year priceLater years3-year costIncludes
1Maine Registered Agent.co$199$99/yr$397Registration, filed; first agent yearVisit Maine Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing$199$149/yr$497application prepared and sent; registered agent, free for year one; one price nationwideVisit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3ME Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397Registration, filed; first agent yearVisit ME Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Service fees only, from each company's prices on November 12, 2026. State fees are the same with every pick.

Your questions

Who has to register here?

Doing business in Maine with an LLC from elsewhere means registering first.

Doing business unregistered risks it loses access to the state's courts as a plaintiff (31 MRSA 1629(1)).

source: legislature.maine.gov, October 2026

What does registering cost?

Budget $250 for the state and $199 for a service.

Over three years the state's fees reach $550, counting any recurring report. source: maine.gov, October 2026

What is the application called?

Your LLC is registered once the Maine Secretary of State, Division of Corporations, UCC and Commissions accepts the Statement of Foreign Qualification to Conduct Activities (Form MLLC-12).

Add certificate of existence no older than 90 days.

What recurs once registered?

You keep filing the Annual report for a foreign LLC ($150).

Deadline: June 1.

How did you rank them?

Maine Registered Agent.co wins on three-year cost, our 35% criterion.

We start with three-year cost (35%), then what the price takes off your plate (30%).

On cost, Maine Registered Agent.co wins at $397 for three years, a $100 saving against Mainstay Filing.

Read our criteria

What Maine requires

RequirementAnswerCited
State filing fee$250source: maine.gov, October 2026
Proof of existenceYes, 90 dayssource: legislature.maine.gov, October 2026
Annual report for a foreign LLC$150source: legislature.maine.gov, October 2026
State total, years 1 to 3$550Added up from the above
We add the filing, two years of reports and any minimum tax for the three-year line. Publication and other variable costs are excluded.

FAQ

What about the home state?

Usually, yes. One national provider can serve both; a local one cannot.

How do the three-year costs compare?

Maine Registered Agent.co $397, Mainstay Filing $497 and ME Registered Agent.org $397, before state fees.

Where do these figures come from?

Maine's own publications for the state side, published company prices for the rest.

Does the state require a service?

No. The state accepts filings from owners; a service saves time and handles the agent role.

Will these services file it?

Each of our picks prepares and files it; the state fee stays the same.

Which one should I hire in Maine?

We rank Maine Registered Agent.co first on three-year cost, with Mainstay Filing and ME Registered Agent.org behind it.

Where these answers come from

  1. Maine Secretary of State, August 2026 (maine.gov)
  2. Maine Secretary of State, August 2026 (maine.gov)
  3. Maine report due date, August 2026 (maine.gov)
  4. 31 M.R.S. sec. 1531, August 2026 (legislature.maine.gov)
  5. Maine formation fee: Filing fee, October 2026 (legislature.maine.gov)
  6. Maine registered agent statute, October 2026 (legislature.maine.gov)
  7. Maine Secretary of State, foreign, October 2026 (maine.gov)
  8. Form MLLC-12, October 2026 (maine.gov)
  9. 31 MRSA § 1622, foreign, October 2026 (legislature.maine.gov)
  10. 31 MRSA § 1623, activities, October 2026 (legislature.maine.gov)
  11. 31 MRSA § 1629, consequences, October 2026 (legislature.maine.gov)
  12. Maine Registered Agent.co pricing page, prices as of November 12, 2026
  13. Mainstay Filing Maine service page, prices as of November 12, 2026
  14. ME Registered Agent.org pricing page, prices as of November 12, 2026