Plain and short · Maine
3 Best Foreign Registration Services in Maine (2026): Simply Ranked
The short version
- State fee to register
- $250
- Home certificate?
- Yes, attach (90 days old, at most)
- Next
- $150, Annual report for a foreign LLC
- Ranked first
- ME Registered Agent.org, Maine Registered Agent.co then Mainstay Filing
Maine, ranked
The order follows five checks. Three-year cost comes first, then what the price covers. See method.1. ME Registered Agent.org: best for one extra state
Register for $199. Agent renewal $99
ME Registered Agent.org comes first because registration costs $199 over the state fee, agent covered in year one, then $99 a year.
Cost decides it. Three years here come to less than at Mainstay Filing.
Includes
- Registration, filed
- Year-one agent
Good
- $199 to register
- Agent renews at $99
- The first agent year is included
Against
- Nothing outside this state
2. Maine Registered Agent.co: best for one more state only
Register for $199. Agent renewal $99
Second place: Maine Registered Agent.co, since registration costs $199 over the state fee, agent covered in year one, then $99 a year.
Its prices match ME Registered Agent.org exactly. The order between them is close.
Includes
- Registration, filed
- Year-one agent
Good
- $199 to register
- The first agent year is included
- Agent renews at $99
Against
- Nothing outside this state
3. Mainstay Filing: best for registering in many states
Register for $199. Agent renewal $149
Mainstay Filing takes third place because year one of the registered agent is free, and registering costs $199 above the state's charge, with renewal at $149.
ME Registered Agent.org is $100 less over three years. That decides the order.
The registered agent is free in year one. After that it is $149 a year, in any state.
Includes
- Registration, filed
- Registered agent, free in year one
- The same price anywhere
Good
- The same fee in every state
- Service fee $199
- No registered agent fee in year one
Against
- Agent renews at $149, $50 above ME Registered Agent.org
Prices
| # | Name | Start | Renewal | Total | Includes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ME Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Registration, filed; Year-one agent | Visit ME Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | Maine Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Registration, filed; Year-one agent | Visit Maine Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149/yr | $497 | Registration, filed; registered agent, free in year one; the same price anywhere | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
Key questions
When must an out-of-state LLC register?
Before it does business in Maine. Register with the Maine Secretary of State, Division of Corporations, UCC and Commissions first.
Without registration, an LLC may face Maine courts will not hear its claims (31 MRSA 1629(1)).
from legislature.maine.gov, October 2026, kept short
What does registration cost?
$250 to the state. $199 more if someone files for you.
Over three years state fees reach $550, counting any recurring report. from maine.gov, October 2026, kept short
Which form, and where?
The Statement of Foreign Qualification to Conduct Activities (Form MLLC-12) goes to the Maine Secretary of State, Division of Corporations, UCC and Commissions. One filing registers the LLC.
Include certificate of existence issued within the last 90 days.
What is due after registering?
Next comes the Annual report for a foreign LLC, at $150.
Date set by the state: June 1.
Why this order?
ME Registered Agent.org scores best on three-year cost, which is 38% of the score.
Two checks carry most of the weight: three-year cost (38%) and work included (27%).
Three-year totals favor ME Registered Agent.org: $397, which is $100 lower than Mainstay Filing.
What Maine requires to register
| Requirement | Detail | Confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Registration fee | $250 | from maine.gov, October 2026, kept short |
| Good standing certificate | Yes, attach, 90 days | from legislature.maine.gov, October 2026, kept short |
| Annual report for a foreign LLC | $150 | from legislature.maine.gov, October 2026, kept short |
| State fees, three years | $550 | Sum of the rows above |
Questions
Does the home state need its own agent?
Yes. Two states, two sets of rules. Mainstay Filing works in both. One-state services do not.
What are the three-year totals?
Across three years: ME Registered Agent.org at $397, Maine Registered Agent.co at $397, Mainstay Filing at $497, with state fees on top.
Where do the figures come from?
State fees come from Maine's official documents. Service prices come from each company's price page. Both are dated here.
Does the law require one?
No law requires a service. It is a paid convenience.
Does a service file it for me?
All of them do. Only the service fee differs.
Which foreign registration service should I use in Maine?
Put ME Registered Agent.org first, and Maine Registered Agent.co and Mainstay Filing after.
Sources
- Charter Simple keeps Maine Secretary of State on file from maine.gov, confirmed August 2026, and nothing more
- Charter Simple keeps Maine Secretary of State on file from maine.gov, confirmed August 2026, and nothing more
- Charter Simple keeps Maine report due date on file from maine.gov, confirmed August 2026, and nothing more
- Charter Simple keeps 31 M.R.S. sec. 1531 on file from legislature.maine.gov, confirmed August 2026, and nothing more
- Charter Simple keeps Maine formation fee: Filing fee on file from legislature.maine.gov, confirmed October 2026, and nothing more
- Charter Simple keeps Maine registered agent statute on file from legislature.maine.gov, confirmed October 2026, and nothing more
- Charter Simple keeps Maine Secretary of State, foreign on file from maine.gov, confirmed October 2026, and nothing more
- Charter Simple keeps Form MLLC-12 on file from maine.gov, confirmed October 2026, and nothing more
- Charter Simple keeps 31 MRSA § 1622, foreign on file from legislature.maine.gov, confirmed October 2026, and nothing more
- Charter Simple keeps 31 MRSA § 1623, activities on file from legislature.maine.gov, confirmed October 2026, and nothing more
- Charter Simple keeps 31 MRSA § 1629, consequences on file from legislature.maine.gov, confirmed October 2026, and nothing more
- The ME Registered Agent.org pricing page, on November 13, 2026
- The Maine Registered Agent.co pricing page, on November 13, 2026
- The Mainstay Filing Maine service page, on November 13, 2026