No.1
Best here
1. Mainstay Filing: best for the formation, the agent and the annual report under one charge
$199 a year plus the state fee ($424 due at checkout)
Score9.5out of 10
First place: Mainstay Filing. $199 a year buys the Maine filing, registered agent service and the annual report, and renewal is $199.
At renewal Mainstay prepares and files the annual report for you. Maine charges $85 every year for it, due June 1, and lateness adds $50; Mainstay passes the state fee along at cost.
Its three-year total exceeds ME Registered Agent.org's by $200; the broader coverage outweighs that difference in our scoring.
In the price
- The formation document prepared and filed on your behalf
- Registered agent service for the year
- Annual report prepared and filed on your behalf
- EIN application prepared
Why pick it
- Maine's fee is passed along at cost
- Covers the EIN application
- One yearly charge of $199 that covers the annual report
- Renews at $199 with nothing added
Weak spots
- Its agent charge after year one is $100 a year above ME Registered Agent.org's
No.2
Best value here
2. ME Registered Agent.org: best for a Maine LLC that intends to stay put
$199 to form, then $99 a year for the agent, with the state fee extra
Score9.1out of 10
Second place: ME Registered Agent.org. Maine formation costs $199 beyond the state's fee, with the registered agent free the first year, and $99 yearly keeps the agent.
An in-state street address serves as the registered office, and papers served on the company are scanned into your online account.
The annual report lies outside its published prices, so you file it with Maine every year.
In the price
- LLC filing done for you
- Year-one registered agent service
Why pick it
- Year-two agent charge: $99
- Twelve months as your registered agent come with it
- A $199 service charge plus the state filing fee
Weak spots
- The annual report is not prepared for you
- The EIN application carries a separate fee ($99)
No.3
Best local option
3. Maine Registered Agent.co: best for a filing made only in Maine
$199 to form, then $99 a year for the agent, with the state fee extra
Score8.9out of 10
Third place: Maine Registered Agent.co. Maine formation costs $199 beyond the state's fee, with the registered agent free the first year, and $99 yearly keeps the agent.
An in-state street address serves as the registered office, and papers served on the company are scanned into your online account.
The annual report lies outside its published prices, so you file it with Maine every year.
No difference in price or features separates ME Registered Agent.org from Maine Registered Agent.co; choose whichever you prefer.
In the price
- LLC filing done for you
- A first year as your registered agent
Why pick it
- Formation at $199, with the filing fee extra
- $99 a year for the agent from year two
- Year-one registered agent service is included
Weak spots
- The annual report is not prepared for you
- The EIN application carries a separate fee ($99)
The 3 rulings in brief
| Rank | Provider | Ruling score | Service charge | Year two | Suited to | Link |
|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | 9.5 | $199 | $199/yr | The formation, the agent and the annual report under one charge | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
| 2 | ME Registered Agent.org | 9.1 | $199 | $99/yr | A Maine business holding down its costs | Visit ME Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
| 3 | Maine Registered Agent.co | 8.9 | $199 | $99/yr | A Maine business holding down its costs | Visit Maine Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
Every mark out of 10 reflects the editorial team's reading of the criteria on
How we rank, not any customer rating.
Maine LLC service charges in 2026: year one, renewals and the three-year total
| Provider | Year one | Year two | Year three | Total over three years | Files the annual report |
|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $199 | $199 | $199 | $597 | Yes |
|---|
| ME Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | No |
|---|
| Maine Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | No |
|---|
Each charge was taken from the provider's own pages on November 12, 2026. Maine's $175 filing fee is payable in addition to every row below and is not in the totals.
The basis for the order
Two criteria carry 31% each in this ranking, charge over three years and work taken off the founder. Renewal conduct, fit with local rules and pricing in plain sight share 38%, and in Maine the decisive one was work taken off the founder.
Maine requires a report every year at a state fee of $85, with $50 added for lateness. Mainstay's price includes the filing and ME Registered Agent.org's does not, and that coverage outweighed ME Registered Agent.org's lower three-year cost.
Each criterion and its weight appear on How we rank.
The Maine LLC filing fee and form (official figures)
To file the Certificate of Formation (Form MLLC-6) with the Maine Secretary of State, budget $175. Each provider on this page adds that state fee at cost to its own charge.
Processing time quoted by the state: 10 to 15 business days (home page).
Obligations after the Maine filing is accepted
File the annual report every year; the date is June 1. $85 goes to the state. Filing late adds $50. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Questions on Maine LLC services
What does it take, in dollars, to form an LLC in Maine?
The state filing fee is $175; service charges run $199.
What is filed to bring the company into existence?
The Certificate of Formation (Form MLLC-6), lodged with the Maine Secretary of State.
How long does the state take to process a new Maine LLC?
The published standard is 10 to 15 business days (home page).
Does a Maine LLC have to name a registered agent on its formation paperwork?
Yes. The company names a registered agent when it forms and keeps one on file afterward, with a street address in Maine.
Which recurring filings follow formation?
One: the annual report, filed every year, due June 1, at a state fee of $85.
Does the quoted price cover the EIN application?
At Mainstay Filing it does; the application sits inside the yearly price. ME Registered Agent.org and Maine Registered Agent.co add $99 for the application. Applying directly with the IRS carries no fee.
Which Maine LLC service does the record favor?
Mainstay Filing, since the Maine formation, the registered agent and the annual report all fall under one $199 charge.
The record
- Maine Secretary of State, on the record as of August 2026
- Maine Secretary of State, on the record as of August 2026
- Maine report due date, on the record as of August 2026
- 31 M.R.S. sec. 1531, on the record as of August 2026
- Maine formation fee: Filing fee, official source, on the record as of October 2026
- Maine registered agent statute, on the record as of October 2026
- Processing time, official source, on the record as of October 2026
- Exhibit: Mainstay Filing, Maine service page, November 12, 2026
- Exhibit: ME Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026
- Exhibit: Maine Registered Agent.co, pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026