Online Maine LLC FAQ

How do I form a Maine LLC?

In Maine, you create an LLC by filing a "certificate of formation" with the Secretary of State and paying a filing fee. You'll also need an LLC operating agreement, though it doesn't need to be filed with the Secretary of State. Your operating agreement explicitly states the rights and responsibilities of the LLC owners (and managers, if applicable). An operating agreement clarifies the business arrangement between the owners and governs how your LLC will be run. If you don't create a written operating agreement, the LLC laws of your state will govern the inner workings of your LLC.

After the certificate of formation filing is accepted by the Secretary of State and you have an operating agreement, your LLC is official, but you will still need to obtain the licenses and permits that all new businesses must have to operate. These may include a business license (sometimes also referred to as a "tax registration certificate"), a federal employer identification number, a seller's permit, or a zoning permit. Forming an LLC does not exempt you from any of these requirements that apply to all businesses.

For more information, see the Licenses & Permits for Your Business area of Nolo's website.

To begin creating your Maine LLC, visit the Online Maine LLC page at the Nolo website.

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Do I need to file a beneficial ownership information report for my LLC?

All LLCs, unless exempt, must complete a Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Report by the appropriate deadline. You must file your BOI report with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a bureau of the U.S. Department of Treasury. File online through FinCEN's BOI E-Filing System.

In your BOI report, you must provide basic information about:

  • your LLC (the reporting company)
  • the individual who filed your LLC's formation documents (the company applicant), and
  • your LLC's beneficial owners (those owners who either own or control at least 25% of your LLC's interests or have substantial control over your LLC).

Your filing deadline and the information required for your BOI report depend on when you formed your LLC.

If you formed your LLC in 2024, then you must file your BOI report within 90 days of when either you received actual notice or when your state's filing office provided public notice of your LLC's creation, whichever is earlier. If you formed your LLC in 2025 or later, then your deadline is reduced to 30 days.

If you formed your LLC in 2023 or earlier, you must file a BOI report by January 1, 2025. You don't need to complete the section related to the company applicant in the BOI report. This section only applies to companies formed on or after January 1, 2024.

There's no charge for filing a BOI report. You can learn more about FinCEN's new reporting requirement and how it applies to your LLC in our article on BOI reports.

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How much will it cost to form my Maine LLC?

The price of Nolo's Online Maine LLC formation service varies depending on your needs. To compare the prices of Nolo's three Maine LLC packages, see the package and pricing details page.

Nolo's Basic Service. The lowest priced package is Nolo's Basic Service, which includes preparation and filing of the certificate of formation and regular filing, and will take about four weeks.

Nolo's Standard Service. Our standard service package gets you all of the benefits of the Basic Service plus preparation of the IRS application for a tax ID (Form SS-4) and the Business Forms Bundle, containing 30 forms and contracts that every small business needs. Includes access to NoloCloud Legal Forms for business anywhere at any time from your account. Processing time is about four weeks.

Nolo's Express Premiere Service. For all of these items plus Priority Rush Filing, a personalized LLC records book, membership certificates, an LLC seal, and preparation of the IRS application for a tax ID (Form SS-4), choose Nolo's Express Premiere Service. With Priority Rush Filing, Nolo will submit your certificate of formation to the Secretary of State within one business day and you'll receive your final LLC documents 7 to 10 business days later, depending on the Secretary of State's processing times.

You can also add one or more of the following services for a small fee: preparation of a customized operating agreement, registered agent service, accounting help, and/or business license advice.

Note that the filing fee charged by the state is not included in our package prices. The Secretary of State charges $175.00 for filing a certificate of formation and an extra $50 for expedited filing. These fees will be added to your total when you check out.

Please note that coupon codes are not applicable to LLC packages.

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How long will it take to form my Maine LLC?

If you order the Basic or Standard package, we will file your paperwork with the Maine Secretary of State within four to five business days and you'll receive your completed LLC documents three to four weeks later.

If you order the Express Premiere package, we will file your paperwork with the Maine Secretary of State within one business day. You will receive your completed LLC documents seven to ten business days later, depending on the Secretary of State's processing times. You'll receive your LLC records kit directly from the manufacturer.

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How long do I have to work on my LLC formation?

You have 90 days to work on your LLC formation without purchasing it. Every time you work on your LLC formation through Nolo's Online Legal Forms, your answers are automatically saved in the system.

Once you complete and pay for your LLC formation, Nolo's Online Legal Forms will store your personal information for one year.

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Will I have to pay taxes on my Maine LLC?

Federal taxes. The IRS does not impose taxes on the LLC; LLC income is reported on the members' individual tax returns.

State taxes. All new businesses need to register with Maine Revenue Services. You can visit the website of Maine Revenue Services at www.maine.gov/portal/business/taxes.html to learn about state LLC taxes in Maine, and you may also find it helpful to read Nolo's article on Maine LLC Annual Filing Requirements.

Self-employment taxes. LLC members (owners) who are active in the business will probably have to pay self-employment taxes on their share of LLC profits—just as partners in a partnership do. Fortunately, an LLC member can deduct, as a business expense, half of the self-employment taxes paid. (Members in manager-managed LLCs may not have to pay self-employment taxes if they are not active in the business; if you are in this situation, consult a tax adviser to see if you should pay self-employment taxes.)

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Can I form an LLC in a different state than the one in which my business will operate?

You can form an LLC in Maine even if your business will not be located in Maine and/or no LLC members will live there. But you will probably still need to qualify your LLC to do business in your home state—and this means you'll have to file additional paperwork and pay additional fees. For more information on whether you'll need to qualify to do business in certain states, read Nolo's article Qualifying to Do Business Outside Your State on Nolo's website. Note that if you don't register to do business in another state when required, you won't be able to enforce contracts in that state.

Also, be ready for some state tax complications if you form your LLC in a state that's different from the state where all of its members live. For one thing, the LLC members might have to pay personal income taxes in the other state on LLC income. (At best, you might get credit for those taxes in your home state and not have to pay twice. At worst, you might have to pay taxes you wouldn't have had to pay at home.) Other state taxes vary from state to state, and might influence your choice of location for an LLC. An LLC—like any business—has to pay franchise taxes, sales and use taxes, other transaction and excise taxes, and employment, property, and transfer taxes.

In addition, in most states, you need to maintain a registered agent in the state where you form your LLC. To avoid these hassles, most smaller LLCs that will operate in only one state form their LLC in their home state. For more information, read Nolo's article Where to Form Your LLC.

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How can an LLC be ended after it has been formed?

Like a corporation, an LLC is meant to be a permanent legal entity, and it will exist—and incur taxes and fees, whether or not you are actively operating a business—until you take legal steps to dissolve it. If you decide to discontinue business as an LLC, you must file a certificate of cancellation with the Secretary of State. For specifics, see the Secretary of State's website. For general information on closing a business, read the article Closing Your Business: What You Need to Do on Nolo's website.

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What happens after I complete Nolo's LLC interview?

Note: You will receive a confirmation email that includes the following information.

Your certificate of formation will be generated and filed with the Secretary of State. Turnaround times vary according to the package you choose.

If you ordered Nolo's Express Premiere Service, your LLC records binder and company seal will be sent to you independently, directly from the manufacturer.

As soon as your filing is complete, we will send you your final LLC documents, including your customized operating agreement (if you ordered one) and instructions on a few more steps you need to take, including holding an initial meeting of your members or managers. You'll also receive details related to filing your BOI report, including your filing deadline, instructions on how to file, and your company applicant's FinCEN ID, which you must use to complete your BOI report.

After completing your purchase, you may no longer go back and change your answers because your order is being processed. You may, however, view your answers by signing in to your Nolo account at www.nolo.com/products/customer/account/login, clicking on My Account, and clicking on Maine LLC.

Once we send your documents to the Secretary of State, we cannot refund your state filing fees and other third-party costs, such as courier and delivery services, should you decide to cancel your order. If you have questions, please let us know here.

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What if I want to change the information I gave you for my new LLC?

You have 90 days to work on your LLC formation documents without purchasing them. Every time you work on your LLC formation through Nolo's Online Legal Forms, your answers are automatically saved in the system.

After completing your purchase, you may no longer go back and change your answers because your order is being processed. You may, however, view your answers by signing in to your Nolo account at www.nolo.com/products/customer/account/login, clicking on My Account, and clicking on Maine LLC.

Nolo's Online Legal Forms will store your personal information for one year after you pay for your LLC formation.

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Where can I learn more about LLCs?

To learn more about limited liability companies, visit the Limited Liability Company area of Nolo's website or read Nolo's Quick LLC: All You Need to Know About Limited Liability Companies, by Anthony Mancuso.

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