Place1
Number one hereME Registered Agent.org
1. ME Registered Agent.org: best for companies adding only Maine
$199 plus the state fee; agent $99 a year from year two
Our mark9.6out of 10
We put ME Registered Agent.org first: the Maine registration filed for $199, the first agent year included and $99 a year after.
Its plan gives you an in-state street address for the registered office, and legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to you online.
On our method the lower three-year cost outweighs what Mainstay adds to its price.
What you get
- The registration filing
- A year of registered agent service
Why pick it
- $199 to register
- A year of registered agent service included
- Low $99 agent renewal
Less good
- Your home state needs a separate agent
- Charges $99 for the EIN application
Place2
Best local optionMaine Registered Agent.co
2. Maine Registered Agent.co: best for Maine registrations
$199 plus the state fee; agent $99 a year from year two
Our mark9.3out of 10
In second place, Maine Registered Agent.co: the Maine registration filed for $199, the first agent year included and $99 a year after.
Its plan gives you an in-state street address for the registered office, and legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to you online.
Prices and features match ME Registered Agent.org exactly, so the two are close to interchangeable.
What you get
- The registration filing
- A year of registered agent service
Why pick it
- Low $99 agent renewal
- A year of registered agent service included
- $199 to register
Less good
- Your home state needs a separate agent
- Charges $99 for the EIN application
Place3
One price, any stateMainstay Filing
3. Mainstay Filing: best for multi-state companies
$199 plus the state fee ($499 due today); agent $149 a year from year two
Our mark9.2out of 10
In third place, Mainstay Filing: it prepares and files the Maine registration for $199 and names itself your registered agent, free for year one.
Its agent renews at $149 a year after the free first year, and the same price applies in every state you register in.
The extra $100 over three years is the reason it trails ME Registered Agent.org on our cost score.
What you get
- Registration prepared and filed
- Your registered agent, free for the first year
- Service of process scanned the same business day, no fee
Why pick it
- Works in all fifty states
- Registered agent free for the first year
- $199 plus Maine's filing fee
- Service of process scanned the same business day, no fee
Less good
- Agent renews at $149, $50 more than ME Registered Agent.org
3 picks compared
| Rank | Service | Our score | Service fee | Year two | Best for | Link |
|---|
| 1 | ME Registered Agent.org | 9.6 | $199 | $99/yr | Lowest agent renewal on this list | Visit ME Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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| 2 | Maine Registered Agent.co | 9.3 | $199 | $99/yr | Lowest agent renewal on this list | Visit Maine Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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| 3 | Mainstay Filing | 9.2 | $199 | $149/yr | Companies registered in several states | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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Scores are The Founders Review's own editorial scores out of 10, from the criteria on our How we rank page. They are not customer ratings.
Maine pricing for 2026: what each service costs
| Service | Year one | Year two | Year three | Three-year total | Agent in year one |
|---|
| ME Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
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| Maine Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149 | $149 | $497 | Free |
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Prices from each company's own pricing pages, read November 12, 2026. Add the $250 state fee to every row; it is not in these totals.
How we picked the order
Five criteria set the order; the two heaviest are three-year cost and what one price covers. Here three-year cost made the difference.
Over three years ME Registered Agent.org comes to $397, $100 under Mainstay Filing. Year one is a wash; the lower renewal decided it.
More on the criteria: How we rank.
How foreign registration works in Maine
Out-of-state companies file the Statement of Foreign Qualification to Conduct Activities (Form MLLC-12) with the Maine Secretary of State, Division of Corporations, UCC and Commissions; the state charges $250. Maine also wants certificate of existence, dated within 90 days.
After registering, the company files the Annual report for a foreign LLC ($150), due June 1.
Your checklist
- Certificate of existence, issued no more than 90 days before you file.
- The company's home-state name and formation date.
- A registered agent with a street address in the state; every service ranked here names itself in that role.
- The $250 state fee, paid with the filing.
- A date in your calendar for the Annual report for a foreign LLC and its $150 fee.
If you never register
Until it registers, the company cannot sue in Maine courts (31 MRSA 1629(1)).
Common Maine questions
Do I need to register my out-of-state LLC in Maine?
Yes, if the company transacts business there. Until it registers it cannot bring a lawsuit in the state's courts.
How much does foreign registration cost in Maine?
State fee $250, service fee $199.
Which form does the state use?
The Statement of Foreign Qualification to Conduct Activities (Form MLLC-12), filed with the Maine Secretary of State, Division of Corporations, UCC and Commissions.
Do I need a certificate from my home state?
Yes: certificate of existence, dated within 90 days of filing.
Do I need a registered agent after registering?
Yes. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Which foreign registration service is best in Maine?
On our method, ME Registered Agent.org: $199 over the state fee to register in Maine, with the agent at $99 a year after that.
Official sources and price pages
- www.maine.gov/sos/corporations-commissions/filing-an-annual-report (Maine Secretary of State), last confirmed August 2026
- www.maine.gov/sos/corporations-commissions/i-need-a-business-form/limi (Maine Secretary of State), last confirmed August 2026
- www.maine.gov/sos/cec/corp/annualreport.html (Maine report due date), last confirmed August 2026
- legislature.maine.gov/statutes/31/title31sec1531.html (31 M.R.S. sec. 1531), last confirmed August 2026
- legislature.maine.gov/statutes/31/title31sec1680.html (Maine formation fee: Filing fee, official source), last confirmed October 2026
- legislature.maine.gov/statutes/5/title5sec102.html (Maine registered agent statute), last confirmed October 2026
- www.maine.gov/sos/corporations-commissions/information-about-entities/ (Maine Secretary of State, foreign entities), last confirmed October 2026
- www.maine.gov/sos/sites/maine.gov.sos/files/inline-files/mllc12.pdf (Form MLLC-12), last confirmed October 2026
- legislature.maine.gov/statutes/31/title31sec1622.html (31 MRSA § 1622, foreign qualification), last confirmed October 2026
- legislature.maine.gov/statutes/31/title31sec1623.html (31 MRSA § 1623, activities that do not require qualification), last confirmed October 2026
- legislature.maine.gov/statutes/31/title31sec1629.html (31 MRSA § 1629, consequences of not qualifying), last confirmed October 2026
- Read November 12, 2026: ME Registered Agent.org pricing and service pages
- Read November 12, 2026: Maine Registered Agent.co pricing and service pages
- Read November 12, 2026: Mainstay Filing Maine service page