Best Maine Registered Agent Services (2024 Rankings) (2024)

Best Registered Agent Services in Maine

As you navigate choosing a registered agent service in Maine, it’s important to look at key factors like price, customer service and overall responsiveness. To help you do this, we at the MarketWatch Guides team performed a detailed comparison of reliable registered agents. Based on our reviews, here are the top registered agent services in Maine:

• Most Comprehensive: ZenBusiness
• Best Overall: LegalZoom
• Best Customer Service: Northwest Registered Agent
• Most Cost Effective: Bizee
• Fast Turnaround: Swyft Filings

How Much Does a Maine Registered Agent Cost?

Hiring a dependable registered agent is one of several expenses you might encounter as a new business owner in Maine. The top providers generally charge between $119 and $596 yearly for registered agent service. This does not include the cost of assigning a registered agent which carries a $35 fee established by the state government.

In some cases, a provider will represent your business at no cost for the first year. With Bizee and Northwest Registered Agent, for example, you’ll get free registered agent service for one year if you sign up for the provider’s business formation package. After, the annual fee is $119 at Bizee and $125 with Northwest Registered Agent. This pricing is on the low end of what commercial providers charge. More expensive services — like LegalZoom at $249 per year — usually come with added benefits. LegalZoom, for instance, provides business customers with reliable mail forwarding, annual compliance reminders and unlimited cloud storage at no extra cost.

In Maine, if you change your registered agent after your initial LLC or business formation, you’ll have to pay $35 again to re-file the information with state officials. You’ll want to keep this cost and others in mind as you budget for registered agent expenses and other state-mandated filing fees. Here are some of the common filing fees you’ll pay during LLC formation in Maine:

*Maine defines a foreign entity as any out-of-state or out-of-country business.

What Is the Cheapest Maine Registered Agent Service?

While you can save money each year by serving as the registered agent for any business you own or manage, this may not be practical in every instance. For example, you’ll need a third-party or commercial registered agent if you form a business in Maine but live elsewhere. It’s also helpful to hire a professional agent if you work from home or don’t have a business location and want to avoid listing your personal address on public records.

In our review, we found one of the cheapest options is Maine Registered Agent, which costs $49 per year. Based in Kennebunk, Maine, this provider offers annual report and tax reminders along with mail forwarding service, business domain registration and more. Maine Registered Agent promises same-day uploading of documents for legal mail, such as service of process but this isn’t always guaranteed with low-cost providers.

As you compare options, weigh the advantage of paying less money with the possibility of receiving suboptimal service. Watch out for hidden fees like document scanning charges and consider the benefits of enhanced features like ongoing legal support. It’s essential to find the balance between affordability and quality. Many small businesses can’t afford to hire a lawyer so a registered agent who can offer qualified legal advice could be a great value. On the other hand, a low-cost agent could come with minimal customer support.

What Is a Maine Registered Agent?

A Maine registered agent is the official point of contact between the state and your company. They’re also called resident agents, clerks or statutory agents. Regardless of the title, this position serves the same general purpose — processing documents and forwarding important government or legal correspondence to your business.

The role can be assigned to either a professional commercial agent or an individual acting as a liaison. In either case, a Maine registered agent forwards to your business all paperwork regarding government and legal matters. Whether you serve in this capacity yourself as a business owner, appoint an employee or hire a professional, the registered agent on file with the state must live in Maine and have a physical address for accepting mail during business hours.

A Maine registered agent is particularly helpful for business owners who live in another state. State officials will require every business to list an in-state physical address (no P.O. boxes) on formation documents and annual reports. You can adopt your registered agent’s office address as your own for this purpose, which offers greater privacy while ensuring you stay compliant and receive vital communications quickly. Without a Maine registered agent, you could face fines or penalties.

Beyond fines, a reliable registered agent helps your business respond quickly to sensitive issues. For example, let’s say you receive a subpoena. If you’re out of state, you might not receive this subpoena in time to respond adequately. With a local address, a registered agent (also called a commercial clerk) can process the paperwork and notify you of the legal issue. You’ll also need this quick response if you receive a government notice.

Responsibilities of a Maine Registered Agent

The primary responsibility of a Maine registered agent is to inform business owners of mail sent to the business. Critically, a registered agent is the contact on file for service of process, which refers to being served with legal paperwork like a court summons or notification of being sued. In Maine, registered agents are also called registered clerks.

State law in Maine outlines the duties and responsibilities of a clerk or registered agent pertaining to forwarding correspondence and keeping updated records on file. A Maine registered agent must:

• Forward any process, notice or demand served on the business
• Keep information on the business owner(s) and agent location current
• File a listing statement with the secretary of state if acting as a commercial agent

To fulfill the responsibilities of a Maine registered agent, clerks must be open during regular business hours and have a physical address in the state. A P.O. box is not allowed for registered agents. While an agent may list a P.O. Box as an alternative address, Maine requires every clerk or registered agent to provide a street address. This applies whether you serve as the agent yourself as a business owner, appoint an employee or hire a professional service.

How To Choose a Maine Registered Agent

Because your registered agent plays a pivotal role in your business’s compliance and legal standing, you should take the time to research options. Below we’ve outlined key considerations as you choose a Maine registered agent:

• Cost: Entrepreneurs often spend a lot of money on startup costs. It may be tempting to skirt the expense of a professional registered agent but we recommend evaluating whether you have time to handle official notices while running your business. Low-cost agents can help you fulfill basic requirements while keeping expenses to a minimum.
• Customer reviews: Reputation and reliability are key for hiring a registered agent. Check out reviews on websites like the Better Business Bureau and Trustpilot and select a provider known for quick forwarding and compliance with Maine regulations.
• Responsiveness: At its core, the job of a registered agent is to make sure your business never misses a critical document. Your provider should offer fast turnaround times for uploading or forwarding your paperwork.
• Availability: Before hiring an agent, double-check the provider’s addresses and availability. Ensure the agent is in line with Maine’s requirements of being available during normal business hours at an accessible physical location, such as an office.
• Experience: Finding an experienced company with staying power usually increases the likelihood of good customer service. You might want to select a registered agent with experience in your industry if you anticipate complex regulatory or legal issues.

It’s usually better to look for a local agent that fits these needs. Local agents will know the landscape of local and state governments where you do business. This can help save you potential headaches and streamline operations.

How To Designate a Maine Registered Agent

When forming an LLC, corporation or any business entity in Maine, you’ll need to designate a registered agent. The state publishes a list online of all commercial registered agents authorized to represent businesses.

After you research your options and hire a registered agent (or decide to serve in this capacity as the business owner), submitting this information to state officials is quick and easy.

Here are the steps:

1. Print the CLKRA-3 form, found on the Maine Secretary of State website.
2. Fill in the required information, including the name and address of your registered agent.
3. Send the form with the required filing fee ($35) to the Maine Secretary of State.
4. Wait 25 to 30 business days for completion of corporate business filings.

You’ll also need to list your registered agent on Maine’s Certificate of Formation document for LLCs. The secretary of state will make your filing available as a public record 14 calendar days after registration. You can find your filing via the Maine Division of Corporations online search website by entering your business name and charter number.

Types of Registered Agents in Maine

There are two types of registered agent services in Maine: commercial and noncommercial. Commercial registered agents include professional services by individuals or business entities, like Bizee or Swyft Filings. Noncommercial registered agents include business owners and any other Maine resident appointed to represent a single LLC or company.

Other than a requirement that commercial registered agents file a separate form with the state, the duties of each type of agent are the same. A registered agent in Maine is responsible for processing mail and legal notices on behalf of a business. The difference is that commercial agents have experience in mail forwarding and documentation management, knowing when and how to respond to mail. Appointing an individual, on the other hand, can be a cost-saving measure.

Commercial services also potentially solve other business needs, such as incorporation services or the creation of additional business documents. Whether you choose a professional service or do it yourself, base your decision on your business needs.

The Bottom Line

Finding a reliable and cost-effective registered agent in Maine requires researching the provider’s reputation, customer reviews and range of services. Reliable commercial agents typically charge up to $596 annually to serve as your representative. While this can be an unwanted added expense for a new business owner, the role of a registered agent is essential to help ensure your company stays compliant with state regulations in Maine.

Companies looking to do business in Maine may need to delegate registered agent duties to a third party if no business owner lives in the state. Maine requires every business to name an agent with a physical street address where they will be available during regular business hours to receive mail. This is an important requirement to comply with state laws and ensure your company receives official correspondence like tax or legal notices in a timely manner.

Take the time to consider whether you want to serve in this role or prefer to hire a dependable registered agent for your business. You’ll need the name and contact information of your registered agent in order to file your initial LLC or business paperwork with the Maine Secretary of State.

Other Local Registered Agent Resources

Methodology

To provide consumers with objective and accurate information, our credentialed legal experts created a comprehensive rating system for Limited Liability Company (LLC) services. We researched five online LLC, registered agent and trademark registration services, including ZenBusiness, LegalZoom, Swyft Filings, Northwest Registered Agent and Bizee (formerly Incfile).

We conducted a survey in 2024 of 200 professionals who were currently using LLC services or had used LLC services within the past year. We analyzed the results of this survey to determine the following rating criteria:

• Features (20%)
• Value for Money (25%)
• Customer Service (20%)
• Usability (25%)
• Reputation and Credibility (10%)

Visit the full LLC methodology page for more details on our rating system.