Maine corporation search
Maine says corporate filings currently take 2 to 7 business days, so a new name may not show in the search for several days.
Check a name against Maine's naming rules
Example: a check of "Blue Heron Bakery LLC" against Maine's rules.
- Ends with "L.L.C.", an ending Maine lists for an LLC.
Get the matching domain name
Type a business name to check its .com, .net, .org and .us.
"Not registered" is the registry's answer at this moment. It is not a promise that the name can be bought at the standard price, since some unregistered names are reserved or sold at a premium. The buttons open Spaceship, a domain registrar, where the price is shown.
This checks the ending and the restricted words Maine publishes. It does not tell you whether another company already holds the name. Only the state's own search can show that.
A private website, not a government site. Every state entry links to that state's official search.
Maine Secretary of State's own search
- Run by
- Maine Secretary of State
- Called
- Corporate Name Search
The state's search is the record that counts. State Business Entity Search is not a government site.
The Division of Corporations, UCC and Commissions of the Maine Secretary of State keeps the register.
Maine filing fees for a new business name
| Filing | State fee | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Form an LLC in Maine | $175 | Certificate of Formation. Source: Maine Secretary of State, Certificate of Formation for an LLC, form MLLC-6. |
| Annual report for a Maine LLC | Varies | Every year. June 1. Source: Maine Secretary of State, Filing an annual report. |
Name endings Maine accepts
For an LLC (31 MRSA §1508)
The Maine Corporate Name Search
The Secretary of State lists Corporate Name Search under Interactive Corporate Services. Its forming-a-business page sends filers there to do a corporate name lookup before they file.
A lookup tells you what is on the register today and nothing about what is waiting in the processing queue.
Why a Maine name can lag behind filings
Maine's forming-a-business page says corporate filing processing time is currently 2 to 7 business days. A company that filed a few days ago may therefore not show up in the search yet. The same delay applies to a name you file yourself, so a clear search today says little about a name another filer submitted last month.
To check whether a filing went through, open the entity's Information Summary page, scroll to the bottom and select "view list of filings."
Endings for a Maine LLC name
An LLC name must contain "limited liability company" or "limited company" or the abbreviation "L.L.C.", "LLC", "L.C." or "LC". A low-profit limited liability company uses "L3C" or "l3c." Form MLLC-6 cites 31 MRSA 1508 for the rule, and the Maine Secretary of State's Division of Corporations, UCC and Commissions publishes that form for LLC filers. The endings each state accepts let you compare Maine with a neighboring state.
Maine LLC costs and the yearly report
Form MLLC-6, the Certificate of Formation, lists a filing fee of $175. The form says 24-hour expedited filing, for the next business day, costs $50 more per entity.
A Maine LLC also names a Commercial or Noncommercial Registered Agent on the certificate. That agent consents to serve under 5 MRSA section 105.2.
The annual report is required every year to maintain good standing, and the legal deadline is June 1. Marking that date on a calendar when the certificate is filed keeps the company in good standing.
Trade names in Maine
For information about trade names, sole proprietorships and general partnerships, the Secretary of State's forming-a-business page sends people to a separate trade name page. The guide on sole proprietorship names covers what those owners file elsewhere.
Checking and claiming a name in Maine
- Search the name in the Corporate Name Search.
- Confirm an LLC name ends with LLC, L.L.C., limited liability company, or another ending Maine lists.
- Search again after a week or so, since a recent filing may not show yet. Allow for the 2 to 7 business day processing time when you wait for the name to appear.
- File Form MLLC-6 with its filing fee, and name the registered agent.
Maine name search questions
What is the Maine search for company names called?
The Secretary of State lists Corporate Name Search under Interactive Corporate Services, and its forming-a-business page points to it for a corporate name lookup.
How do I see whether a Maine filing went through?
Open the entity's Information Summary page, scroll to the bottom and select view list of filings.
When is the Maine annual report due?
The legal deadline is June 1, every year, and the Secretary of State says the report must be filed every year to keep good standing.
Can a Maine LLC use L3C in its name?
Yes, for a low-profit limited liability company. Form MLLC-6 lists L3C or l3c next to LLC, L.L.C., LC and L.C. under 31 MRSA 1508.
After the Maine name check
- LLC cost calculatorMaine filing and report fees added up
- Business name rules by stateMaine's endings beside other states
- Montana business entity searchMontana Secretary of State
- North Dakota business entity searchNorth Dakota Office of the Secretary of State
- Illinois business entity searchIllinois Office of the Secretary of State
- How to protect a business nameWhat an entity name, a trademark, a DBA and a domain each protect, and what each leaves open.
- Business name change with the IRSWhich IRS form box or letter covers a new business name, who signs it and when an EIN stays the same.
5 official Maine sources
- Maine Secretary of State, Corporations and business services, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Maine Secretary of State, Forming a business, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Maine Secretary of State, Certificate of Formation for an LLC, form MLLC-6, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Maine Secretary of State, Filing an annual report, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Maine Secretary of State, Interactive Corporate Services, retrieved November 12, 2026.