Every formal business in the state of Maine is required by law to have a Maine registered agent. A registered agent receives any official documents from the State of Maine, as well as any service of process filed on a firm in a lawsuit.
In this MaineRegistered Agent guide, we’ll go through what a registered agent is, what they perform, and how to choose one.
What Is A Registered Agent In Maine?
A Maine registered agent is a person or corporate organization that serves as your company’s point of contact for:
Receives all service of process for the company in any case, including the Maine Annual Report and certificate of good standing.
Every formal company in Maine, such as an LLC, corporation, or partnership, is required by law to have a registered agent.
In Maine, may I act as my own registered agent?
Yes, any owner or employee of a company may serve as its registered agent in Maine if they are above the age of 18 and have a Maine street address.
You might also designate a member of your LLC or a friend you trust, as long as they match these standards as well.
Why Do Companies Use a Maine Registered Agent Service?
Many firms opt to employ a registered agent service when forming an LLC for the following reasons:
Compliance
A registered agent service keeps a compliance calendar and will notify you when yearly reports or other files are due, as well as assist you in submitting them.
This helps you avoid penalties and maintains your firm in good standing, both of which are necessary to preserve your limited liability protection.
If you do not reply immediately to serving of process, legal complexities, costs, or other concerns may develop. A registered agent will scan your papers, upload them to the internet, and tell you when they are ready.
Privacy
If you operate from home or a private office as your own registered agent, your address will be made public on the Maine Corporate Name Search.
If your privacy is important to you, a registered agent service will use their own address instead of yours.
Discretion
Receiving service of process for a lawsuit at your place of business may be a delicate circumstance to have in front of your staff and customers.
To circumvent this problem, a registered agent will accept service of process and other papers at their office and deliver them to you discreetly online.
Flexibility
If you are your own registered agent, you must be accessible every working day of the year during regular business hours.
Registered agent services have real offices and people to cover certain hours, allowing them to be accessible during those times.
Hiring a registered agent service enables you to be more flexible with your working hours and locations. So go ahead and take a vacation, work from home or the office, or travel the globe knowing they’ll be there to collect your documents.
Online Data Storage
A competent registered agent service will scan your papers as soon as they arrive, maintaining a digital record of all your company documents and any service of process on a user-friendly dashboard.
If you employed an LLC creation service, you would most likely also use them as a registered agent. This implies a copy of your formation paperwork will be accessible online as well.
National Reach
If you want to grow your company into other states, such as by employing an out-of-state employee or establishing a new sales office, you must have a registered agent for your foreign LLC or other corporation.
The majority of registered agent services are available in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Simply pay a little fee for the new state in which you operate, and they will transmit all of your paperwork to the same web dashboard.
What Is the Cost of a Registered Agent?
A registered agent service normally costs between $50 and $300 each year. When you consider how much time it will save you, this is a little amount to pay.
In Maine, How Do I Choose a Registered Agent?
When you finish your LLC’s Certificate of Formation in Maine, you must choose your registered agent. The Certificate of Formation is the primary document used to incorporate an LLC in Maine.
Choosing a Registered Agent by Mail
Download the Certificate of Formation ($175 filing fee necessary), fill out the appropriate information, and send a physical copy to Maine’s Secretary of State to create your LLC by mail. Near the bottom of page 2, you’ll be prompted to submit the details for your registered Agent.
How Do I Change My Maine Registered Agent?
Simply fill out a Statement of Appointment or Change form and submit it to the Maine Department of the Secretary of State to change your Maine registered agent.
Maine has several change forms and filing costs for various kinds of company formations as well as registered agents:
Commercial Clerk – Corporation ($35)
Noncommercial Clerk – Corporation ($35)
Commercial Registered Agent – Nonprofit ($15)
Registered Agent for a Nonprofit – Noncommercial Organization ($15)
Commercial Registered Agent for a Limited Partnership (LP) ($35)
Noncommercial Registered Agent (LP) ($35)
Commercial Registered Agent for a Limited Liability Company (LLC) ($35)
Noncommercial Registered Agent – LLC ($35)
Commercial Registered Agent – Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) ($35)
Noncommercial Registered Agent LLP ($35)
You may submit your form by mail or in person, along with a check for the necessary cost.
Secretary of State Division of Corporations, UCC, and Commissions 101 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333-0101
