Form a corporation in Maine

In Maine a corporation is cheaper to form than an LLC – $145 versus $175. CountSure files your Articles by mail, sets your board structure, and tracks the June 1 report. $145 to file – less than an LLC, a rare Maine quirk.

Requirements, costs & steps for an incorporate in Maine

Incorporating in Maine has a pleasant surprise: the Articles of Incorporation cost $145, which is actually less than the $175 the state charges to form an LLC. The tradeoff is the same as for LLCs, you file on paper rather than online, and you deal with Maine’s graduated corporate income tax. This guide covers the cost, the filing steps, the tax, and ongoing compliance. To compare structures first, read our Maine LLC formation guide, or let our Maine incorporation service file it all for you.

What you need to know?

Filing fee:

$145 for the Articles of Incorporation, filed by mail or in person, which is less than the $175 LLC formation fee.

Mail-only formation:

Like LLCs, corporations cannot file formation documents online; annual reports are filed online.

Graduated corporate income tax:

Maine taxes corporate income from 3.5% up to 8.93% across four brackets, per Maine Revenue Services.

Annual report, June 1:

$85 each year by June 1, listing current directors and officers.

Directors listed:

Maine corporations report the names and addresses of current directors and officers on the annual report.

Maine corporation at a glance

The essentials for incorporating and maintaining a Maine corporation.

Requirement	Detail (2026)
Formation document	Articles of Incorporation (Form MBCA-6)
Filing agency	Maine Secretary of State (Bureau of Corporations)
State filing fee	$145 (mail or in person only; no online filing)
Clerk (registered agent)	Required; physical Maine address (no PO box)
Directors	Optional: Articles elect a board or shareholder management; listed on annual report
Bylaws	Required (internal; not filed)
Annual report	$85, due June 1 (filed online)
Corporate income tax	Graduated 3.5% to 8.93% (four brackets)
Franchise tax	None for ordinary corporations (banks only)
S-corp election	Recognized (federal election honored)

How to incorporate in Maine, Step by Step

Eight steps from name check through your June 1 annual report.

Choose a compliant corporate name

Maine corporate names must be distinguishable from existing names and must not imply an unauthorized purpose. Unlike most states, Maine does not require “Corporation,” “Inc.” or a similar word, though most founders use one (professional corporations must). Reserve a name for 120 days for $20 if desired.

Appoint a clerk

Maine calls a corporation’s registered agent its clerk. Use a commercial clerk or a noncommercial clerk who is a Maine resident, with a physical in-state address (no PO box), who consents to serve. CountSure can act as your clerk.

Decide your board structure

The Articles must state whether the corporation will have a board of directors or be managed directly by its shareholders under 13-C MRSA §743. Directors’ names are not required in the Articles, but directors and officers are reported on the annual report.

Set your authorized shares

List your authorized shares (and any classes) in the Articles. Increasing the number of authorized shares does not change the Maine filing fee, so you can size your stock for future financing.

Mail or hand-deliver the Articles of Incorporation

As with LLCs, there is no online formation filing. Mail Form MBCA-6 with the $145 fee, or hand-deliver it, to the Bureau of Corporations in Augusta. Standard processing is currently 40 to 55 business days; expedited service is $50 for next-day or $100 for same-day.

Adopt bylaws and hold an organizational meeting

Appoint directors and officers, adopt bylaws (internal, not filed), and authorize stock issuance. Keep minutes and a stock ledger in your corporate records.

Get an EIN and register for taxes

Obtain a free EIN; to elect S-corp treatment, file IRS Form 2553; register with Maine Revenue Services for corporate income tax, withholding, and sales tax as needed.

Calendar your June 1 annual report

File the $85 report online between January 1 and June 1 each year, starting the year after incorporation, updating your directors and officers.

Director & formation Requirements

Maine lets you choose board or shareholder management and does not require a corporate indicator in the name. Here’s what to get right.

Minimum number: Not required: the Articles can elect shareholder management with no board (13-C MRSA §743). If you have a board, the Articles may set a minimum and maximum number.
Residency / age: No Maine residency requirement; standard age of majority applies
Listed in Articles: Directors’ names are not required in the Articles of Incorporation, but their names and addresses, and those of officers, are reported on each annual report.
Bylaws: Maine corporations adopt bylaws internally; they are not filed with the state.
Stock: Authorized shares and any classes; increasing shares does not affect the initial filing fee.

Ongoing Kentucky corporation Compliance & Taxes

Corporate records

Keep the Articles, bylaws, stock ledger, current director and officer lists, and minutes of shareholder and board meetings at your principal office. Maintaining these formalities protects your limited-liability status.

Annual report, due June 1

Maine corporations file an annual report with the Secretary of State by June 1 each year, for $85, filed online. This is where your current directors and officers are reported to the state. The window opens January 1, and the first report is due the year after incorporation. A $50 late penalty applies after June 1, and if the report is still not filed within 60 days after the state’s notice, the corporation is administratively dissolved. Maine sends reminders to the email address you provide, so keep it current and watch for misleading paper solicitations.

Corporate income tax

Maine taxes corporate income on a graduated schedule, from 3.5% on income up to $350,000 to 8.93% on income over $3,500,000, with brackets at $1,050,000 (7.93% up to there) and 8.33% up to $3,500,000. Corporations file Form 1120ME with Maine Revenue Services. S corporations generally are not subject to the corporate income tax unless they have federal taxable income at the corporate level.

No franchise tax on ordinary corporations

Maine’s franchise tax applies only to banks and financial institutions, and insurance companies pay a premiums tax instead. An ordinary Maine corporation owes no franchise tax.

S corporation election

Maine recognizes the federal S-corporation election. Income generally passes through to shareholders and is taxed on their Maine personal returns at the graduated individual rate of 5.8% to 7.15%, plus a 2% surcharge from 2026 on taxable income above $1 million (single) or $1.5 million (joint). Maine’s optional Pass-Through Entity Tax election is available for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2026.

EIN and state tax accounts

An EIN is required to hire and bank. Maine does not issue a separate state tax identification number, but you register with Maine Revenue Services for corporate income tax, withholding, and sales tax as applicable.

Maine incorporation Cost Breakdown

The full picture before optional services.

Item	Cost (2026) · paid to
Articles of Incorporation	$145 · Secretary of State (mail or in person)
Expedited processing (optional)	+$50 (next-day) / +$100 (same-day) · Secretary of State
Annual report	$85 / year · Secretary of State, by June 1 (online)
Late penalty	$50 · after June 1
Corporate income tax	3.5% to 8.93% graduated · Maine Revenue Services (Form 1120ME)
Name reservation (optional)	$20 · 120-day hold
Registered agent (optional service)	~$49 to $300/yr · third party
EIN	$0 · IRS (free)

Insight From Our Team

“Here is the quirk that surprises founders: in Maine, a corporation is actually cheaper to form than an LLC, a hundred and forty-five dollars versus a hundred and seventy-five. That almost never happens. It does not by itself mean you should incorporate, the choice still comes down to how you plan to raise money and pay yourself, but it removes the cost argument. What does matter for a profitable C-corp is the graduated income tax, which climbs toward nine percent at the top. And like everything in Maine, you file the Articles on paper, so we build in the mailing time from the start.”

Parth Shah
CountSure

Related Guides & Services

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to incorporate in Maine?

The Articles of Incorporation fee is $145, filed by mail or in person. That is less than the $175 the state charges to form an LLC. Ongoing, budget $85 a year for the annual report due June 1.

Is a Maine corporation cheaper to form than an LLC?

Yes, on the state filing fee. The Articles of Incorporation are $145, while the LLC Certificate of Formation is $175. Both then pay the same $85 annual report.

What is Maine’s corporate income tax rate?

It is graduated from 3.5% on income up to $350,000 to 8.93% on income over $3,500,000, per Maine Revenue Services. Note this is different from Maine’s individual rate schedule, which tops out at 7.15% plus, from 2026, a 2% surcharge on income above $1 million for single filers.

Do Maine corporations file an annual report?

Yes. Corporations file an $85 annual report by June 1 each year, filed online, listing current directors and officers. The first report is due the year after incorporation.

Can I file Maine Articles of Incorporation online?

No. Like LLC formation, corporate formation documents must be mailed or hand-delivered to the Secretary of State in Augusta. Only the annual report is filed online.

The applicable legal fees may vary over time. For the most up-to-date fee information, please click here to verify the latest figures.

Get Started

Start your Incorporate in Maine with CountSure

From the mailed Articles of Incorporation to bylaws, stock, EIN, the June 1 annual report, and Maine’s graduated corporate income tax, CountSure handles Maine incorporation start to finish.