Maine Articles of Incorporation
Maine articles of incorporation form a corporation by filing Form MBCA-6 with the Secretary of State for 145 dollars, setting the name, agent, and shares. Attorney review available.
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Introduction
Maine requires every corporation to keep a registered agent at a physical Maine street address, never a post office box, and the corporation that agent serves comes into existence as a separate legal entity when you file Articles of Incorporation (Form MBCA-6) with the Maine Secretary of State. Filing brings the corporation into existence so it can own property, sign contracts, and give its owners limited liability for the corporation debts. Maine law requires the articles to set forth a corporate name that satisfies section 401, the number of shares the corporation is authorized to issue, the registered agent information required by Title 5, and the name and address of each incorporator (13-C M.R.S. section 202). The filing fee paid to the Secretary of State is 145 dollars. The corporation must maintain a registered agent with a physical Maine street address, not a post office box (5 M.R.S. section 105). After the corporation is formed, Maine charges no general corporation franchise tax on ordinary business corporations; a separate franchise tax applies only to financial institutions. Every corporation must file an annual report with the Secretary of State by June 1 each year, with an 85 dollar fee (13-C M.R.S. section 1621). DocDraft builds your Maine articles of incorporation from your facts, with attorney review available before you file. The fee and tax figures come from two agreeing grounded sources and should be re-confirmed against the Secretary of State fee schedule before filing.
Key Things to Know
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A Maine business corporation is created as a separate legal entity by filing Articles of Incorporation (Form MBCA-6) with the Secretary of State for a 145 dollar fee.
- 2
You file the articles with the Maine Secretary of State, Division of Corporations, and pay a 145 dollar filing fee. The Secretary of State is the filing office for forming a Maine corporation.
- 3
Maine requires the articles to set forth a corporate name that satisfies section 401, the number of authorized shares, the registered agent information required by Title 5, and the name and address of each incorporator (13-C M.R.S. section 202).
- 4
The corporation must maintain a registered agent with a physical Maine street address, not a post office box; the agent receives service of process and official documents (5 M.R.S. section 105).
- 5
After formation, Maine charges no general corporation franchise tax on ordinary business corporations. A separate franchise tax applies only to financial institutions, administered by Maine Revenue Services.
- 6
Every Maine corporation must file an annual report with the Secretary of State by June 1 each year, with an 85 dollar fee (13-C M.R.S. section 1621). A late filing carries an added fee, and continued failure can lead to administrative dissolution.
- 7
Articles of incorporation form a corporation. To form a Maine limited liability company you file a certificate of formation instead, and corporate bylaws are a separate internal document the corporation keeps rather than files.
Key decisions before you file
Before you file a Articles of Incorporation in Maine, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The Articles of Incorporation guide walks through them.
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Maine Requirements for Articles of Incorporation
File Form MBCA-6 With the Secretary of State
A Maine business corporation is formed by filing Articles of Incorporation (Form MBCA-6) with the Maine Secretary of State, Division of Corporations. The filing fee is 145 dollars. The corporation legally exists once the Secretary of State files the articles.
Corporate Name That Satisfies Section 401
The corporation name in the articles must satisfy 13-C M.R.S. section 401, include a corporate designator such as Corporation, Incorporated, Company, or Limited or an abbreviation, and be distinguishable from other entities on file with the Maine Secretary of State.
Registered Agent With a Maine Address
The articles must give the registered agent information required by Title 5. The agent must have a physical Maine street address, not a post office box, and receives service of process and official documents (5 M.R.S. section 105).
Name and Address of Each Incorporator
The articles must set forth the name and address of each incorporator, and the incorporator signs the articles. The incorporator does not have to be an owner, director, or officer of the corporation (13-C M.R.S. section 202).
Authorized Shares
The articles must state the number of shares the corporation is authorized to issue, and if there are two or more classes, the number of shares and a description of the rights in each class (13-C M.R.S. section 202, section 601).
File the Annual Report by June 1
Every Maine corporation must file an annual report with the Secretary of State by June 1 each year, with an 85 dollar fee (13-C M.R.S. section 1621). A late filing carries an added fee, and continued failure can lead to administrative dissolution.
No General Corporation Franchise Tax
Maine charges no general corporation franchise tax on ordinary business corporations. A franchise tax applies only to financial institutions such as banks. An ordinary corporation is instead subject to Maine corporate income tax; confirm with Maine Revenue Services.
Corporation Versus LLC
Articles of incorporation form a corporation. To form a Maine limited liability company you file a certificate of formation instead. Corporate bylaws are a separate internal document the corporation keeps rather than files with the state.