Maine LLC Annual Report and Franchise Tax (2026)
Every Maine LLC files an Annual Report with the Secretary of State's Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions. The domestic LLC fee is $85, due June 1 each year, with a late fee for missing the deadline. Maine has no LLC franchise tax; instead, LLC income passes through to the members, who pay Maine individual income tax on it.
Quick Answer
- Filing name
- Annual Report
- Agency
- Secretary of State, Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions
- Fee
- $85 for domestic LLCs
- Due
- June 1 each year
- Franchise tax
- None in Maine
- Late
- Late fee set by the Secretary of State; risk of administrative dissolution
What the Maine Annual Report Is
Maine's yearly compliance filing is a true Annual Report, filed with the Secretary of State's Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions. It confirms that your LLC's public information is current, updating your entity name, principal or mailing address, and registered agent. It contains no financial figures and requires no tax payment - it is a compliance filing, not a tax return. Filing it on time keeps your LLC in good standing, which lenders, landlords, and licensing authorities routinely check. It is a core part of running a Maine LLC.
Every LLC, corporation, and nonprofit registered in Maine files an Annual Report on the same footing, and the requirement lives in the Maine Limited Liability Company Act. The report is due regardless of whether your LLC had any income during the year, so an inactive but still-registered LLC must file just like an active one. If you are still choosing a structure, compare the options in what an LLC is and S-corp vs LLC, and see how the annual report fits alongside your Maine Certificate of Formation once the LLC exists.
The $85 Fee
The Maine Annual Report fee for a domestic LLC is $85. A foreign LLC registered to do business in Maine pays a higher annual report fee. The $85 is the same for every domestic LLC regardless of size or revenue, and it is set on the Secretary of State's fee schedule. Because statutory and administrative fees can change, confirm the current amount on the Secretary of State's annual report page before you pay. For how this fits your overall costs, see Maine LLC cost and the national cost of an LLC.
When It Is Due: The June 1 Deadline
The Maine Annual Report is due June 1 each year. Maine uses a single statewide deadline rather than an anniversary-month window, so every LLC files by the same June 1 date regardless of when it was formed. An LLC formed in the prior calendar year generally files its first annual report the following June 1. Filing early in the year is the safest habit, and the Secretary of State's online system opens well before the deadline, typically at the start of the year.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Filing | Annual Report |
| Due date | June 1 each year |
| Domestic LLC fee | $85 |
| Where to file | Secretary of State, Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions |
Because the deadline does not move with your formation date, it is easy to track with a single annual calendar reminder. Your LLC's filing history always appears on your business record in the Secretary of State's system, which is the authoritative place to confirm your status. If you ever wind the business down, note that the annual report obligation continues until the LLC is formally closed - see how to dissolve an LLC in Maine.
What Happens If You File Late
If June 1 passes without a filed report, the Secretary of State adds a late fee on top of the $85 filing fee, and your LLC falls out of good standing. Because the exact late-fee amount is set administratively and can change, confirm the current figure on the Secretary of State's fee schedule before you file a late report. A delinquent LLC loses good standing, which can block bank loans, government contracts, and professional-license renewals. If the report stays unfiled, the Secretary of State can eventually administratively dissolve the LLC, ending its authority to do business in Maine until it is reinstated.
Delinquency is reversible but avoidable. An entity does not vanish the moment a report is late; it moves through a status change that the Secretary of State records publicly, and anyone who searches your business will see it is no longer in good standing. That visibility is often the real harm, because a bank underwriter, a prospective landlord, or a client running due diligence can spot the lapse instantly. Reinstating an administratively dissolved LLC generally means filing all overdue reports and paying the accumulated fees, so the cleanest path is simply to file by June 1 every year - the $85 report is far cheaper than a late fee plus the cost of reinstatement and a public delinquency flag.
Good Standing and Why It Matters
"Good standing" is the status that says your LLC is current on its Maine filings. It is what a Certificate of Good Standing (sometimes called a Certificate of Existence) certifies, and banks, lenders, licensing boards, and out-of-state registrars frequently require one before they will act. The Annual Report is the main filing that keeps that status intact for an active LLC, so missing it does not just risk a late fee - it can stall a loan closing, a lease, a new professional license, or an expansion into another state. Keeping the report current is therefore less about the $85 and more about preserving the credibility your LLC needs to transact. If you plan to register your LLC in another state as a foreign LLC, expect that registrar to ask Maine for proof of your good standing first.
How to File the Annual Report
Filing takes only a few minutes. Go to the Secretary of State's annual report system, look up your business, open the Annual Report, confirm or update your name, address, and registered agent, and pay the $85 fee by card. The system records the filing and returns your LLC to (or keeps it in) good standing. Keep the confirmation with your records. You do not need an attorney or a service to file, though many owners use a calendar reminder so the June 1 deadline is never missed. Make sure your EIN and formation details on file are accurate before you submit.
A useful habit is to file early in the year rather than waiting until the last week of May. Filing early costs the same $85, removes any risk of forgetting, and confirms your good standing well before a lender or client might check it. If your contact details or registered agent have changed, the annual report is a natural moment to confirm that information is still correct, since the same filing surfaces it for review. Keep your annual report history alongside your operating agreement and other core records for easy reference.
Maine LLC Taxes: No Franchise Tax, Pass-Through Income
Maine imposes no franchise tax and no entity-level privilege tax on LLCs. The $85 annual report fee is a compliance charge collected by the Secretary of State, not a tax. By default a Maine LLC is a pass-through entity: profits flow to the members, who report their shares on their personal Maine individual income tax returns filed with Maine Revenue Services. Maine's individual income tax is graduated, so the rate on pass-through income depends on each member's total income. A single-member LLC is a disregarded entity for the IRS, and a multi-member LLC is a partnership, unless the company elects corporate or S-corporation treatment. Get your federal EIN before you register for any state tax accounts, and see Maine LLC tax filing for the full income-tax picture.
Keep the two systems separate. The Secretary of State handles the Annual Report, which is about your entity's existence and public record; Maine Revenue Services handles income tax, sales tax, and withholding, which are about money. Paying your income tax does not satisfy the Annual Report, and filing the Annual Report does not satisfy your taxes - they are unrelated obligations to two different agencies. Because Maine has no franchise tax, there is no single entity-level "LLC tax" bill to budget for; instead you plan for the $85 annual report fee plus the graduated income tax your members owe on their distributive shares. For the federal-to-state workflow, see how to file business taxes and the national business tax hub.
Sales Tax and Other Ongoing Obligations
If your LLC sells taxable goods or certain services, you must register for a Maine sales tax account with Maine Revenue Services and remit collected tax on the state's schedule. This is separate from the Annual Report, which goes to the Secretary of State, and from income tax. Maine has no general statewide business license, but many activities require a professional or local license, so your obligations depend on what you do and where. For the license landscape, see business license in Maine and the national business license guide, and review whether a DBA or trademark registration fits your plans.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Maine require an annual report for LLCs?
Yes. Every Maine LLC files an Annual Report each year with the Secretary of State's Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions. It updates your registered agent and entity information and keeps your LLC in good standing.
How much is the Maine LLC annual report fee?
The fee for a domestic LLC is $85. Foreign LLCs registered in Maine pay a higher fee. The amount is set on the Secretary of State's fee schedule, so confirm the current figure before filing.
When is the Maine Annual Report due?
It is due June 1 each year, filed with the Secretary of State. Missing the deadline adds a late fee set by the Secretary of State and, if left unfiled, can lead to administrative dissolution of the LLC.
Does a Maine LLC pay a franchise tax?
No. Maine imposes no franchise tax on LLCs. Income passes through to the members, who report their shares on their Maine individual income tax returns filed with Maine Revenue Services.
What happens if I miss the Maine Annual Report deadline?
You owe a late fee in addition to the $85 fee, and your LLC falls out of good standing. If the report stays unfiled, the Secretary of State can administratively dissolve the LLC, ending its authority to do business until it is reinstated.
Related
- How to form an LLC (cluster hub)
- How to form an LLC in Maine
- Maine LLC cost
- Maine registered agent requirements
- Maine LLC tax filing
- Business license in Maine
- How to dissolve an LLC in Maine
- S-corp vs LLC
- How to get an EIN
Sources
- Maine Secretary of State - Annual Reports (LLC annual report; June 1 due date; online filing).
- Maine Secretary of State - Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions (business filings and good standing).
- Maine Secretary of State - Limited Liability Companies (forms and filing information).
- Maine Revised Statutes - Title 31, § 1665, Annual report (annual report requirement and content).
- Maine Revised Statutes - Title 31, § 1673, Grounds for administrative dissolution.
- Maine Revised Statutes - Title 31, Chapter 21, Maine Limited Liability Company Act.
- Maine Revenue Services - Income/Estate Tax (individual income tax on pass-through income).
- Maine Revenue Services - Pass-Through Entity Withholding (nonresident member withholding).
- Maine Revenue Services - Sales, Use & Service Provider Tax (sales tax registration).
- IRS - Limited Liability Company (LLC) (default classification).
- IRS - Get an Employer Identification Number (free EIN before state tax accounts).
- IRS - About Form 2553 (S corporation election).
- Legal Information Institute - 26 CFR § 301.7701-3, Entity classification election.
- Legal Information Institute - Limited liability company (LLC) (overview).
LegalGlass provides general information for educational purposes and is not a law firm or a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney or tax professional. Laws, fees, and thresholds change; verify current requirements with the Maine Secretary of State and Maine Revenue Services before acting.