Maine Business Name Checker
Check if your business name is available in Maine. Validate Maine naming rules instantly, then confirm against the Secretary of State's free Corporate Name Search — essential prep in a state where every formation filing still travels by mail.
Validate the name format, then search the official Maine Secretary of State — Interactive Corporate Services (ICRS) records.
1.Search the state registry (Maine Secretary of State — Interactive Corporate Services (ICRS)) for existing LLCs, corporations, and reserved names
2.Check federal trademarks at USPTO.gov — state approval does not protect you from trademark claims
3.Verify the .com domain is available for your name
4.Grab matching social media handles (Instagram, X, LinkedIn, Facebook)
5.Lock the name in by filing your formation documents — or reserve it first (details below)
Fee
$20
Holds the name for
120 days
How to file
Form MLLC-1 (fillable PDF), printed and filed by mail only
Maine name reservations are not renewable (31 MRSA § 1509) — when the 120 days run out, the name goes back into the pool, so time your formation filing accordingly.
How Business Name Availability Works in Maine
Maine is one of the last states where forming a business means printing paper: the Secretary of State accepts formation filings, name reservations, and assumed-name statements by mail only. The name search, at least, is online and free — the Bureau of Corporations' Corporate Name Search covers every entity, assumed name, and mark on the state's records.
Maine's distinguishability test is broad. Under 31 MRSA § 1508, your LLC name must be distinguishable on the Secretary of State's records not just from other entities, but from assumed and fictitious names, reserved and registered names, and registered marks. A brand someone filed as a mere DBA in Bangor can block your LLC filing statewide.
Because filings move at postal speed, sequencing matters more in Maine than elsewhere. A $20 name reservation (Form MLLC-1) holds your name for 120 days while your paperwork is in transit — but it is not renewable under 31 MRSA § 1509, so do not file it months before you are ready to form.
Maine Business Name Requirements
✓ Name Requirements
- • LLCs must include "LLC", "L.L.C.", "LC", "L.C.", "Limited Liability Company" or "Limited Company"
- • Corporations must include "Inc.", "Corp.", "Co." or "Ltd."
- • Must be distinguishable on the records of the Secretary of State from entity names, assumed and fictitious names, reserved and registered names, and registered marks (31 MRSA § 1508)
- • Cannot suggest a government affiliation
- • Cannot be misleading about business purpose
- • Governed by 31 MRSA § 1508 (LLCs) and 13-C MRSA § 401 (corporations)
✗ Restricted Words
- • "Bank" — requires approval from the Maine Bureau of Financial Institutions
- • "Trust" — implies trust-company powers — Maine Bureau of Financial Institutions review needed
- • "Insurance" — regulated by the Maine Bureau of Insurance — extra wording or approval required
- • "Credit Union" — restricted to chartered credit unions under Maine financial-institution law
- • "Engineer" — implies licensed engineering services — Maine's professional-engineer licensure board applies
- • "Olympic" — federally protected under the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act
How to Check Name Availability in Maine
Use the tool above to open the Maine Secretary of State — Interactive Corporate Services (ICRS) search and look up existing LLCs, corporations, and reserved names. Maine has no online formation filing at all — Articles of Organization, name reservations, and assumed-name statements are all fillable PDFs you print and mail to Augusta.
Search the USPTO database at uspto.gov — clearing the Maine registry does not protect you from a federal trademark claim.
Check that the matching .com domain is available before you commit — renaming an LLC later means an amendment filing and new bank paperwork.
Confirm your name is free on Instagram, X, Facebook, and LinkedIn so your branding stays consistent everywhere.
Maine lets you reserve a name for 120 days for $20 — Form MLLC-1 (fillable PDF), printed and filed by mail only.
What Registering a Name Costs in Maine
| Filing | State Fee | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| LLC formation filing | $175 | One-time |
| Annual report / recurring fee | $85 | Yearly |
| Name reservation | $20 | Holds the name 120 days |
| Assumed or Fictitious Name (Form ASUM-5) | LLCs and corporations file a Statement of Intention to Transact Business Under an Assumed or Fictitious Name (Form ASUM-5) with the Secretary of State for an unusually high $125. Sole proprietors and general partnerships file with the municipal clerk instead — no state filing. | |
State filing fees as of 2026. See the Maine LLC tax and fee calculator for the full annual cost picture.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check if a business name is taken in Maine?
Use the Maine Secretary of State's free Corporate Name Search online. It covers corporations, LLCs, assumed and fictitious names, reserved names, and registered marks — all the categories Maine tests availability against under 31 MRSA § 1508. Search word stems and partial matches, because a similar assumed name or registered mark can block your filing just as an identical entity name would.
How much does it cost to reserve a business name in Maine?
A Maine name reservation costs $20 and holds the name for 120 days. File Form MLLC-1 — it is a fillable PDF that you print and mail to the Secretary of State in Augusta; there is no online option. The reservation is not renewable under 31 MRSA § 1509, so file it only when your formation paperwork is nearly ready.
What suffix does a Maine LLC name need?
Under 31 MRSA § 1508, a Maine LLC name must contain "limited liability company," "limited company," or an abbreviation: L.L.C., LLC, L.C., or LC. A low-profit LLC uses "L3C." Corporations, under 13-C MRSA § 401, may use "corporation," "incorporated," "company," "limited," or — a Maine rarity — "chartered."
Why does a Maine DBA cost $125?
For LLCs and corporations, Maine's assumed-name filing is a Statement of Intention to Transact Business Under an Assumed or Fictitious Name (Form ASUM-5), and the Secretary of State charges $125 — among the highest DBA fees anywhere. Sole proprietors and general partnerships avoid it entirely: they file with the municipal clerk in the town where they operate, with no state filing at all.
Can I form a Maine LLC online?
No. Maine has no online formation filing — the Certificate of Formation (Form MLLC-6, $175), the name reservation (Form MLLC-1, $20), and the assumed-name statement (ASUM-5, $125) are all fillable PDFs you print and mail to the Secretary of State. Build postal and processing time into your launch plan, and use the 120-day reservation to protect the name while paperwork is in transit.
Does Maine require an annual report for LLCs?
Yes. Every Maine LLC files an annual report with the Secretary of State by June 1, and the fee is $85 for domestic LLCs. Combined with the $175 formation fee, Maine sits toward the pricier end of New England for LLC costs — budget for both when you pick the state.
Related Tools
ME LLC Tax & Fee Calculator
Estimate your MaineLLC's filing fee, annual report costs, and recurring state charges before you form.
Maine Quarterly Tax Calculator
Calculate the estimated quarterly taxes you'll owe as a Maine business owner or freelancer.
Business Name Generator
Name taken? Generate unique, memorable alternatives for your Maine business with AI.
Business Entity Search Directory
Official Secretary of State search portals for all 50 states — look up any registered company.
Checking a Name in Another State?
Searching Maine Names in a Mail-Only Filing State
Start with the Maine Secretary of State's free Corporate Name Search. It covers corporations, LLCs, assumed and fictitious names, reserved names, and registered marks — the full universe Maine will test your name against. Search partial words and word stems, not just your exact name.
Then plan for the mail. Maine has no online formation filing: the Certificate of Formation for an LLC (Form MLLC-6, $175) is a fillable PDF you print, sign, and post to Augusta with a check. Processing runs in the order received, so between search and acceptance your name is exposed unless you reserve it.
That is what the $20 reservation is for: Form MLLC-1 holds the name for 120 days while your formation paperwork travels. It is mail-only too, and it cannot be renewed — one 120-day window is all you get, so file it when you are genuinely close to forming.
Maine LLC and Corporation Naming Rules
Under 31 MRSA § 1508, a Maine LLC name must contain "limited liability company," "limited company," or an abbreviation: L.L.C., LLC, L.C., or LC. Low-profit LLCs carry "L3C." Corporations have a wider menu under 13-C MRSA § 401: "corporation," "incorporated," "company," "limited" — or, unusually, "chartered."
The distinguishability net is wide: your name must differ, on the Secretary of State's records, from entity names, assumed and fictitious names, reserved and registered names, and registered marks. Many states ignore DBAs and marks in the availability check; Maine does not, which is why a thorough search matters here.
Restricted words work the way they do in most states: terms implying banking, insurance, or a licensed profession need the relevant Maine regulator's sign-off, and names suggesting a governmental affiliation or unlawful purpose are refused.
Maine's $125 Assumed Name Filing
If your Maine LLC or corporation will trade under a brand different from its legal name, it must file a Statement of Intention to Transact Business Under an Assumed or Fictitious Name (Form ASUM-5) with the Secretary of State. The fee is $125 — one of the highest DBA fees in the country, and five times what many states charge.
Sole proprietors and general partnerships skip the state entirely: they register their assumed name with the municipal clerk in the town or city where they do business. There is no state-level filing or fee for them.
One consolation for the $125: because assumed names sit on the Secretary of State's records, they count in Maine's distinguishability test — your registered assumed name blocks later confusingly similar filings, which a county-recorded DBA in most states would not.
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