In Maine, like in almost all the other states, you need a registered agent to receive the various official documents, tax forms, and even summons that may be sent to your corporation. It’s a crucial job, which is why it’s mandatory in most states. You can’t start and run a business in Maine without a registered agent.
Who Can Be a Registered Agent in Maine?
Before you replace your current agent, you need to think about the replacement so you enjoy a smooth transition. For the agent you need, several requirements must be met. First of all, they can be any of the following:
- An individual adult (at least 18 years old) who is a resident of Maine
- A business entity (such as a professional registered agent service) based in Maine
- A foreign registered agent business entity that’s authorized to do business in Maine
Whether it’s an individual or a business entity, the agent must also have a Maine street address. This means a physical location, in which there will always be someone to receive the official documents for your corporation during business hours. It can’t be just a P.O. box.
Steps to Change Registered Agent
To change your registered agent in the State of Maine, you’ll start the process by proceeding to the Secretary of the State of Maine to file for the Statement of Amendment or Change. There are different forms for a different business entity and different registered agents. You’ll need to fill the Statement of Appointment or Change of Commercial Registered Agents specified for LLCs or this and the Statement of Change of Noncommercial Clerk for corporations or the Statement of Appointment or Change of Noncommercial Agents for LLCs
You’ll be required to make a payment of 35 dollars alongside the documents you’ll be sending through the mail. You can choose to pay the 35 dollars fee by Check made payable to the Maine Secretary of State or Card. The card payment method is approved after filing a Credit Card Payment Voucher.
Info to Put In
You will be required to enter the following information:
- The name of your LLC, exactly as it appears on the file submitted to the Maine Secretary of State. That means including the ending part of the name, such as XYZ, LLC or XYZ, a Limited Liability Company.
- The Entity number issued to your LLC by the State of Maine when you formed your LLC.
- The complete street address, city, state, and zip code of your main office.
- The name and complete business or residential address of any manager (or managers). If there are no managers, then this pertains to the members.
- Detail about the method of payment you’ll be using.
The form has guides and tips to help make sure you put in the exact information asked for. Just read the directions carefully and follow them exactly.
Submission Options
You can choose to submit the documents through the mail, or in-person to this address:
Secretary of State
Division of Corporations, UCC, and Commissions
101 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 044333-0101.
The State of Maine will take between 5 to10 working days to process the change of your agent. However, it is possible to reduce the processing time if you choose the expedited service which costs 100 dollars only for immediate processing and 50 dollars for 24-hour processing.
Should You Hire a Professional?
This will actually be a lot easier if you’re planning on sifting to a professional registered agent service. The best ones offer exemplary service at extremely reasonable rates. Often, you’re able to download the needed forms with pre-filled information about the service to save time and effort. Northwest Registered agent is one of the most popular companies for this job.
With professionals, you know for sure the job gets done right. They usually have online storage for all the official documents. When they receive the documents for the corporation, the service will immediately scan them so they can send you the digital copies right away. The documents will also be conveniently stored in the same online location as your other business documents, like your formation documents.
Professionals may even maintain a compliance calendar, warning you way ahead of time when you should file a report or comply with some requirement with a deadline. That means you virtually eliminate the risk that you’ll fail to comply with any sort of compliance requirement. Such a failure may lead to fines and penalties, and perhaps even to the dissolution of your corporation. Reinstating your LLC can be a huge hassle, and it’s like starting the formation process for your LLC all over again.
So, if you’re going to change your registered agent in Maine, you may as well do yourself a favor and switch to a good registered agent service. With the benefits you get with the low costs, you’re able to focus more on growing your business instead.
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