Arkansas Corporation Foreign Registration in Maine

A corporation formed in Arkansas that wants to do business in Maine files Form MBCA-12, with $250 in state fees and a $50 required expedite. Maine may ask for Arkansas's Certificate of Good Standing ($25). We file it with the Secretary of State, Division of Corporations, UCC and Commissions from your Arkansas records, then serve as your registered agent there for year one.

Arkansas and Maine side by side

	Arkansas formed here	Maine registering here
Document	Arkansas Certificate of Good Standing	Form MBCA-12, Application for Authority to do Business
State fee	$25	$250 at order
How it is handled	Arkansas: online, ready to print right after purchase	Filed with Maine
Required expedite		$50 at order (24 hours)
Faster options		same-day $100
Office	Arkansas Secretary of State, Business and Commercial Services	Maine Secretary of State, Division of Corporations, UCC and Commissions
Official page	sos.arkansas.gov	maine.gov
Yearly filing	Annual Corporation Franchise Tax Report, $150, every year	Annual Report, $150, every year
Due	May 1	June 1
Late yearly filing	$25 late fee	$50 late fee
Turnaround	Certificate issued instantly online	Required expedite processing: 24 hours
Agent	Your Arkansas registered agent	Our Maine registered agent

From Arkansas to Maine, step by step

We prepare and file Form MBCA-12
It names us as your Maine registered agent, with your Arkansas name and formation date. If Maine wants the Arkansas certificate, it is ordered first. Once Maine approves it, the Arkansas company can do business there.

Your Arkansas name and Maine's rules

We search Maine's records for Arkansas's name on file before anything is filed.

Your Maine agent and the Arkansas one

Arkansas and Maine both call it a registered agent. Maine papers come to us; Arkansas's agent is unchanged.

Staying in good standing in Arkansas and Maine

Each year your corporation files Arkansas's Annual Corporation Franchise Tax Report ($150) and Maine's Annual Report ($150). With our $149 registered agent renewal, Arkansas plus Maine comes to $449 a year. Both states' filings stay current side by side.

LLC or corporation, Arkansas to Maine

An LLC formed in Arkansas files Form MLLC-12 with Maine ($250 in state fees and the $50 required expedite, the same, plus the Certificate of Good Standing ($25)). After that come Arkansas's Annual LLC Franchise Tax Report ($150) and Maine's Annual Report ($150). See the LLC filing.

Questions Arkansas owners ask about Maine

Does my Arkansas company need to register in Maine?

Yes, once an Arkansas business operates there; Maine law lists 13 activities that do not count on their own.

Is this a certificate of authority?

Yes: Maine issues one to Arkansas corporations once the form is approved.

How much does the Maine registration cost?

$499 at checkout, including the $50 required expedite; Maine may also want Arkansas's Certificate of Good Standing, at extra cost.

How long does the Maine registration take?

24 hours with Maine's required expedite, plus time for Arkansas's certificate if Maine asks for it. Faster state options: same-day $100.

What are the yearly costs for Arkansas and Maine?

$449 a year: our $149 registered agent renewal, $150 to Arkansas and $150 to Maine for the yearly reports.

What if I don't register with Maine?

An Arkansas company cannot sue in court there until it registers, and Maine can add up to $500 for each year or part of a year.

Does Maine require a registered agent?

Yes: the Arkansas registered agent stays, and ours covers Maine for year one.

Can I form a new Maine corporation instead?

Yes, but Arkansas keeps the original, so you run two companies: the new one files Maine's Annual Report ($85), and the original keeps Arkansas's Annual Corporation Franchise Tax Report.

How do I withdraw from Maine later?

Arkansas companies leave by filing an Application of Withdrawal; until then, Maine's report stays due alongside Arkansas's filings.

Official sources

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