Foreign registration · Form MBCA-12

Vermont Corporation Foreign Registration in Maine

A corporation formed in Vermont 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 Vermont's Certificate of Good Standing ($25). We file it with the Secretary of State, Division of Corporations, UCC and Commissions using your Vermont records and act as your registered agent there for the first year.

Vermont vs Maine: the paperwork

	Vermont formed here	Maine registering here
Document	Vermont Certificate of Good Standing	Form MBCA-12, Application for Authority to do Business
State fee	$25	$250 at order
How it is handled	Vermont: online as an instant download from the business dashboard	Filed with Maine
Required expedite		$50 at order (24 hours)
Faster options		same-day $100
Office	Vermont Secretary of State, Business Services Division	Maine Secretary of State, Division of Corporations, UCC and Commissions
Official page	sos.vermont.gov	maine.gov
Yearly filing	Annual Report, $60, every year	Annual Report, $150, every year
Due	By March 15 for calendar-year corps (within 2.5 months after end of fiscal year	June 1
Turnaround	Certificate issued instantly online	Required expedite processing: 24 hours
Agent	Your Vermont registered agent	Our Maine registered agent

How Vermont companies register with Maine

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

Will your Vermont name work for Maine?

We check your exact Vermont name against Maine's records before filing.

Agents: Maine and Vermont

Vermont and Maine both call it a registered agent. Your current registered agent stays for Vermont; ours takes Maine's papers and notices.

Staying in good standing in Vermont and Maine

Each year your corporation files Vermont's Annual Report ($60) and Maine's Annual Report ($150). With our $149 registered agent renewal, Vermont plus Maine comes to $359 a year. Both states' filings stay current side by side.

LLC or corporation, Vermont to Maine

An LLC formed in Vermont files Form MLLC-12 with Maine ($250 in state fees and the $50 required expedite, the same, plus the Certificate of Good Standing ($35)). After that come Vermont's Annual Report ($45) and Maine's Annual Report ($150). See the LLC filing.

The other way: Maine into Vermont

A corporation formed in Maine that registers with Vermont files Vermont's registration (no form number) with $155 in state fees, plus the Certificate of Existence ($30) dated within 30 days. See that filing.

Questions Vermont owners ask about Maine

Does my Vermont company need to register in Maine?

Yes, once a Vermont 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 Vermont 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 Vermont'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 Vermont's certificate if Maine asks for it. Faster state options: same-day $100.

What are the yearly costs for Vermont and Maine?

$359 a year: our $149 registered agent renewal, $60 to Vermont and $150 to Maine for the yearly reports.

What if I don't register with Maine?

A Vermont 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 Vermont registered agent stays, and ours covers Maine for year one.

Can I form a new Maine corporation instead?

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

How do I withdraw from Maine later?

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

Official sources

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