Foreign registration · Form 972

Maine LLC Foreign Registration in Louisiana

An LLC formed in Maine that wants to do business in Louisiana files Form 972, with $190 in state fees. Louisiana also wants Maine's Certificate of Existence ($30), dated within 90 days. We file it with the Secretary of State, Commercial Division from your Maine records, then serve as your registered agent there for year one.

What Maine and Louisiana each ask for

	Maine formed here	Louisiana registering here
Document	Maine Certificate of Existence	Form 972, Application of Foreign Limited Liability Company
State fee	$30	$190 at order (filing fee $185 plus charges collected at filing)
How it is handled	Maine: online, downloaded from the company's information summary page	Filed with Louisiana
Paid expedite		24-hour $35, 2 to 4 hour $60
Office	Maine Secretary of State, Division of Corporations, UCC and Commissions	Louisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division
Official page	apps3.web.maine.gov	sos.la.gov
Age rule	Dated when issued	Accepted if dated within 90 days
Yearly filing	Annual Report, $85, every year	Annual Report, $35, every year
Due	June 1	On or before the anniversary date of registration in Louisiana
Agent	Your Maine registered agent	Our Louisiana registered agent

How Maine companies register with Louisiana

Order the Maine certificate
The Certificate of Existence ($30) is ordered from Maine separately; it is not part of our Louisiana order. Louisiana counts 90 days from the day Maine issues it, so the order goes in shortly before filing.
We prepare and file Form 972
It names us as your Louisiana registered agent, with your Maine name and formation date and the certificate attached. Once Maine's certificate is in hand, Louisiana's filing goes in. Once Louisiana approves it, the Maine company can do business there.

Louisiana costs for Maine companies

Item	Amount
State fees, paid at order	$190
Certificate of Existence, paid to Maine	$30
Our service, with a year of Louisiana registered agent service	$199
First-year total, Maine certificate included	$419

Louisiana's paid expedite is optional and not in the total.

Will your Maine name work for Louisiana?

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

Your Louisiana agent and the Maine one

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

Staying in good standing in Maine and Louisiana

Each year your LLC files Maine's Annual Report ($85) and Louisiana's Annual Report ($35). With our $149 registered agent renewal, Maine plus Louisiana comes to $269 a year. Both states' filings stay current side by side.

LLC or corporation, Maine to Louisiana

A corporation formed in Maine files Form 326 with Louisiana ($160 in state fees). After that come Maine's Annual Report ($85) and Louisiana's Annual Report ($30). See the corporation filing.

Registering a Louisiana company in Maine

An LLC formed in Louisiana that registers with Maine files Form MLLC-12 with $250 in state fees and a $50 required expedite, plus the Certificate of Good Standing ($25) dated within 90 days. See that filing.

Common questions: Maine to Louisiana

Does my Maine company need to register in Louisiana?

Yes, once a Maine business operates there; Louisiana law lists 10 activities that do not count on their own.

How much does the Louisiana registration cost?

$389 at checkout plus $30 to Maine for the Certificate of Existence, $419 in all (checkout is $190 in state fees plus our $199).

Do I need Maine's certificate of good standing?

Yes: Louisiana wants Maine's Certificate of Existence ($30), no more than 90 days old at filing.

What are the yearly costs for Maine and Louisiana?

$269 a year: our $149 registered agent renewal, $85 to Maine and $35 to Louisiana for the yearly reports.

What if I don't register with Louisiana?

A Maine company cannot sue in court there until it registers, and Louisiana can add a civil penalty of up to $1,000.

Does Louisiana require a registered agent?

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

Can I form a new Louisiana LLC instead?

Yes, but Maine keeps the original, so you run two companies: the new one files Louisiana's Annual Report ($40), and the original keeps Maine's Annual Report.

What does a Louisiana company file to register in Maine?

It files Form MLLC-12 with $250 in state fees and a $50 required expedite, plus Louisiana's good standing certificate.

Official sources

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