Maine entity search: how to find your entity name, type, charter number, and formation date

All Maine business entity information, including entity name, filing type, charter number, and formation date, is available through the Maine Secretary of State's Interactive Corporate Services (ICRS) business search portal. This free database provides the key details you need for onboarding, compliance, or business transactions.

One housekeeping note before you search: the current portal runs at apps3.web.maine.gov/nei-sos-icrs/ICRS. The legacy icrs.informe.org domain returns a "Page Not Found" error, so any saved bookmarks or internal procedures pointing to the old address need updating.

Summary table: finding your Maine entity information

The table below shows where each data point appears in Maine's system and what format it takes.

How to search for Maine business entities

Access the Maine business entity search through the ICRS search portal to look up any registered business by name or charter number.

The portal offers exactly two search methods. For name searches, use the "Keyword from name to be searched:" field. According to the ICRS help page, you can enter the exact text of the business name or mark, or a keyword or partial keyword with the wildcard (%). The state recommends narrowing your search by "using less common words or a combination of words."

If you already have the identifier, use the "Charter number:" field instead. The ICRS information page instructs searchers to enter the charter number or mark number (10 or 11 digits) of the entity. Once you've entered your criteria, click "Click here to search" to run the query.

What you'll see in search results

Each entity's information summary displays:

• Legal name, plus any former, assumed, or fictitious names

• Charter number (the unique state identifier)

• Filing date (original registration date)

• Filing type (LLC, Corporation, LP, LLP, etc.)

• Jurisdiction and status

• Clerk or registered agent name and address, plus the principal home office address

Scroll to the bottom of the summary and select "view list of filings" to see the entity's filing history.

How to find your charter number in Maine

Your Maine charter number is a unique identifier assigned by the Maine Secretary of State when your entity is formed. Per the state's charter number format guide, it is a "unique and constant identifier" consisting of 8 digits plus an entity-type suffix.

Where to locate your Maine charter number

1. Maine business search (fastest method)

• Located: displayed in search results and on the entity information summary

• Labeled as: "Charter Number"

• Official SOS filing forms use the compound label "entity/charter number"

2. Certificate of Formation for Maine LLCs and other formation documents

• The Secretary of State assigns the charter number upon filing

• Appears on filed documents returned by the SOS

3. Annual reports and state correspondence

• Appears on official Maine Secretary of State documents

• Annual reports are filed online using the entity's charter number, per SOS online services

• Referenced in compliance notifications and renewal notices

Maine charter number format

The suffix encodes both the entity class and whether the entity is domestic or foreign. Reading it lets you verify entity class without a full portal lookup.

The format does not change over time; your charter number stays constant across the entity's entire lifecycle and is required for state filings and correspondence.

How to find your entity type in Maine

Business entities filed with the Maine Secretary of State are business corporations, nonprofit corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, and LLPs, per the SOS types of businesses page. Sole proprietorships and general partnerships are not filed with the Secretary of State, so they won't appear in the search.

Where to find your Maine entity type

1. Maine business search (most accessible)

• Displayed: in search results and on the entity information summary

• Listed as: "Filing Type" (ICRS uses this label, not "Entity Type")

• Shows designations like LLC, Corporation, LP, or LLP

2. Certificate of Formation/Organization/Incorporation

• The document title states the entity type; for example, Form MLLC-6 is titled "STATE OF MAINE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY CERTIFICATE OF FORMATION"

• Uses the formal legal designation for your business structure

3. Maine annual report filings

• Listed in the entity information section

• Cannot be changed without a formal amendment filing

• Must match your original formation documents

How to find your formation date in Maine

Your formation date, the date the Maine Secretary of State filed your business entity, appears in Maine business search results and on your formation certificate.

Where your Maine formation date appears

1. Maine business search (easiest access)

• Listed as: "Filing Date" in the entity information summary

• Location: displayed alongside the charter number and filing type

2. Certificate of Formation/Organization/Incorporation

• Form MLLC-6 asks filers to select either the "Date of this filing" or a "Later effective date" in its filing date section

• The filed document carries the Secretary of State's endorsement

3. Annual report timing

• Your first annual report is due between January 1 and June 1 of the year after the calendar year of formation, per 13-C M.R.S. §1621(3) for corporations and 31 M.R.S. §1665(3) for LLCs

• Every subsequent report is due by June 1 each year, per the SOS filing reminders

Formation date vs. effective date

Maine allows businesses to specify a future effective date when filing, up to the 90th day after the filing date. That creates two dates worth tracking:

• Formation date (filing date): by default, a document takes effect at the date and time of filing as endorsed by the Secretary of State

• Effective date: the later date you specified, if any

If you specify a delayed date without a time, the moment of effectiveness differs by entity type. Corporations become effective at the close of business on the specified date under 13-C M.R.S. §125. LLCs become effective at 12:01 a.m. under 31 M.R.S. §1674, and limited partnerships follow the same 12:01 a.m. rule under 31 M.R.S. §1326. For most Maine entities that never elect a delayed date, the formation and effective dates are the same.

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Frequently asked questions

These are the questions we hear most often about Maine entity searches and the records behind them.

Is the Maine business entity search free?

Yes. Basic name and charter number searches are free, and there is no fee to view or print an entity's information summary. Per the ICRS information page, downloading or printing a filing image costs $3.00 per image, certification adds $5.00 per certified order request, and previously obtained documents can be retrieved again free of charge within 15 days of the original transaction. A Certificate of Existence costs $30.00 for for-profit entities and $10.00 for nonprofit corporations.

When are Maine annual reports due, and what do they cost?

All annual reports are due June 1. The fee is $85 for domestic business entities, $150 for foreign business entities, and $35 for domestic and foreign nonprofit corporations, per the SOS filing reminders page. Late filers owe a $50 statutory penalty on top of the regular fee; the amount is set for business corporations in 13-C M.R.S. §123 and for LLCs in 31 M.R.S. §1680, with parallel provisions for LPs and LLPs. The SOS news release on annual reports warns only that "a substantial late-filing penalty will be assessed, and may not be waived."

What happens if my Maine entity misses its filings?

Failure to file an annual report, pay fees, or maintain a registered agent can trigger administrative dissolution. If the grounds aren't corrected within 60 days of the state's notice, the Secretary of State dissolves the entity under 13-C M.R.S. §1421 for corporations, with a parallel LLC procedure in Title 31. A dissolved entity may apply for reinstatement within 6 years, and reinstatement relates back to the dissolution date under 13-C M.R.S. §1422.

Does Maine offer bulk or professional access to entity records?

Yes. An InforME subscriber account costs $95.00 annually and adds services such as verifying entity status, viewing filing lists, and downloading Certificates of Existence and filing copies.