How to Register a DBA in Maine
Registering a DBA, known in Maine as an assumed name, will establish your business’s branding. DBAs are a simple way to start growing your business.
We’ll show you how to register a Maine DBA below.
Or, you can save time and use a trusted DBA service.
Recommended: Register your DBA and establish your brand with LegalZoom. Packages start at $99 (plus state filing fees).
To get started with a Maine DBA, choose your business entity type:
- Sole Proprietorship or Partnership (if your business is not a formal structure)
- LLC, Corporation, or LLP (if your business has a formal structure such as LLC or corporation)
File a Maine DBA for a Sole Proprietorship or General Partnership
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General partnerships and sole proprietors are required to file their Maine DBA with the City Clerk in the county where their business is located. Estates and real estate investment companies are also required to file with the county.
Step 1. Start With a Maine Assumed Name Search
Maine assumed names must be unique and must also meet Maine’s business name requirements.
First, visit the Maine Secretary of State's website and search for your new DBA name to make sure it isn’t already in use.
Next, review the Maine naming requirements. In Maine, assumed names should NOT include:
- Words that could confuse your business with a government agency (FBI, Treasury, State Department, etc.)
- Words that imply that the company is organized for an unlawful purpose
- Obscene language
- Language that falsely suggests an association with public institutions
- The words savings, savings bank, bank, banker, banking, trust, trust company, trust & banking company, and credit union (or any plurals or variations) without approval from the Maine Bureau of Financial Institutions.
We recommend checking if your name is available as a web domain (URL). You might not plan on starting a business website today, but you may want to prevent others from acquiring your URL.
Need Help Creating a Brand Name and Logo?
If you need help coming up with a DBA name, try our business name generator. Then, create a unique logo for your brand with our free logo generator.
Step 2. Filing a DBA in Maine with the City Clerk
Sole proprietors and partnerships are required to register with the appropriate city clerk’s office(s) in order to operate under a DBA.
Sole proprietors and general partnerships must file in any city where your business conducts or transacts business.
We will give you step-by-step directions to get a City of Portland DBA. For directions in other cities, please contact your city clerk.
You can find your cities' contact information from the Maine Secretary of State’s website.
How to File a Portland DBA
Before you start the DBA filing process, it is a good idea to search the Maine business name database as well as the local records at the city clerk’s office.
The assumed name registration forms must be notarized.
Recommended: Use a reputable service. LegalZoom offers a hassle free DBA filing package starting at $99 + State Filing Fees.
File Your Portland City Assumed Name
File the Assumed Name Application by Mail or In Person
Assumed Name form for Partnerships
Assumed Name form for Sole Proprietorships
Cost:
$10 Filing Fee
Filing Address:
389 Congress Street
Portland, ME 04101
Manage Your City of Portland DBA
DBA Questions
Call the Portland city clerk’s office at 207-874-8677.
Renew Your DBA
Your assumed business name does not need to be renewed.
Withdraw Your DBA
File the DBA withdrawal application with the City Clerk.
Filing a DBA in Maine for LLCs, Corporations, and LLPs
Incorporated businesses file their Statement of Intention to Do Business Under an Assumed or Fictitious Name with the Maine Secretary of State.
The following business types are considered incorporated:
- For-profit Corporations, Nonprofit Corporations
- Professional Corporations, Professional Associations
- Limited Partnerships, Limited Liability Partnerships
- Limited Liability Companies
- Any Foreign Filing Entities
You can file a DBA for your incorporated business yourself by using this guide. Or, use a professional service:
- LegalZoom ($99 + filing fees)
Step 1. Start With a Maine Assumed Name Search
Maine assumed names must be unique and must also meet Maine’s business name requirements.
First, visit the Maine Secretary of State's website and search for your new DBA name to make sure it isn’t already in use.
Next, review the Maine naming requirements. In Maine, assumed names should NOT include:
- Words that could confuse your business with a government agency (FBI, Treasury, State Department, etc.)
- Words that imply that the company is organized for an unlawful purpose
- Obscene language
- Language that falsely suggests an association with public institutions.
- The words savings, savings bank, bank, banker, banking, trust, trust company, trust & banking company, and credit union (or any plurals or variations) without approval from the Maine Bureau of Financial Institutions.
Learn more about Maine naming guidelines by reading the state statutes about LLCs and corporations.
We recommend checking if your name is available as a web domain (URL). You might not plan on starting a business website today, but you may want to prevent others from acquiring your URL.
Need Help Creating a Brand Name and Logo?
If you need help coming up with a DBA name, try our business name generator. Then, create a unique logo for your brand with our free logo generator.
Step 2: Register Your Maine Assumed or Fictitious Name
You are required to set up your DBA with the Maine Department of State if your business is incorporated. There are different forms depending on your business structure
Maine makes a distinction between an assumed name and a fictitious name but uses the same registration form for both. An assumed name is basically a DBA, while a fictitious name is used for a “foreign” (i.e. not based in Maine) company whose real name is not available.
Recommended: Use a reputable service. LegalZoom offers a hassle free DBA filing package starting at $99 + State Filing Fees.
File Your Maine Assumed or Fictitious Name
File the Assumed Name Application by Mail or In-Person
LLC
Corporation
Limited Partnership
Limited Liability Partnership
Cost:
$125 for Assumed Names
$40 for Fictitious Names
Filing Address:
Secretary of State
Division of Corporations, UCC, and Commissions
101 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0101
Manage Your Maine DBA
DBA Questions
Call the Maine Secretary of State (207) 624-7752
Renew Your DBA with the State
Your Maine assumed business name does not need to be renewed.
Change Your DBA
Contact the Maine Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions: (207) 624-7736
Withdraw Your DBA
To cancel your assumed name with the State of Maine, you need to fill out one of the following termination forms:
Submit the completed form, along with the $20 fee, to the address below:
Secretary of State
Division of Corporations, UCC, and Commissions
101 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0101
After Filing Your Maine DBA
If filing a DBA marks the beginning of your business journey, then there are a few more steps that you should take before getting started:
- Create your Business’s Website - Every business needs a website. Luckily, drag-and-drop builders like GoDaddy and Wix make the job quick and easy. Check out our Best Website Builder article to find the tool that’s best for you.
- Get your Business Finances in Order - You’ll need to separate your business finances from your personal ones. This is accomplished by opening a business bank account. If your business has long lead times or other cash flow irregularities, you can also look into a business credit card.
- Protect Your Business - While an LLC will help to protect your personal assets in the case of a lawsuit, your business’s assets also need protection. Having the right business insurance will ensure that you’re covered if the worst happens. Most businesses start with general liability insurance as their base coverage.
DBA Maine FAQ
You can have as many DBAs as you can afford to create and are able to keep track of. Each one comes with additional incremental expenses and paperwork, meaning more is not necessarily better.
DBAs aren’t required to have a separate EIN because DBAs aren’t a business entity. The business entity that the DBA is under would have an EIN if an EIN is required.
To learn more about EINs and when you need one for your business, read our What is an EIN guide.
No. An LLC is a business entity, while a DBA is just a name for a business.
Sole proprietorships are often confused with DBAs, but they are not the same: a sole proprietorship is a business entity, therefore it can choose to become an LLC.
To learn how to form an LLC, visit our Form an LLC state guides.
A DBA can only have Inc. in the name if the business entity the DBA is attached to is a corporation.
Holding a rental property in your name and with a DBA will not afford you any protection. The best option is to form an LLC to protect your personal assets in the event of an issue with the rental property. In any case, it is always best to consult an attorney.
Getting a DBA is often a better choice than changing your business’s legal name. If you want to rebrand your company or focus on another line of business, filing for a DBA is a simpler process than filing for a legal name change.
Some state-level laws prevent DBAs that are too similar to existing ones from being used, but this varies from state to state. It is possible to trademark a DBA, which would offer stronger protection across state lines.