MBSTL Business - Starting a Business - Registration, Licenses & Permits: Home

Guides to Find the Right Business Licenses & Permits

• Starting a Business: License and Permit Checklist (FindLaw)

Federal Licenses & Permits

• Federal Licenses & Permits (SBA)

Maine Licenses & Permits

Use Business Answers (the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development) to determine the business licenses and permits you'll need to start your business.

Establishing sole proprietorship, or partnership, or obtaining general licenses to operate a business, is managed at the town/city level in Maine. Contact your town office for information. Find their contact information at Maine.gov Local Government Portal. 

Corporations must register with the State of Maine Bureau of Corporations, Elections & Commissions.

Certain professions and types of businesses require additional permits and licenses:

• Professional Licensing
  A list of professions linked to the government licensing agencies’ websites.

Other Licenses

• Health Inspection Program Forms & Applications (Maine Division of Environmental Health)
  Includes the inspection for eating places, lodging places, campgrounds, summer camps, schools; mobile and temporary units, retail tobacco, tattooing, body piercing, electrology, micropigmentation and youth camp operators.
• Permit and License Applications & Forms (Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry)
  Includes the licenses for food & fuel, bottle bill, dairy, feed, seed & fertilizer, weights & measures, fruits and vegetables, etc.)
• Liquor Licensing
• Non-Profit Gaming Licenses

• File a Certificate of Assumed Name with town/city; find the contact information at Maine.gov Local Government Portal. 
• Register a Business Name for Corporations; file an Article of Incorporations, or an Article of Conversion of Partnership with the State of Maine Bureau of Corporations, Elections & Commissions.
• Register for state unemployment insurance account number (SEIN) with Maine Department of Labor.
• Register online for Maine sales & use tax and/or income tax withholding with Maine Revenue Services.
• Register a mark or trade names with Bureau of Corporations, Elections & Commissions.
• Search existing business names and corporations at Corporate Name Search.
• Register a trademark with United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
• Search existing trademarks in USPTO Trademark Database.
• Find a Registered Agent at the List of Commercial Registered Agents.

• How to Establish a Sole Proprietorship in Maine
• How to Form a Partnership in Maine
• How to Form a Corporation in Maine
• How to Form an LLC in Maine
• How to Form a Maine Nonprofit Corporation

Contact Us

Raymond H. Fogler Library
University of Maine
Orono, ME 04469
fogler.mbstl@maine.edu
Reference Desk: 207-581-1673