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Starting a Business

Business Answers Program

Business Answers Online

Provided by the Department of Economic & Community Development, Maine’s online Business Answers service provides free information about doing business in Maine. The online Business Licensing Assistant will lead you through a series of questions about the type of business you are trying to start, and provide a list of licenses, permits or qualifications you need. The site also provides a Live Help online chat and answers to frequently asked questions. Business Answers staff can send you resources, permit applications and other follow up information that you need to get your business running in Maine. Also available are customized packets offering information about self-employment, hiring employees and labor standards, and a Business Start-Up Kit which includes A Guide to Doing Business in Maine.

MaineBusinessWorks Program

MaineBusinessWorks, a program of Maine Small Business Development Centers and the Department of Economic & Community Development, provides access to a broad array of business development assistance available throughout the State of Maine including business education, financing programs, and small business information and/or assistance. Maine Business Works provides prospective and existing business owners easy access to many of the resources needed to develop and grow a successful small business in Maine.

Planning

• Business Plan Basics
  Tips and sample forms from Finance Authority of Maine
• Starting a Home Business (fact sheet)

Financing

• Capital Sources for Your Business (fact sheet)
• Financing Glossary
• Finance Authority of Maine (FAME)

Getting Started

If you decide to incorporate or become a limited partnership or a limited liability company, you will need to register your entity with the Bureau of Corporations at the Office of the Secretary of State. If you form a sole proprietorship or a general partnership, you do not need to register your business entity with the state. However, there may be state, city, or town permits or licenses that are required to operate your business. Business Answers can help you determine the forms you need.

• Register online for Maine sales & use tax and/or income tax withholding
• Business Licensing
• MaineBusinessWorks
  Find out about workshops, financing, and small business assistance.
• Basic FAQ
  Registering your business, getting a business license, registering as an employer.
• How to Organize Your Business
• Registering Marks with the State of Maine
• Information for Independent Contractors (PDF) (Maine Dept of Labor) This file requires the free Adobe Reader.
• A Businessperson's Guide to Banking in Maine

Forms and Fees

• Business Corporation Forms and Fees
• Nonprofit Forms and Fees
• Limited Partnership Forms and Fees
• Limited Liability Companies Forms and Fees
• Limited Liability Partnerships Forms and Fees
• Marks & Trade Names

Business Property and Locations

• Search Commercial Properties for Sale or Lease
• Custom Property Searches and Proposals at No Cost

Roadway Issues

• DOT Official Business Directional Signs
  Apply for a permit to post a directional sign to your business on a public roadway.
• Driveway/Business Entrance Permits
  Constructing a new driveway to your business? Find out the regulations and permit process.

Construction, Electrical, and Plumbing Codes/Permits

Construction permits and inspections, including electrical and plumbing, are managed at the town level in Maine. Contact your town office for information. To obtain contact information for your town office or locate a municipal website, visit the Maine.gov Local Government portal.