Business License in Maine: Who Issues It, Cost & Steps
A business license is a local permit. In Maine, as everywhere else in the US, it comes from a city or county office rather than a state agency — so the first job is working out which local office covers your address.
Maine has no statewide business license requirement-what you need depends entirely on your business type and location.
Maine does not issue a general business license. Instead, you may need specific permits or licenses depending on your industry and whether you're in a city or town. Use the state's Business Answers tool to find out exactly what you need.
- Sole proprietorships and general partnerships don't need to register with the state at all, though you may still need local permits.
“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.”
https://www.maine.gov/portal/business/starting.html - Only corporations, limited partnerships, limited liability companies, and similar entities must register with the Secretary of State.
“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.”
https://www.maine.gov/portal/business/starting.html - Construction, electrical, and plumbing permits are handled by your town, not the state.
“Construction permits and inspections, including electrical and plumbing, are managed at the town level in Maine. Contact your town office for information.”
https://www.maine.gov/portal/business/starting.html - Use Maine's Business Answers tool to get a personalized list of what licenses or permits your specific business type needs.
“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.”
https://www.maine.gov/portal/business/starting.html - You must register separately for sales and use tax and employer income tax withholding with the Maine Revenue Services.
“Register online for Maine sales & use tax and/or income tax withholding”
https://www.maine.gov/portal/business/starting.html
Sources (each one opened and read on 2026-09-15)
- Starting a Business: https://www.maine.gov/portal/business/starting.html
Who issues a Business License in Maine
This is a local permit. It is issued by your city or county, not by the state of Maine. The state office listed underneath handles a related filing — it does not issue this permit.
- Maine — the state revenue or taxation department (handles state tax registration and permits)
https://www.maine.gov/revenue
Finding your local office
Start with the city your address sits in — the relevant department is usually called Planning, Building, Community Development, or Business Licensing. If your address is unincorporated, the county performs that role instead. Calling the main switchboard and asking who handles this is usually faster than searching.
Starting point for anything else in Maine: the state business portal, https://www.maine.gov/sos/corporations-commissions. It is a starting point, not the issuer of this permit.
The general US process
This sequence is the shape the process takes across the US. It is not a list of Maine requirements, and no step here should be read as one — the issuing office named above sets the actual requirements.
- Step 1: Work out which government actually licenses you. In most of the country this is the city; unincorporated addresses are usually licensed by the county; a few states also run a statewide business licence.
- Step 2: Check the zoning for your address before paying anything — a licence does not override zoning.
- Step 3: Apply through that office. Larger cities almost all have an online portal; smaller ones may still be paper.
- Step 4: Expect the fee to be flat, or scaled to gross receipts or headcount, depending on the jurisdiction.
- Step 5: Display the licence if the issuing office asks you to.
- Step 6: Put the renewal date in a calendar. Renewal notices are not guaranteed.
What varies: whether a licence is required at all, who issues it, how the fee is calculated, and whether the state has its own layer on top.
Documents usually asked for
A typical list, not a Maine checklist.
- EIN or SSN
- Business name/DBA filing
- Physical address
- Description of business activities
Related permits in Maine
Business License in states bordering Maine
Rules stop at the state line — same permit, each state bordering Maine:
See Business License in all 50 states & DC →
Frequently asked questions
Who issues a business license in Maine?
Your city or county — not the state.
How much does a business license cost in Maine?
We don't publish a Maine figure we haven't verified. The typical US range is $25–$500. The office named above has the real number for your address.
How long does it take to get a business license in Maine?
Typical US processing is 3–30 days, and expedited handling is often available for a fee. The issuing office publishes its own turnaround, and that is the number to trust.
What is Maine-specific on this page: the issuing office, 5 Maine facts, each quoted off the government page beside it. Everything else — the numbered process, the document list, the cost and timeline — is the general US pattern, not a Maine rule, and is labelled that way above. Requirements, fees and deadlines are set by the issuing office; confirm with it before you file or pay.