Maine Secretary of State Business Search Guide 2024

The Maine Secretary of State allows you to search for information on businesses registered in the state through their website. This guide will walk you through the steps to perform a search and highlight some additional resources that can help streamline the process.

1. Reasons for Searching

There are several reasons you might need to access this information, such as:

- Conducting due diligence

- Fulfilling Know Your Client (KYC) requirements

- Researching businesses for various purposes

Maine's online search portal is suitable for occasional searches, but if you require high-volume searching, there are tools available to make the process more efficient.

2. Accessing the Search Page

Start by navigating to the Corporate Name Search page on the Maine Secretary of State website. The page has a simple interface with limited search options.

3. Performing a Search

On the search page, you can search by either the business name or Charter number. Note that the search functionality is basic, with the following limitations:

- Only 100 results are displayed at a time

- No advanced filtering options are available

To search effectively, refer to the 'Search tips and key to abbreviations' guide provided. It explains how to use wildcards (%) for partial or keyword searches, although the effectiveness of these techniques is not entirely clear.

4. Understanding Search Results

After performing a search, the results page displays a list of matching businesses, sorted alphabetically by name. The information provided is limited to:

- Business name

- Type of name (legal, assumed, former, or trademark)

To access more details, click on the 'Information Summary' link for a specific business.

5. Accessing Business Details

Maine 11 Business Entity Status Definition

The Information Summary page provides additional details, including:

- Charter number

- Name status (active, inactive, etc.)

- Initial filing date

- Clerk or Registered Agent name and contact information

For further information, click the link at the bottom of the page.

6. Obtaining Documents

If you require certified copies of business documents, you can order them directly from the detail page. Alternatively, click 'View list of filings' to see a list of available documents, which can be purchased for $3 each. No preview is available before ordering.

Limitations and Alternatives

While Maine offers some business information for free, the search interface is basic, and the data provided is limited. For high-volume searches (hundreds or thousands per month), using the state's website can be time-consuming and potentially expensive. Additionally, integrating data from multiple states is challenging due to variations in data format and availability.

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