LLC Filing Guide › North Carolina
How to file an LLC in North Carolina (2026)
File the Articles of Organization (L-01) with the North Carolina Secretary of State to create a North Carolina LLC. The filing fee is $125. North Carolina LLCs file an Annual Report every year, due April 15, for $200. Every North Carolina LLC must keep a registered agent with a North Carolina street address.
- Official sources, checked October 20, 2026
- Prices verified October 2026
How to form an LLC in North Carolina
- Pick a name with “LLC” or “Limited Liability Company” in it, and check that it’s free on the North Carolina Secretary of State business records.
- Name a registered agent: a North Carolina resident, or a corporation, nonprofit or LLC on the North Carolina business registry other than the company itself.
- File the Articles of Organization (L-01) with the North Carolina Secretary of State and pay $125.
- Get an EIN from the IRS. It is free and comes after the LLC is formed.
- Sign an operating agreement among the members. It sets ownership and voting rules and stays with your records.
- File the yearly report. North Carolina LLCs file an Annual Report every year, due April 15, for $200.
Mainstay Filing takes care of the agent, the filing, the EIN application and each annual report for $199 a year plus North Carolina’s fees.
North Carolina LLC fees and rules
- State filing fee
- $125
- Formation document
- Articles of Organization (L-01)
- Filed with
- North Carolina Secretary of State
- Yearly filing
- Annual Report, every year, $200
- Due
- April 15
- Registered agent
- Required. A North Carolina resident, or a corporation, nonprofit or LLC on the North Carolina business registry other than the company itself.
- Agent address
- The address has to be a physical registered office in North Carolina. A P.O. box can be added only as a mailing address.
- Filing fee rank
- 31st lowest of 50 (30 states charge less, 16 charge more)
North Carolina compared with neighboring states
| State | Filing fee | Yearly filing |
|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | $125 | $200 / yr |
| Georgia | $110 | $60 / yr |
| South Carolina | $110 | None |
| Tennessee | $300 | $300 / yr |
| Virginia | $100 | $50 fee |
Mainstay Filing
$199 / year, all-in, plus state fees
$199 a year plus North Carolina’s $125 filing fee, which is passed through at cost.
- LLC formation, prepared and filed
- Registered agent, all year
- EIN application (with an SSN or ITIN)
- Annual report, prepared and filed every year it’s due
- Compliance reminders
The same $199 at renewal. Already have an LLC and only need an agent? Mainstay Filing’s registered agent service alone is $149 a year.
Prices verified October 21, 2026 on Mainstay Filing’s pricing and FAQ pages.
North Carolina LLC questions
How much does it cost to start an LLC in North Carolina?
$125 to the state to file. North Carolina LLCs file an Annual Report every year, due April 15, for $200. With Mainstay Filing, the formation filing, registered agent, EIN application and annual reports are $199 a year on top of the state fees.
Does North Carolina require an annual report for LLCs?
Yes. North Carolina LLCs file an Annual Report every year, due April 15, for $200.
Do I need a registered agent in North Carolina?
Yes. A North Carolina resident, or a corporation, nonprofit or LLC on the North Carolina business registry other than the company itself.
Can I form a North Carolina LLC myself?
Yes. You can file the Articles of Organization (L-01) directly with the North Carolina Secretary of State and pay the $125 fee. A service such as Mainstay Filing files it for you and adds the registered agent, EIN application and annual reports for $199 a year.
Other formation services
- Northwest Registered Agent: $39 plus the state fee, with its registered agent service included the first year, then $125 a year; annual report filing is an extra $100 plus the state fee.
- ZenBusiness: Starter package $0 plus the state fee; Pro is $199 a year with the EIN and annual-report filing, and its registered agent is a separate $199 a year that no package includes.
- Bizee: Basic package $0 plus the state fee (Standard $199, Premium $299), with one free year of its registered agent, which is $149 a year after that.
- LegalZoom: Basic package $0 plus the state fee (Pro $249, Premium $299); its registered agent is $249 a year for first-time agent customers.
Prices from each company’s own pages, checked October 20, 2026. Plus the state fee in every case.
Sources
- N.C. Gen. Stat. § 57D-2-20 (North Carolina Limited Liability Company Act, Chapter 57D — formation by filing articles of organization); fee set at $125 (recited on the official form; fee schedule in N.C.G.S. § 57D-1-22) (multira state research spine): www.sosnc.gov/webfiles/documents/forms/Business_Registration/limited_liability_companies/articles_of_organization.pdf, checked August 12, 2026
- North Carolina formation fee: Filing fee, official source read 2026-10-01: www.sosnc.gov/fees/by_title/_Business_Registration_limited_liability_companies, checked October 1, 2026
- North Carolina formation fee: Filing fee, official source read 2026-10-01: sosnc.gov/fees/by_title/_Business_Registration/, checked October 1, 2026
- North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division (multira state research spine): www.sosnc.gov/divisions/business_registration/annual_report, checked August 12, 2026
- North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division (multira state research spine): www.sosnc.gov/divisions/business_registration/filing_a_paper_annual_report, checked August 12, 2026
- North Carolina report due date (multira state research spine, due dates verified 714/714): www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/PDF/BySection/Chapter_57D/GS_57D-2-24.pdf, checked August 12, 2026
- North Carolina registered agent statute (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 55D-30): sosnc.gov/divisions/business_registration/registered_agent_links, checked October 20, 2026