Foreign registration charge
$250
From sosnc.gov, October 2026
Foreign LLC guide · North Carolina
Registering an Out-of-State LLC in North Carolina (2026): Fees and the 3 Best Services
Short answer for North Carolina: NC Registered Agent.org ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and North Carolina Registered Agent.co ($199), which is the sequence we would follow for registering a foreign LLC in 2026. North Carolina charges $250 for an out-of-state LLC to register, then $200 per yearly report. That is number 39th of 50.
The North Carolina fee sheet
39th
of 50 by what a foreign LLC pays the state
The smaller the number, the less the state charges. Every state compared
Report, per cycle
$200
Annual report
Home-state certificate
180 days
Maximum age at filing
State charges, years one to three
$650
Only the state's charges across three years
North Carolina: our recommendations
Most of the weight goes to three-year charges and coverage. Read the methodology for all five criteria.
1. NC Registered Agent.org: best for adding only North Carolina
$199 to register, $99 each year after
We put NC Registered Agent.org first: a $199 service fee and a $99 agent renewal in North Carolina.
The three-year service bill is smaller than Mainstay Filing's, which is our heaviest criterion.
What the price buys
- Registration paperwork taken care of
- A year of agent service
In its favor
- Agent service for year one comes with it
- A $199 service fee
- The agent renews at $99
Against it
- Single-state service
2. Mainstay Filing: best for companies adding a second state
$199 to register, $149 each year after
Number 2 is Mainstay Filing: registration costs $199 plus state fees, and the registered agent is free for the first year.
NC Registered Agent.org is $100 cheaper over three years, which explains why it ranks higher.
When the free year ends, the agent is $149 a year in any state.
What the price buys
- Your registration is prepared and filed
- No charge for the registered agent in the first year
- Serves all fifty states
In its favor
- Twelve months of agent service cost nothing
- One fee in every state
- $199 plus the state fee
Against it
- NC Registered Agent.org renews its agent for $50 less
3. North Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for a second North Carolina choice
$199 to register, $99 each year after
North Carolina Registered Agent.co comes after that: a $199 service fee and a $99 agent renewal in North Carolina.
Price for price, it equals NC Registered Agent.org.
What the price buys
- Registration paperwork taken care of
- A year of agent service
In its favor
- A $199 service fee
- Agent service for year one comes with it
- The agent renews at $99
Against it
- Single-state service
Prices side by side
| No. | Service | First-year fee | From year two | Service charges, three years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NC Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Visit NC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149/yr | $497 | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | North Carolina Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Visit North Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
We took these prices from the companies' sites on November 12, 2026. Add the $250 state fee to each row.
Registration and upkeep, by year
The registration fee is $250, with the $200 report from year two; the service's prices are added to it.
North Carolina next to the states ranked around it
| Place | State | Three-year foreign LLC fees |
|---|---|---|
| 37th | Arkansas | $570 |
| 38th | Kentucky | $645 |
| 39th | North Carolina | $650 |
| 40th | Maryland | $700 |
| 41st | Mississippi | $750 |
For the other states, go to Foreign LLC fees by state.
North Carolina foreign LLC registration fee and form (official)
Foreign LLCs register on the Application for Certificate of Authority for Limited Liability Company (Form L-09), which is submitted to the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division with $250. Attach certificate of existence (or similar document, such as a certificate of good standing), no more than 180 days.
From then on it owes the annual report ($200), April 15.
Before you file
- Certificate of existence (or similar document, such as a certificate of good standing), not more than 180 days.
- Name and formation date exactly as the home state records them.
- A registered agent within the state (included with every pick).
- Payment of the $250 registration fee.
What happens if you do not register
An LLC that wants to sue in the state has to register first (G.S. 57D-7-02(a)). Whatever it signed remains in force (G.S. 57D-7-02(c)). Daily penalty: $10 can be assessed. The state also collects back fees for the unregistered period.
The reasoning behind the order
NC Registered Agent.org moved ahead of Mainstay Filing on three-year service charge, a criterion weighted 34%.
NC Registered Agent.org charges $397 over three years in service fees, $100 under Mainstay Filing.
North Carolina FAQ
What fee does a foreign LLC pay to register with North Carolina?
$250 to the state. Service fees: $199.
Which form does North Carolina use to register a foreign LLC?
Application for Certificate of Authority for Limited Liability Company (Form L-09), submitted to the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division.
Does the home state have to issue a certificate?
Yes. certificate of existence (or similar document, such as a certificate of good standing); it has to be dated within 180 days of the filing.
Does a foreign LLC owe anything every year?
Yes, the annual report, at $200.
What are the consequences of operating there without registering?
An LLC that wants to sue in the state has to register first (G.S. 57D-7-02(a)). Whatever it signed remains in force (G.S. 57D-7-02(c)). Daily penalty: $10 can be assessed. The state also collects back fees for the unregistered period.
Does North Carolina require a registered agent of a foreign LLC?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Who should register my foreign LLC?
NC Registered Agent.org, because $199 over the state fee to register, then $99 yearly. Behind it come Mainstay Filing and North Carolina Registered Agent.co.
Sources for this chapter
- Official page for North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State: sosnc.gov, opened August 2026
- Official page for North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State: sosnc.gov, opened August 2026
- Official page for North Carolina report due date: ncleg.gov, opened August 2026
- Official page for N.C: sosnc.gov, opened August 2026
- Official page for North Carolina formation fee: Filing fee, official source: sosnc.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for North Carolina formation fee: Filing fee, official source: sosnc.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for North Carolina registered agent statute: sosnc.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for North Carolina Secretary of State, Business Registration: sosnc.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for Form L-09, Application for Certificate of Authority: sosnc.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for Secretary of State guide to registering a foreign: sosnc.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for G.S: ncleg.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for Annual report due dates: sosnc.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for N.C: ncleg.gov, opened November 2026
- Official page for Arkansas Secretary of State, foreign LLC forms and: sos.arkansas.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for Form FL-01: sos.arkansas.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for Act 1041 of 2021, Uniform LLC Act: arkleg.state.ar.us, opened October 2026
- Official page for 2026 LLC franchise tax report and instructions: sos.arkansas.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for Form FL-04, application for cancellation: sos.arkansas.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for Kentucky Secretary of State, business filings: sos.ky.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for Form FBE, Certificate of Authority: web.sos.ky.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for KRS 14A.9-020, consequences of transacting business without authority: apps.legislature.ky.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for KRS 14A.9-010, authority to transact business required: apps.legislature.ky.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for KRS 14A.6-010, annual report: apps.legislature.ky.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for Kentucky Secretary of State, fee schedule: sos.ky.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for Kentucky other cost: Limited Liability Entity Tax, official: revenue.ky.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for Maryland Business Express: egov.maryland.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for Business Express fee schedule: egov.maryland.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for Corporations and Associations § 4A-1002, registration: mgaleg.maryland.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for Corporations and Associations § 4A-1009, activities that are: mgaleg.maryland.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for Corporations and Associations § 4A-1007, effect of not: mgaleg.maryland.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for Tax-Property § 11-101, annual report: mgaleg.maryland.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for Mississippi Secretary of State, Business Services: sos.ms.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for Business filing fee schedule: sos.ms.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for Business FAQs: sos.ms.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for Start Your Business in Mississippi: sos.ms.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for Mississippi annual reports: sos.ms.gov, opened October 2026
- Official page for Registered agents: sos.ms.gov, opened October 2026
- Pricing page at NC Registered Agent.org, noted November 12, 2026
- North Carolina service page at Mainstay Filing, noted November 12, 2026
- Pricing page at North Carolina Registered Agent.co, noted November 12, 2026