Fee to file with the state
$125
From sosnc.gov, October 2026
LLC cost guide · North Carolina
Starting an LLC in North Carolina (2026): Official Costs and the 3 Best Services
For forming an LLC in North Carolina in 2026, we recommend NC Registered Agent.org ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and North Carolina Registered Agent.co ($199), in that order. To open an LLC in North Carolina you pay the state $125 and, every year, $200 for the annual report, a total that ranks 42nd of 50.
North Carolina state charges at a glance
42nd
of 50 by what the state bills across three years
The smaller the number, the less the state charges. Every state compared
Annual report
$200 / yr
The state sets the deadline as April 15. From sosnc.gov, October 2026
State charges, years one to three
$525
Only the state's own charges, across three years
Our North Carolina shortlist
Five criteria set the order, led by three-year service charges and the filings covered; the methodology has the weights.
1. NC Registered Agent.org: best for a thrifty start
$199 in the first year, $99 afterward
NC Registered Agent.org is our first choice because the North Carolina filing for $199 with the first agent year free, then $99 each year for the agent.
The three-year service bill is smaller than Mainstay Filing's, which is our heaviest criterion.
Plan to submit the annual report on your own every year.
What the price buys
- The North Carolina formation prepared and filed
- First year of agent service
In its favor
- A $199 formation charge
- Then $99 per year
- The first agent year is already paid for
Against it
- No annual report service
- Help with the EIN costs $99
2. Mainstay Filing: best for a filing calendar someone else tracks
$199 yearly, renewing at $199
Mainstay Filing comes next: one yearly $199 pays for the formation, the registered agent and the annual report, with renewal at $199.
The three-year bill is $200 larger than NC Registered Agent.org's, and cost is the heaviest of our criteria.
The annual report is filed by Mainstay, with North Carolina's $200 charge passed through unmarked.
What the price buys
- Your formation is prepared and filed
- Registered agent duties covered all year
- Your annual report is prepared and sent in
- Your EIN application goes in with the rest
- You pay the state fee at face value
In its favor
- Renews at $199
- The EIN application is in the price
- An all-in $199 a year
Against it
- $100 a year more than NC Registered Agent.org's agent renewal
3. North Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for North Carolina-only LLCs
$199 in the first year, $99 afterward
In third place we have North Carolina Registered Agent.co, because the North Carolina filing for $199 with the first agent year free, then $99 each year for the agent.
Plan to submit the annual report on your own every year.
Price for price, it equals NC Registered Agent.org.
What the price buys
- The North Carolina formation prepared and filed
- First year of agent service
In its favor
- A $199 formation charge
- The first agent year is already paid for
- Then $99 per year
Against it
- No annual report service
- Help with the EIN costs $99
North Carolina picks compared
| 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 | $199/yr | $597 | 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. |
Every price was copied from its company's page on November 12, 2026. Add North Carolina's $125 filing fee to each row.
LLC cost calculator
Pick a number of years and a service. The state portion follows the official schedule: $125 to form, then the annual report from year two.
North Carolina next to the states ranked around it
| Place | State | Three-year state fees |
|---|---|---|
| 40th | Alaska | $350 |
| 41st | Florida | $402.50 |
| 42nd | North Carolina | $525 |
| 43rd | Kentucky | $595 |
| 44th | Maryland | $700 |
All fifty states appear in LLC costs by state.
North Carolina LLC filing fee and form (official source)
The Articles of Organization (Form L-01) costs $125 at the North Carolina Secretary of State, a fee set by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 57D-2-20. None of the listed services marks it up. Usual wait at the state: Entity creation 5 to 10 business days.
Staying in good standing: the annual report
Set aside $200 for the annual report every year; it must arrive April 15.
Why NC Registered Agent.org is first
Of our five criteria, three-year service charge (34%) is what put NC Registered Agent.org above Mainstay Filing in North Carolina.
NC Registered Agent.org's three-year total is $397, $200 beneath Mainstay Filing.
Questions and answers
How much does the state charge to start an LLC in North Carolina?
The state's fee is $125. Hiring a service adds $199.
What fee goes with the North Carolina annual report?
$200 every year, filed April 15.
Where does North Carolina stand on LLC fees?
North Carolina is 42nd of 50 for three-year state fees, at $525; the smallest bill ranks first.
How long does the state take to approve a new LLC?
Official turnaround: Entity creation 5 to 10 business days.
Does North Carolina require a registered agent?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Which service should file my LLC?
NC Registered Agent.org, Mainstay Filing and North Carolina Registered Agent.co, in that sequence.
Sources for this chapter
- For North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, see sosnc.gov (opened August 2026)
- For North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, see sosnc.gov (opened August 2026)
- For North Carolina report due date, see ncleg.gov (opened August 2026)
- For N.C, see sosnc.gov (opened August 2026)
- For North Carolina formation fee: Filing fee, official source, see sosnc.gov (opened October 2026)
- For North Carolina formation fee: Filing fee, official source, see sosnc.gov (opened October 2026)
- For North Carolina registered agent statute, see sosnc.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Alaska Stat. §§ 10.50.070, 10.50.075, see akleg.gov (opened August 2026)
- For Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, see commerce.alaska.gov (opened August 2026)
- For Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, see commerce.alaska.gov (opened August 2026)
- For Fla, see flsenate.gov (opened August 2026)
- For Florida formation fee: Filing fee, official source, see dos.fl.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Florida formation fee: Filing fee, official source, see flsenate.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, see dos.fl.gov (opened August 2026)
- For Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, see dos.fl.gov (opened August 2026)
- For Florida yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source, see flsenate.gov (opened October 2026)
- For KRS 275.025, see apps.legislature.ky.gov (opened August 2026)
- For Kentucky formation fee: Filing fee, official source, see sos.ky.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Kentucky Secretary of State, see sos.ky.gov (opened August 2026)
- For Kentucky Secretary of State, see sos.ky.gov (opened August 2026)
- For Kentucky other cost: Limited Liability Entity Tax, official, see revenue.ky.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Md, see mgaleg.maryland.gov (opened August 2026)
- For Maryland formation fee: Filing fee, official source, see mgaleg.maryland.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Maryland formation fee: Filing fee, official source, see egov.maryland.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation, see dat.maryland.gov (opened August 2026)
- For Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation, see dat.maryland.gov (opened August 2026)
- For Processing, official source, see sosnc.gov (opened October 2026)
- The pricing page for NC Registered Agent.org, as published November 12, 2026
- The North Carolina service page for Mainstay Filing, as published November 12, 2026
- The pricing page for North Carolina Registered Agent.co, as published November 12, 2026