Registered agent required
Yes
According to sosnc.gov, as of October 2026
Registered agent guide · North Carolina
North Carolina Registered Agents (2026): State Rules, Fees and the 3 Best Agents
North Carolina, 2026: North Carolina Registered Agent.co ($99 a year), Mainstay Filing ($149 a year) and NC Registered Agent.org ($99 a year) come out on top for a registered agent, in that sequence. A registered agent is a legal requirement for North Carolina LLCs. Each year the state itself collects $200; that is 43rd of 50.
North Carolina in numbers
43rd
out of 50 states, measured on one year of state charges
A low number means a small state bill. See the full 50-state table
Annual report
$200 / yr
The state sets the deadline as April 15. According to sosnc.gov, as of October 2026
State charges, per year
$200
One year of the report plus any minimum tax
Our North Carolina recommendations
How the order came about: three-year service charges first, then coverage, renewal, North Carolina fit and fee labeling (methodology).
1. North Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for a modest agent budget
$99 annually, no change at renewal
Why North Carolina Registered Agent.co leads: a plan for North Carolina alone at $99 a year, with a renewal price of $99.
It comes in under Mainstay Filing on three-year service fees. Cost counts for 34% of the score.
What the price buys
- Public record lists a North Carolina office location
- Documents delivered to the agent are scanned into your account
In its favor
- $99 annually
- Each year it bills less than Mainstay Filing
Against it
- Single-state service
- Annual report sits outside the price
2. Mainstay Filing: best for multi-state businesses
$149 annually, no change at renewal
Number 2 is Mainstay Filing: a flat $149 per year, supplied by a company active in all fifty states.
The three-year bill is $150 larger than North Carolina Registered Agent.co's, and cost is the heaviest of our criteria.
What the price buys
- Registered office address in North Carolina
- Anything served on the company is scanned and sent to you that business day, free of charge
- The first three letters from government agencies each year are scanned at no charge
- Also open to nonprofits, partnerships and corporations, not only LLCs
In its favor
- A flat $149 a year
- A single provider for any state
Against it
- North Carolina Registered Agent.co bills $50 less per year
- This plan is for the agent only; reports are yours to file
3. NC Registered Agent.org: best for an office address inside the state
$99 annually, no change at renewal
NC Registered Agent.org comes after that: a plan for North Carolina alone at $99 a year, with a renewal price of $99.
Its published prices match North Carolina Registered Agent.co's exactly, so the two sit side by side.
What the price buys
- Public record lists a North Carolina office location
- Documents delivered to the agent are scanned into your account
In its favor
- Each year it bills less than Mainstay Filing
- $99 annually
Against it
- Single-state service
- Annual report sits outside the price
The picks in numbers
| No. | Service | Yearly price | Renews at | Service charges, three years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Carolina Registered Agent.co | $99 | $99/yr | $297 | Visit North Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | Mainstay Filing | $149 | $149/yr | $447 | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | NC Registered Agent.org | $99 | $99/yr | $297 | Visit NC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
Every price was copied from its company's page on November 12, 2026. Whichever agent you pick, North Carolina collects the same.
Agent and state charges, by year
Each agent's price is combined with the state charges that repeat (the annual report from year two). Formation fees are not in the total.
North Carolina next to the states ranked around it
| Place | State | Yearly state fees |
|---|---|---|
| 41st | Arkansas | $150 |
| 42nd | Kentucky | $190 |
| 43rd | North Carolina | $200 |
| 44th | Maryland | $300 |
| 44th | Tennessee | $300 |
All fifty states appear in Registered agent rules by state.
North Carolina registered agent requirements (official, Secretary of State)
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street 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.
Who can act: A North Carolina resident, or a corporation, nonprofit or LLC on the North Carolina business registry other than the company itself. Statute: N.C. Gen. Stat. § 55D-30.
Yearly state fees for a North Carolina LLC
The annual report is due every year at a cost of $200 (deadline April 15). Notices about it go to your registered agent.
The reasoning behind the order
Of our five criteria, three-year service charge (34%) is what put North Carolina Registered Agent.co above Mainstay Filing in North Carolina.
Three years of service fees at North Carolina Registered Agent.co come to $297, which is $150 less than Mainstay Filing.
North Carolina FAQ
Does every North Carolina LLC need a registered agent?
Yes. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Who may act as the registered agent for North Carolina LLCs?
A North Carolina resident, or a corporation, nonprofit or LLC on the North Carolina business registry other than the company itself.
What is the yearly price of registered agent service for North Carolina?
The agents on this page charge $99 to $149 a year.
What does the state itself charge an LLC each year?
About $200 a year by our yearly measure, which comes from the annual report ($200 every year).
Which registered agents are recommended on this page?
North Carolina Registered Agent.co ($99 a year), Mainstay Filing ($149 a year) and NC Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), beginning with our first choice.
Which registered agent is the best choice?
Start with North Carolina Registered Agent.co: $99 per year for an agent whose office address is inside the state. After that, Mainstay Filing and NC Registered Agent.org.
Sources for this chapter
- sosnc.gov supplies North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, last opened August 2026
- sosnc.gov supplies North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, last opened August 2026
- ncleg.gov supplies North Carolina report due date, last opened August 2026
- sosnc.gov supplies N.C, last opened August 2026
- sosnc.gov supplies North Carolina formation fee: Filing fee, official source, last opened October 2026
- sosnc.gov supplies North Carolina formation fee: Filing fee, official source, last opened October 2026
- sosnc.gov supplies North Carolina registered agent statute, last opened October 2026
- sos.arkansas.gov supplies Arkansas yearly filing: Franchise tax report: what and, last opened October 2026
- sos.arkansas.gov supplies Arkansas yearly filing: Franchise tax: amount and filing, last opened October 2026
- sos.ky.gov supplies Kentucky Secretary of State, last opened August 2026
- sos.ky.gov supplies Kentucky Secretary of State, last opened August 2026
- revenue.ky.gov supplies Kentucky other cost: Limited Liability Entity Tax, official, last opened October 2026
- dat.maryland.gov supplies Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation, last opened August 2026
- dat.maryland.gov supplies Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation, last opened August 2026
- tnbear.tn.gov supplies Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business Services, last opened August 2026
- sos.tn.gov supplies Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business Services, last opened August 2026
- sos.tn.gov supplies Tennessee yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source, last opened October 2026
- Pricing page at North Carolina Registered Agent.co, noted November 12, 2026
- North Carolina service page at Mainstay Filing, noted November 12, 2026
- Pricing page at NC Registered Agent.org, noted November 12, 2026