State hub · North Carolina
North Carolina LLC true cost (2026)
North Carolina state side: $125 formation filing, $200 for LLC Annual Report in the 3-year model, ~$725 state fees over three years (methodology below) — #44 of 51 on the cheapest-states ranking. Provider markup is separate — use the table for formation/RA path + state fees.
North Carolina state filing fees
These are state fees — not Northwest / ZenBusiness / Bizee / LegalZoom service fees. The collecting agency is North Carolina Secretary of State — Business Registration Division. Filings go through www.sosnc.gov.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Articles / Certificate of Formation | $125 | N.C.G.S. § 57D-1-22 and SOS Business Registration fee list: Articles of Organization $125.00. Expedite options: $100 (24-hour) or $200 (same-day by noon) in addition to the filing fee. |
| LLC Annual Report | $200 | Statutory / paper annual report fee $200 (G.S. 57D-1-22; SOS fee schedule). Online filing: $203 with credit card ($200 + $3 electronic fee) or $202 via ACH ($200 + $2). Research uses the $200 statutory base for 3-year math; add $2–$3 per online filing if paying electronically. |
| 3-year state subtotal (model) | $725 | Articles $125 + three annual reports at $200 each ($600) = $725 (paper/statutory base). Online card path would be about $125 + 3×$203 = $734. Excludes expedites, reinstatement, and commercial RA. |
When North Carolina actually bills you
North Carolina's recurring filing is due April 15 of each year after the year of creation — put it in a calendar the day you form, because the state will not chase you before it penalises you.
| Point in time | What North Carolina charges | Amount | Running total |
|---|---|---|---|
| At formation | Articles / Certificate of Formation | $125 | $125 |
| Year 1 cycle | LLC Annual Report | $200 | $325 |
| Year 2 cycle | LLC Annual Report | $200 | $525 |
| Year 3 cycle | LLC Annual Report | $200 | $725 |
Provider + North Carolina state (3-year)
Provider totals from the national comparison (formation + RA Y1–Y3, state fees excluded there) plus the North Carolina state subtotal of $725.
| Provider | Plan | Provider 3-yr | + state |
|---|---|---|---|
| northwest | Formation $39 (RA Y1 included) | $289 | $1,014 |
| zenbusiness | Starter $0 + RA add-on | $497 | $1,222 |
| bizee | Basic $0 (RA Y1 free) | $298 | $1,023 |
| legalzoom | Basic $0 + RA $249/yr | $747 | $1,472 |
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How North Carolina ranks against the other 50 charters
Across the 51 jurisdictions covered on this site, North Carolina sits at #44 — the 44th cheapest three-year state charter — at $725 in Secretary of State and revenue-department dollars. That is $690 more than Montana, the cheapest charter in the ranking ($35), $445 above the $280 median, and $1,785 less than California at $2,510. In plain terms, North Carolina lands in the pricier half of the table.
- Just cheaper: District of Columbia ($699), Kentucky ($610).
- Just pricier: Maryland ($1,000), Delaware ($1,310).
- Full table: all 51 states ranked by 3-year state fees — including where the ranking flips once you add a professional registered agent.
Registered agent (North Carolina)
- North Carolina LLC must maintain a registered agent with a North Carolina address. Commercial RA common for non-residents.
Put the agent next to the state's own bill: three years of North Carolina state fees is $725, while the cheapest provider path in our national 3-year comparison runs $289 (Formation $39 (RA Y1 included)) and the most expensive runs $747 (Basic $0 + RA $249/yr) — a $458 spread for the same statutory job. On the cheapest path the service, not North Carolina, is about 29% of your three-year outlay. Choosing the agent well is usually a bigger lever than choosing the state.
Gotchas (fact-based)
- $200 LLC annual report is among the highest flat SOS annual report fees nationally — recurring cost dominates formation.
- No separate statutory late fee highlighted on the due-dates page; failure to file leads toward administrative dissolution; reinstatement application fee $100 plus delinquent reports.
- Online electronic fee ($2 ACH / $3 card) is non-refundable.
Who North Carolina is for / not for
Often a fit when…
- Businesses with real North Carolina nexus that accept a high annual SOS report cost as the price of a domestic NC LLC.
Often a poor fit when…
- Holding-company or cost-sensitive structures that can domicile elsewhere and foreign-qualify only if needed — NC's $200/yr report is expensive for shell use.
Orientation only — not legal advice.
Common questions about North Carolina LLC cost
How much does it cost to form an LLC in North Carolina?
$125 to North Carolina Secretary of State — Business Registration Division for the formation filing. N.C.G.S. § 57D-1-22 and SOS Business Registration fee list: Articles of Organization $125.00. Expedite options: $100 (24-hour) or $200 (same-day by noon) in addition to the filing fee. That is the state charge only. A formation service is a separate bill on top: Formation $39 (RA Y1 included) works out to $39 in year one, versus $249 on the most expensive path we track.
What are the ongoing North Carolina LLC fees after year one?
$200 for the LLC Annual Report, due April 15 of each year after the year of creation. Statutory / paper annual report fee $200 (G.S. 57D-1-22; SOS fee schedule). Online filing: $203 with credit card ($200 + $3 electronic fee) or $202 via ACH ($200 + $2). Research uses the $200 statutory base for 3-year math; add $2–$3 per online filing if paying electronically. Recurring state charges are what make a low formation fee misleading — they are the reason this site models three years instead of one.
What does a North Carolina LLC really cost over three years?
$725 in North Carolina state fees, plus whatever your provider charges. With the cheapest tracked path that is $1,014 all-in over three years; with the most expensive it is $1,472 — a $458 difference that has nothing to do with North Carolina.
Do I need a registered agent in North Carolina?
Yes. North Carolina LLC must maintain a registered agent with a North Carolina address. Commercial RA common for non-residents. On the money side, the four providers tracked here charge $0–$249 in year one for formation plus the agent, then $125–$249 a year in agent renewal after that — separate from every North Carolina figure above.
Is North Carolina a cheap state to form an LLC?
On charter cost alone, North Carolina ranks #44 of 51 at $725 over three years, against a $35 floor and a $2,510 ceiling. But cheapest charter is not the same as cheapest outcome: if you operate somewhere else you will likely foreign-qualify there and pay that state's fees and taxes too. See the full 3-year state fee ranking for the comparison.
How the North Carolina three-year number is built
Articles $125 + three annual reports at $200 each ($600) = $725 (paper/statutory base). Online card path would be about $125 + 3×$203 = $734. Excludes expedites, reinstatement, and commercial RA. Figures are re-derived from the cited North Carolina sources rather than copied from other guides.
Deliberately excluded from the North Carolina state subtotal:
- Professional registered agent fees (same shopping problem in every state)
- County newspaper publication (NY, AZ, and similar — variable)
- Card / portal convenience fees unless fixed on the SOS schedule
- Expedites, name reservations, certified copies, foreign qualification
- Income / sales / payroll taxes and variable gross-receipts tiers above a stated floor
Unverified / confirm before filing
- Provider checkout upsells: see the national comparison page.
- Re-check live North Carolina Secretary of State — Business Registration Division fee schedules — amounts change.
Sources (official)
- NC SOS — Business Registration fee schedule (Articles of Organization $125; LLC Annual Report $200)
- N.C.G.S. § 57D-1-22 — LLC filing fees PDF
- NC SOS — Annual Report Due Dates (LLC April 15; online $203 / paper $200)
- NC Secretary of State business portal
Keep comparing
- Cheapest states to form an LLC (2026)
All 51 charters ranked by three-year state fees — see exactly where North Carolina's $725 lands.
- LLC formation true 3-year cost: Northwest vs ZenBusiness vs Bizee vs LegalZoom
The provider side of the North Carolina math, with the upsells worth skipping.
- All 51 state hubs
Same fee model, state by state.