North Carolina LLC cost
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A North Carolina LLC costs $125 to file the Articles of Organization. Filing online adds a $2 ACH or $3 card fee. The recurring cost is the $200 annual report, due every April 15 starting the year after you form, which is high next to many states. NC has no franchise tax for default-taxed LLCs and no publication requirement, so the annual report is the number to plan around. Miss it, and NC can dissolve the LLC; reinstatement costs $100 plus every delinquent report.
- To form
- $125
- Cheapest way to file
- Year one total
- $127
- $125 filing + $2 ACH fee online; $125 by mail
- Every year after
- $200/yr
- Annual report due April 15; $202 online by ACH
Our recommendation
Budget $127 for year one and $200 for year two
File online and pay by ACH, $127 in total. Skip the $100 24-hour expedite unless a contract or launch date depends on it; standard filings are estimated at 5 to 10 business days, though that isn't guaranteed. Be your own registered agent if you have an NC office with regular hours. If you work from home and don't want that address on the permanent public record, a commercial agent is worth paying for. Put April 15 on your calendar the day the LLC is approved.
Every North Carolina LLC fee, line by line
What's required, what's optional, and where the total climbs past the filing fee.
| Item | Cost | Required? | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization (Form L-01) | $125 | Yes | +$2 ACH or +$3 card if filed online |
| Name reservation (Form BE-03) | $10 | Optional | 120 days, non-renewable |
| Assumed Business Name (DBA) | ~$26 | Optional | Filed at county Register of Deeds |
| Registered agent service | $100–$300/yr | Optional | Self-file for $0 if eligible |
| Change of registered agent (Form BE-06) | $5 | Only when changing | Update SOS within 60 days |
| Expedited 24-hour | +$100 | Optional | On top of $125 base |
| Expedited same-day | +$200 | Optional | Received before 12:00 noon |
| EIN | Free | Recommended | IRS direct, instant online |
| Operating agreement | Free if you draft it yourself | Recommended | Internal document |
| Certificate of Existence | $10–$15 | Optional | $10 electronic, $15 paper |
| Annual report (paper) | $200/yr | Yes (recurring) | Due April 15 |
| Annual report (online) | $200 + $2 ACH or $3 card | Yes (recurring) | Online surcharge |
| Reinstatement after admin dissolution (Form L-08) | $100 | Only if dissolved | Plus all delinquent annual reports |
| Articles of Dissolution (Form L-07) | $30 | Only at wind-up | Voluntary dissolution |
| Foreign LLC Certificate of Authority (Form L-09) | $250 | Only out-of-state LLCs | Requires home-state Certificate of Existence ≤6 months old |
| Total (bare-minimum DIY, year 1) | $125 | — | State filing only — annual report not due until following April 15 |
| Total (with service, year 1) | $225–$425 | — | Filing + commercial registered agent |
| Total (recurring, year 2+) | $200–$500/yr | — | Annual report + optional registered agent service |
What you pay North Carolina, and when
The recurring dates are the ones people miss. Put each one on your calendar the day the LLC is approved.
- Articles of Organization (Form L-01)
- $125
- When you form. Online adds $2 by ACH or $3 by card.
- Annual report
- $200
- April 15 every year, starting the year after you form. Online adds $2 or $3.
- Late annual report
- $0
- No late fee. More than 60 days late, the state can start dissolution, with 60 days to fix it after notice.
- Reinstatement (Form L-08)
- $100+
- Only if dissolved, plus every delinquent annual report.
- Change of registered agent
- $5
- Only when you change agents. Update the state within 60 days.
North Carolina registered agent cost
Your registered agent's name and NC street address stay on the public Articles of Organization permanently, and your company officials are listed on every annual report. If you have an NC office with regular hours, you can be your own agent for free. If you work from home, don't want your address public, or can't reliably be at an NC street address during business hours, use a commercial registered agent. Look for a flat annual price ($100 to $300 a year is normal) and skip bundled formation add-ons you don't need.
North Carolina LLC cost vs nearby states
Cheaper elsewhere doesn't mean cheaper for you. If you live and work in North Carolina, an out-of-state LLC still has to register here and pay North Carolina's fees too.
FAQ
How much does an LLC cost in North Carolina?
$125 to file the Articles of Organization, plus $2 by ACH or $3 by card if you file online. If you serve as your own registered agent, that is your whole state cost in year one. Starting the year after you form, the annual report costs $200 every April 15.
What is the North Carolina LLC annual fee?
$200 for the annual report, due April 15 every year starting the year after formation. Filing online adds $2 by ACH ($202) or $3 by card ($203). PLLCs are exempt from the Secretary of State report but usually have an annual licensing-board registration instead.
Is there a late fee for the NC annual report?
No traditional late fee. A report more than 60 days late is grounds for administrative dissolution. The Secretary of State mails a notice, and if you do not fix it within 60 days, the LLC is dissolved. Reinstatement costs $100 plus every delinquent annual report.
Does North Carolina charge a franchise tax on LLCs?
Not on default-taxed LLCs. NC franchise tax only applies to LLCs that elect C-corp or S-corp treatment, with a $200 minimum. NC also has no Commercial Activity Tax and no municipal income tax.
How much is a registered agent in North Carolina?
Free if you serve yourself: you need to be an NC resident with a physical NC street address where you're available during business hours, and that address stays on the public Articles permanently. A commercial registered agent usually costs $100 to $300 a year.