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Statewise Business The state fee almanac for LLCs, sourced line by line.

LLC cost guide · North Carolina

North Carolina LLC Fees (2026): the State Schedule and the 3 Best LLC Services

The 2026 North Carolina entry for forming an LLC names Mainstay Filing ($199), North Carolina Registered Agent.co ($199) and NC Registered Agent.org ($199), in that order. North Carolina collects $125 when the LLC is formed and $200 for the annual report every year, placing it 42nd of 50 over three years.

Entry by the Statewise Business almanac desk ·

The North Carolina schedule

42ndin the 50-state table, three yearsOrdered from least to most expensive. All fifty rows
Filing fee charged by the state
$125sosnc.gov as of October 2026
Annual report
$200 / yrFalls due: April 15. sosnc.gov as of October 2026
State fees over three years
$525Years one to three, state fees only

Who files for you in North Carolina

Order from the five weighted criteria on the methodology page: three-year service fees at 32%, filings covered at 28%, then renewal price, fit with North Carolina rules and clarity of fees.

1. Mainstay Filing: best for a annual report you never have to remember

Rank one$199 yearly

Mainstay Filing opens the list: a single yearly $199 pays for formation, a registered agent and the annual report, and it renews at $199.

Over three years it costs $200 more than North Carolina Registered Agent.co; on our weights the extra filings it covers outweigh that.

The price includes filing the annual report each year, and the state's $200 fee passes through at cost.

In the price

  • The formation filing, done for you
  • Registered agent service for the year
  • The annual report, prepared and submitted
  • EIN application included
  • State fee at face value

Strengths

  • Renewal holds at $199
  • A $199 yearly bundle
  • Takes care of your EIN application

Weak points

  • $100 more per year from year two
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

2. North Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for small formation fees

North Carolina focus$199 and fees, then $99 yearly

Entry 2 is North Carolina Registered Agent.co: $199 plus the state fee, with the first agent year included, then $99 a year.

The annual report remains your task, every year.

In the price

  • The LLC filing with the state
  • First year of agent service

Strengths

  • A $99 renewal
  • Agent covered in year one
  • $199 plus the state fee

Weak points

  • No annual report service offered
  • $99 add-on for the EIN
Visit North Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

3. NC Registered Agent.org: best for another North Carolina option

North Carolina focus$199 and fees, then $99 yearly

Entry 3 is NC Registered Agent.org: $199 plus the state fee, with the first agent year included, then $99 a year.

The annual report remains your task, every year.

On price it ties with North Carolina Registered Agent.co.

In the price

  • The LLC filing with the state
  • First year of agent service

Strengths

  • $199 plus the state fee
  • Agent covered in year one
  • A $99 renewal

Weak points

  • No annual report service offered
  • $99 add-on for the EIN
Visit NC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

The shortlist as numbers

#EntryYear-one priceYears two onService fees over three years
1Mainstay Filing$199$199/yr$597Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2North Carolina Registered Agent.co$199$99/yr$397Visit North Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3NC Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397Visit NC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Company price pages, recorded November 12, 2026. Add North Carolina's $125 filing fee to each row.

North Carolina LLC cost calculator

Choose years and a service. The state side uses the official schedule: $125 at formation, then the annual report from year two.
Total for 3 years with Mainstay Filing: $1,122 ($525 state, $597 service).

North Carolina among its neighbors in the rank

PositionStateThree-year state fees
40thAlaska$350
41stFlorida$402.50
42ndNorth Carolina$525
43rdKentucky$595
44thMaryland$700
The whole table is on LLC costs by state; the lowest fees rank first.

North Carolina formation fee and form

Formation means filing the Articles of Organization (Form L-01) with the North Carolina Secretary of State and paying $125; see N.C. Gen. Stat. § 57D-2-20. The services below pass it through unchanged. The state gives its turnaround as Entity creation 5 to 10 business days.

North Carolina's recurring filing

Budget $200 for the annual report every year, due April 15.

What settled the order

What set Mainstay Filing above North Carolina Registered Agent.co: requirements covered, at 28% of the score.

Filing the annual report inside the price counted for more than North Carolina Registered Agent.co's lower three-year fees.

Common questions

What will it cost to form an LLC in North Carolina?

The state fee is $125. The services on this page add $199 in the first year.

What does the North Carolina annual report cost?

The state charges $200 every year and expects the filing April 15.

How does North Carolina compare on LLC state fees?

Position 42nd of 50 on three-year state fees, at $525, counting up from the least expensive state.

How soon does the state approve a new LLC?

Usual turnaround: Entity creation 5 to 10 business days.

Is a registered agent mandatory in North Carolina?

Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

Which LLC service should I hire?

We would file with Mainstay Filing: the North Carolina formation, the registered agent and the annual report sit under one $199 yearly price. Next come North Carolina Registered Agent.co and NC Registered Agent.org.

More entries

Citations for this entry

  1. North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State. Source: sosnc.gov. Last read August 2026.
  2. North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State. Source: sosnc.gov. Last read August 2026.
  3. North Carolina report due date. Source: ncleg.gov. Last read August 2026.
  4. N.C. Source: sosnc.gov. Last read August 2026.
  5. North Carolina formation fee: Filing fee, official source. Source: sosnc.gov. Last read October 2026.
  6. North Carolina formation fee: Filing fee, official source. Source: sosnc.gov. Last read October 2026.
  7. North Carolina registered agent statute. Source: sosnc.gov. Last read October 2026.
  8. Alaska Stat. §§ 10.50.070, 10.50.075. Source: akleg.gov. Last read August 2026.
  9. Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development. Source: commerce.alaska.gov. Last read August 2026.
  10. Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development. Source: commerce.alaska.gov. Last read August 2026.
  11. Fla. Source: flsenate.gov. Last read August 2026.
  12. Florida formation fee: Filing fee, official source. Source: dos.fl.gov. Last read October 2026.
  13. Florida formation fee: Filing fee, official source. Source: flsenate.gov. Last read October 2026.
  14. Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations. Source: dos.fl.gov. Last read August 2026.
  15. Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations. Source: dos.fl.gov. Last read August 2026.
  16. Florida yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source. Source: flsenate.gov. Last read October 2026.
  17. KRS 275.025. Source: apps.legislature.ky.gov. Last read August 2026.
  18. Kentucky formation fee: Filing fee, official source. Source: sos.ky.gov. Last read October 2026.
  19. Kentucky Secretary of State. Source: sos.ky.gov. Last read August 2026.
  20. Kentucky Secretary of State. Source: sos.ky.gov. Last read August 2026.
  21. Kentucky other cost: Limited Liability Entity Tax, official. Source: revenue.ky.gov. Last read October 2026.
  22. Md. Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov. Last read August 2026.
  23. Maryland formation fee: Filing fee, official source. Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov. Last read October 2026.
  24. Maryland formation fee: Filing fee, official source. Source: egov.maryland.gov. Last read October 2026.
  25. Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation. Source: dat.maryland.gov. Last read August 2026.
  26. Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation. Source: dat.maryland.gov. Last read August 2026.
  27. Processing, official source. Source: sosnc.gov. Last read October 2026.
  28. Mainstay Filing North Carolina service page, taken November 12, 2026
  29. North Carolina Registered Agent.co pricing page, taken November 12, 2026
  30. NC Registered Agent.org pricing page, taken November 12, 2026