North Carolina LLC cost at a glance
| Cost | North Carolina amount |
|---|---|
| Cost to form | $125 (online card payments add $3) |
| Annual report | $200 on paper, $203 online by card |
| When it is due | 15 April every year, starting the year after formation |
| State tax on the LLC | No franchise tax unless the LLC elects to be taxed as a corporation |
| First-year state fees (minimum) | $125 |
| Yearly state fees after that (minimum) | $200 |
| Registered agent | Required. Free if you act as your own; commercial services charge a yearly fee |
| EIN from the IRS | $0 |
Fees verified October 2026 against the North Carolina Secretary of State and other official North Carolina sources listed at the end of this page.
How much does it cost to form an LLC in North Carolina?
The North Carolina Secretary of State charges $125 to file Articles of Organization (Form L-01) for an LLC. The fee is the same online or on paper. Paying online by card adds a $3 electronic fee, or $2 by ACH.
Faster review costs extra: $100 for 24-hour handling or $200 for same-day handling, on top of the $125. A name reservation costs $10 and holds the name for 120 days. It is optional and cannot be renewed.
Our walkthrough on how to file articles of organization in North Carolina covers the form field by field.
How much does a North Carolina LLC cost every year?
Every North Carolina LLC files an annual report with the Secretary of State by 15 April, and the fee is $200. Filing online costs $203 by card or $202 by ACH. The first report is due on 15 April of the year after the LLC is formed, so an LLC formed in 2026 files its first report in 2027.
The $200 fee is set in statute (G.S. 57D-1-22), and it is eight times the $25 annual report a North Carolina corporation pays. Over the life of the business, the annual report is the largest state cost of running a North Carolina LLC.
What does a North Carolina LLC cost over the first three years?
The table below adds up the state fees a North Carolina LLC pays in its first three years, using the minimum amounts North Carolina charges. The second column adds the BusinessAnywhere registered agent service, which is free for the first year and $147 a year after that.
| Year | State fees only | With a registered agent service |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $125 | $125 |
| Year 2 | $200 | $347 |
| Year 3 | $200 | $347 |
| Three-year total | $525 | $819 |
Does North Carolina charge a franchise tax or income tax on LLCs?
North Carolina charges no franchise tax on an LLC taxed as a partnership or a disregarded entity. The state franchise tax applies to corporations, and an LLC falls under it only if it elects to be taxed as a corporation (G.S. 105-114).
Profit passes through to the members, who pay North Carolina individual income tax at a flat rate of 4.25% for 2025 and 3.99% for 2026.
How much does a registered agent cost in North Carolina?
Every North Carolina LLC must name a registered agent with a physical street address in North Carolina. Acting as your own agent costs nothing, but your address goes on the public record and you must be available at that address during business hours. Commercial registered agent services charge a yearly fee for the same role.
The BusinessAnywhere registered agent service is free for the first year and $147 a year after that, with every document scanned to your online dashboard the day it arrives.
Our North Carolina registered agent guide explains the state rules in full.
If you are weighing the free option, read can I be my own registered agent first.
Does a North Carolina LLC need an EIN, and what does it cost?
An EIN costs nothing when you apply directly with the IRS. A North Carolina LLC needs one to hire employees, to open a business bank account and whenever it has more than one member. US residents with an SSN or ITIN apply through the IRS online EIN application and receive the number at the end of the session.
Founders outside the United States cannot use the online tool. They apply by phone, fax or post with IRS Form SS-4, and do not need an SSN to do it. The BusinessAnywhere EIN application service handles that process for $97. Our guide on how to obtain an EIN for your LLC covers both routes.
What other North Carolina LLC fees should you budget for?
These fees apply only when you need the service. They are the North Carolina state charges as of October 2026.
| Item | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Name reservation | $10 | Application for Reserved Name; nonrenewable 120-day reservation (G.S. 55D-23) |
| Expedited filing | $100 (24 hours) or $200 (same day) | Added to the filing fee; same-day service requires receipt by noon; 24-hour service excludes weekends and holidays |
| Certificate of good standing | $15 paper, $10 electronic | Certificate of Existence (G.S. 57D-1-22) |
| Certified copy | $1 per page plus $15 certificate ($10 electronic certificate) | Copying and certification fees set by G.S. 57D-1-22 |
| Amending the articles | $50 | Amendment of Articles of Organization (Form L-17); restated articles $10 without amendment, $50 with amendment |
| DBA (assumed or trade name) | Filed with the county register of deeds | North Carolina keeps assumed business name certificates at county registers of deeds, not the Secretary of State |
| Changing registered agent | $5 | LLC Statement of Change of Registered Agent and/or Registered Office |
| Foreign LLC registration | $250 | Application for Certificate of Authority (Form L-09); amended certificate $50 |
| Reinstatement after dissolution | $100 | Application for reinstatement following administrative dissolution; overdue annual reports must also be brought current |
An operating agreement carries no state fee in North Carolina, and North Carolina does not collect it, but every LLC should have one to set out ownership and decision rights. BusinessAnywhere sells an operating agreement template for $97.
What happens if you miss a North Carolina LLC deadline?
North Carolina sets no fixed late fee for the annual report, but a missed report puts the LLC on the path to administrative dissolution. The Secretary of State can begin dissolution once a report is 60 days overdue, and the LLC then has 60 days after the mailed notice to file and cure (G.S. 57D-6-06).
Reinstating a dissolved LLC costs $100 plus every overdue annual report at $200 each. An LLC that missed three years pays $700 to come back, more than five times the formation fee.
If you intend to close the business, file formally instead of letting it lapse. Our guide on how to dissolve an LLC in North Carolina sets out the steps.
How does North Carolina compare with other states?
North Carolina is mid-priced to form and expensive to keep. Its $125 formation fee sits close to the $100 national median, but the $200 annual report costs more each year than Georgia’s $60 registration or Virginia’s $25 fee.
| State | Formation fee | Yearly state fees (minimum) | What drives the cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | $125 | $200 | $125 to form, $200 annual report |
| Virginia | $100 | $25 | $25 annual registration fee |
| South Carolina | $110 | $0 | No annual report for most LLCs |
| Georgia LLC cost | $110 | $60 | $110 to form, $60 annual registration |
| Tennessee LLC cost | $300 | $400 | $300 minimum to form and report, $100 minimum franchise tax |
| Wyoming LLC cost | $100 | $60 | $60 minimum license tax, no income tax |
For all 51 jurisdictions side by side, see our full table of LLC cost by state.
How to form a North Carolina LLC for $0 plus state fees
BusinessAnywhere files your North Carolina LLC for $0 plus the $125 state fee. The filing comes with a free first year of registered agent service, so your first-year cost is the state fee and nothing else.
- Formation: $0 service fee plus the North Carolina filing fee.
- Registered agent: free for the first year, then $147 a year.
- EIN application: $97, with no SSN required for non-US founders.
- Compliance reminders: every North Carolina deadline on this page tracked in your dashboard.
- Virtual mailbox: a US street address with mail scanning, from $20 a month.
Start with our LLC formation service, or read the full guide on how to start an LLC in North Carolina first.
North Carolina LLC cost FAQs
How much does an LLC cost in North Carolina?
A North Carolina LLC costs $125 to form. From the year after formation it pays $200 a year for the annual report, or $203 when paying online by card.
When is the North Carolina LLC annual report due?
By 15 April every year, starting the year after the LLC is formed. An LLC formed in 2026 files its first report by 15 April 2027.
Does North Carolina charge franchise tax on LLCs?
No. The North Carolina franchise tax applies to corporations. An LLC pays it only if it elects to be taxed as a corporation.
What happens if I miss the North Carolina annual report?
There is no fixed late fee, but the Secretary of State can start administrative dissolution once the report is 60 days overdue. Reinstatement costs $100 plus every overdue $200 report.
Can I reserve an LLC name in North Carolina?
Yes. A name reservation costs $10 and holds the name for 120 days. It cannot be renewed.
How much does a North Carolina LLC cost over three years?
At the minimum, $525 in state fees: $125 to form and two $200 annual reports. With a commercial registered agent from year two at $147 a year, the total is $819.
Sources
- North Carolina Secretary of State, business registration fees
- North Carolina Secretary of State, annual report due dates
- North Carolina General Statutes, G.S. 57D-1-22 (fees)
- North Carolina General Statutes, G.S. 57D-6-06 (administrative dissolution)
- North Carolina General Statutes, G.S. 105-114 (franchise tax)
- Official North Carolina source: Name reservation fee
- Official North Carolina source: DBA (assumed or trade name) fee
Fees change. Every figure on this page was checked against the official source in October 2026. Confirm the current amount with the North Carolina Secretary of State before you file.
