Cost summary
Forming an LLC in North Carolina costs $125 in state fees[2]. After that the Annual Report costs $200 every year[3].
Mainstay Filing does the North Carolina filing for $199 a year; the state's $125 is added at cost[1].
Updated October 29, 2026. Fees from official sources; prices from providers' own pages.
The fee table
| Filing | Fee | When | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formation (Form L-01) | $125 | Once | [2] sosnc.gov, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Annual Report | $200 | Every year | [3] sosnc.gov, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Change of registered agent | $5 | When filed | [4] sosnc.gov, updated October 29, 2026 |
Fees paid to North Carolina agencies only; card and portal charges and expedite options are not included.
In the formation year the state bill is $125. Each later year adds $200.
North Carolina's small businesses
North Carolina had 197,185 employer firms and 914,586 nonemployer businesses in the Census Bureau's 2022 counts. Of the business locations that opened in North Carolina between April 2019 and March 2020, 54.2% were still open in March 2025.
Registered Agent and filing service costs
The state does not charge for naming a registered agent, but a commercial agent charges every year. An owner who lives in North Carolina can serve personally, as an individual, if the address and hours rules are met. What North Carolina does not allow is the company listing itself.
Mainstay Filing charges $149 a year for North Carolina registered agent service[1]. For $199 a year it also forms the company, applies for the EIN and files the Annual Report when due. State fees are passed through at cost.
We also read 8 other services' North Carolina prices on October 20, 2026. They started at $0 and went up to $249 for year one, with renewals of $125 to $249.
The recurring filing: Annual Report
The North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division handles the North Carolina Annual Report. Its timing, method and cost:
- Filing: Annual Report
- Filed with: North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division
- Fee: $200, every year[3]
- Deadline: April 15[5]
- How to file: online or on paper
The fee stays $200 whether or not the filing is late. Skip it long enough and the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division can dissolve the company[5].
How North Carolina compares
North Carolina comes to $200 a year in ongoing state fees. Nationally the median is $30; 44 states charge less and 5 charge more. Next door, Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia cost less per year.
| State | Formation | Report | Per year (avg.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | $125 | $200 / yr | $200 |
| Georgia | $110 | $60 / yr | $60 |
| South Carolina | $110 | None | $0 |
| Tennessee | $300 | $300 / yr | $300 |
| Virginia | $100 | $50 / yr | $50 |
"Per year" halves biennial fees; revenue-department taxes are not included. Sources: each state's statute or fee schedule (August 12, 2026).
Questions
How much is the North Carolina LLC Annual Report?
$200, every year[3]. It is due april 15.
What happens if a North Carolina LLC misses the deadline?
The LLC loses good standing with the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division, and continued non-filing can end in administrative dissolution or revocation.
Can a service handle these North Carolina filings?
Mainstay Filing does: $199 a year covers forming the North Carolina LLC, the registered agent and the EIN application[1]. The $200 Annual Report fee is passed through when it is filed.
Is North Carolina an expensive state for an LLC?
North Carolina's formation fee is $125: 30 states charge less and 16 charge more. The yearly cost of keeping it, $200 on average, compares like this: 44 states charge less and 5 charge more.
Sources
- Mainstay Filing pricing, registered agent and FAQ pages. Updated October 29, 2026.
- N.C. Gen. Stat. § 57D-2-20 (North Carolina Limited Liability Company Act, Chapter 57D — formation by filing articles of organization); fee set at $125 (recited on the official form; fee schedule in N.C.G.S. § 57D-1-22). www.sosnc.gov/webfiles/documents/forms/Business_Registration/limited_liability_companies/a. Updated October 29, 2026.
- North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division: Annual Report rules and fee. www.sosnc.gov/divisions/business_registration/annual_report. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Statement of Change of Registered Office and/or Registered Agent fee. www.sosnc.gov/webfiles/documents/forms/Business_Registration/business_Entities_common/stat. Updated October 29, 2026.
- N.C.G.S. § 57D-2-24(b). www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/PDF/BySection/Chapter_57D/GS_57D-2-24.pdf. Updated October 29, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Statistics of U.S. Businesses 2022 and Nonemployer Statistics 2022. www.census.gov/programs-surveys/susb.html. Updated October 29, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Business Employment Dynamics, Establishment Age and Survival, Table 7 (data through March 2025). www.bls.gov/bdm/bdmage.htm. Updated October 29, 2026.