Start a Business by State › North Carolina
How to start an LLC in North Carolina: checklist (2026)
To start an LLC in North Carolina, file the Articles of Organization (L-01) with the North Carolina Secretary of State for $125, name a registered agent, get a free EIN and check your local licenses. Mainstay Filing, our best overall pick, does the filing, the agent, the EIN application and the report for $199 a year.
- Official sources, checked October 20, 2026
North Carolina checklist
- File the formation document. Articles of Organization (L-01), North Carolina Secretary of State, $125.
- Name a registered agent. Required. A North Carolina resident, or a corporation, nonprofit or LLC on the North Carolina business registry other than the company itself.
- Get an EIN. Free from the IRS online.
- Check licenses. North Carolina Secretary of State says: “North Carolina has no single generic business license that will ensure compliance with all requirements.” (no general state business license).
- Keep it current. Annual Report, yearly: $200, due april 15.
Mainstay Filing
$199 / year, same at renewal
- LLC formation, prepared and filed
- Registered agent, all year
- EIN application (with an SSN or ITIN)
- Annual report filed every year it is due where the state requires one
- Compliance reminders and stored documents
Price from the Mainstay Filing pricing and FAQ pages, checked October 21, 2026. State fees are passed through at cost and shown before you pay.
Questions
How much does it cost to start an LLC in North Carolina?
The state filing fee is $125 for the Articles of Organization (L-01). The first Annual Report later costs $200.
Do I need a registered agent in North Carolina?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Do I need a business license in North Carolina?
North Carolina Secretary of State says: “North Carolina has no single generic business license that will ensure compliance with all requirements.” (no general state business license).
Sources
- 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) (multira state research spine): www.sosnc.gov/webfiles/documents/forms/Business_Registration/limited_liability_companies/articles_of_organization.pdf, checked August 12, 2026
- North Carolina formation fee: Filing fee, official source read 2026-10-01: www.sosnc.gov/fees/by_title/_Business_Registration_limited_liability_companies, checked October 1, 2026
- North Carolina formation fee: Filing fee, official source read 2026-10-01: sosnc.gov/fees/by_title/_Business_Registration/, checked October 1, 2026
- North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division (multira state research spine): www.sosnc.gov/divisions/business_registration/annual_report, checked August 12, 2026
- North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division (multira state research spine): www.sosnc.gov/divisions/business_registration/filing_a_paper_annual_report, checked August 12, 2026
- North Carolina report due date (multira state research spine, due dates verified 714/714): www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/PDF/BySection/Chapter_57D/GS_57D-2-24.pdf, checked August 12, 2026
- North Carolina registered agent statute (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 55D-30): sosnc.gov/divisions/business_registration/registered_agent_links, checked October 20, 2026
- North Carolina Secretary of State: www.sosnc.gov/, checked October 20, 2026
- IRS: Get an employer identification number: www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/get-an-employer-identification-number, checked October 21, 2026
- North Carolina Secretary of State (business license statement): sosnc.gov/manual/launching_a_business/license_permit, checked October 21, 2026