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LLC cost guide · North Carolina

North Carolina LLC Cost (2026): State Fees on File and the 3 Best LLC Services

North Carolina 2026, forming an LLC: the desk ranks Mainstay Filing ($199), NC Registered Agent.org ($199) and North Carolina Registered Agent.co ($199), in that order. State side: $125 to file, $200 every year for the annual report. Three-year rank: 42nd of 50.

Desk note by LLC Data Desk ·

North Carolina, the numbers

42ndrank, 50 states, three-year state costRank 1 is the smallest total. Compare every state
Fee to file
$125sosnc.gov; pulled October 2026
Annual report
$200 / yrDate set by the state: April 15. sosnc.gov; pulled October 2026
Total owed to the state, 3 yrs
$525Year-1 filing, then years 2 and 3

North Carolina ranking

Five criteria set the order; three-year fees and filings covered weigh most (method has the rest).

1. Mainstay Filing: best for low-maintenance LLC ownership

Our #1$199/yr plus the $125 state fee

First, Mainstay Filing, because one fee, $199 a year, pays for formation, a registered agent and the annual report.

Expect to pay $200 more than NC Registered Agent.org over three years, with fewer filings left to you.

Files the annual report every year; the $200 state fee is billed at cost.

What the fee covers

  • Formation filed on your behalf
  • Registered agent for the full year
  • Annual report prepared and submitted
  • EIN application included
  • State fee added at cost

Pros

  • $199 annual bundle
  • No separate EIN fee
  • Renewal holds at $199

Cons

  • Renewal $100 higher than NC Registered Agent.org's
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

2. NC Registered Agent.org: best for low formation fees

One state$199 plus fees; $99 yearly after

Then NC Registered Agent.org, because $199 to form and $99 for the agent on renewal.

Budget your own time for the annual report, every year.

What the fee covers

  • Formation filing prepared for you
  • First year of agent service

Pros

  • Free first agent year
  • Then $99 a year
  • $199 and the state fee

Cons

  • Annual report is left to the owner
  • Charges $99 for the EIN application
Visit NC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

3. North Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for another North Carolina option

One state$199 plus fees; $99 yearly after

Then North Carolina Registered Agent.co, because $199 to form and $99 for the agent on renewal.

Budget your own time for the annual report, every year.

Price for price, equal to NC Registered Agent.org.

What the fee covers

  • Formation filing prepared for you
  • First year of agent service

Pros

  • Then $99 a year
  • Free first agent year
  • $199 and the state fee

Cons

  • Annual report is left to the owner
  • Charges $99 for the EIN application
Visit North Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

The ranking as numbers

#ServiceYr 1Yr 2+Service fees, 3 yrs
1Mainstay Filing$199$199/yr$597Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2NC Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397Visit NC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3North Carolina Registered Agent.co$199$99/yr$397Visit North Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Fees pulled from each company's own pages on November 12, 2026. Each row needs the $125 state fee on top.

North Carolina LLC cost by year

Pick years and a service. State side follows the official schedule: $125 to form, then the annual report from year two.
With Mainstay Filing, 3 years cost $1,122 in all, split $525 and $597.

North Carolina next to nearby ranks

RkStateThree-year state fees
40thAlaska$350
41stFlorida$402.50
42ndNorth Carolina$525
43rdKentucky$595
44thMaryland$700
All fifty rows: LLC costs by state.

North Carolina: what the state charges to form an LLC

$125 buys the Articles of Organization (Form L-01) at the North Carolina Secretary of State; see N.C. Gen. Stat. § 57D-2-20. None of the services below marks it up. The state quotes Entity creation 5 to 10 business days.

Annual report: cost and timing

Report on file: annual report, once a year, $200, April 15.

Basis for the order

Deciding criterion for North Carolina: scope of the price, at 29%.

Having the annual report filed in the fee counted for more than NC Registered Agent.org's smaller three-year bill.

North Carolina LLC service questions

State fee to form an LLC in North Carolina?

$125 to the state. Budget $199 if a service files for you.

What fee comes with the North Carolina annual report?

Due April 15; fee $200, every year.

North Carolina rank on LLC fees?

42nd of 50 on three-year state fees: $525. Rank 1 is the smallest total.

State processing time for a new LLC?

Published turnaround: Entity creation 5 to 10 business days.

Is a registered agent required in North Carolina?

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

Which LLC service do you pick?

Rank Mainstay Filing first (formation, registered agent and annual report all sit inside a single $199 fee), then NC Registered Agent.org and North Carolina Registered Agent.co.

Related files

Basis for this page

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