LLC Startup Cost › North Carolina
North Carolina LLC startup cost (2026)
Starting a North Carolina LLC costs $125 to file. With Mainstay Filing, our best overall pick, the first-year total is $324, with the agent, EIN application and report filing included. The first report later costs $200.
- Official sources, checked October 20, 2026
North Carolina budget, line by line
| Line | What it is | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| State filing fee | Articles of Organization (L-01), North Carolina Secretary of State | $125 |
| Registered agent | Required; the company cannot be its own agent | $149 with Mainstay Filing |
| EIN | Issued by the IRS online | $0 |
| State total | Filing fee plus quantified extras | $125 |
| With Mainstay Filing | State total plus the first-year price (agent, EIN application, report filing) | $324 |
Mainstay Filing
Our rating: 4.9 out of 5
$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. With Mainstay Filing, our best overall pick, the first-year total is $324.
Does North Carolina charge anything besides the filing fee?
Not in the sources we checked. The first Annual Report is a later cost: $200.
Can I be my own registered agent in North Carolina?
A North Carolina resident, or a corporation, nonprofit or LLC on the North Carolina business registry other than the company itself.
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