Registered Agent Service
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Free North Carolina Registered Agent Service
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If you have an existing or are forming a new North Carolina Corporation, Limited-Liability Company, Limited Partnership, Foreign Filing or any other corporate entity, almost every jurisdiction requires by law that you must have a registered agent located in that jurisdiction.
North Carolina Registered Agent service alone can cost you up to $320 per year with some companies. FreeRegisteredAgent.com, through an affiliation with InCorp Services, Inc., will provide your first year of registered agent service with us for FREE and $129 per year thereafter!
Included in the service is full access to InCorp's industry leading client website where you may check the status of your entities in multiple jurisdictions on the same page, check compliance events, download or view FREE copies of your filed documents at any time from anywhere, make payments to your account and even check for mail that's been forwarded to you!
There is no catch whatsoever except that the corporate entity requiring service can't currently be represented by InCorp Services already. After the first year, if you choose to stay with InCorp Services, Inc., you will pay just $129 per year for the same great services!
North Carolina registered agent facts
| Registered agent statute | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 55D-30 |
|---|---|
| LLC filing fee | $125 (Articles of Organization) |
| Corporation filing fee | $125 (Articles of Incorporation) |
| Annual report fee | LLCs: $200 paper / $203 online; business corporations: $25 paper / $21 online (including electronic filing charge) |
| Annual report due | LLCs: April 15 each year after the year of creation; corporations: 15th day of the 4th month after fiscal year end |
| Typical processing time | Documents are processed in the order received; expedited service is $100 for 24-hour processing or $200 for same-business-day processing, in addition to the filing fee |
Registered agent requirements in North Carolina
Registered agent requirements in North Carolina
North Carolina consolidates its registered agent law in one place that surprises people who go looking in the corporation or LLC acts: Chapter 55D of the General Statutes governs filings, names, and registered agents for every entity type at once. Under N.C. Gen. Stat. Section 55D-30, each domestic and registered foreign corporation, LLC, and limited liability partnership must continuously maintain a registered office in the state and a registered agent whose business address is identical to that office. The agent may be a North Carolina resident individual or an entity authorized to do business here, and the registered office must be an actual street address where the agent can be handed a summons - service on the agent is service on the company.
The filing office is the North Carolina Secretary of State’s Business Registration Division, which runs a capable online filing system for creation documents, annual reports, and agent changes. Forming either an LLC or a business corporation costs $125. When timing matters, the state sells speed in two tiers layered on top of the base fee: $100 for 24-hour processing and $200 for same-business-day processing of documents received in proper form.
Annual reporting is where North Carolina diverges sharply by entity type. An LLC’s annual report costs $200 ($203 online with the electronic filing charge) and is due April 15 of each year after the year of creation. A business corporation’s annual report costs just $25 ($21 online) and rides with the tax calendar, due by the 15th day of the fourth month after fiscal year end. Miss the filing and the Secretary of State can begin administrative dissolution: the statute requires notice of the grounds and gives the entity 60 days to fix the problem before dissolution or revocation is entered under Sections 55-14-21 and 57D-6-06. Dissolved entities can apply for reinstatement, but the lapse becomes part of the public record.
One more local wrinkle: North Carolina actively warns filers about misleading third-party “annual report compliance” mailers that charge inflated fees for something the state handles for $21 to $203, so file directly or through an agent you actually know. FreeRegisteredAgent.com provides the first year of North Carolina registered agent service free through InCorp, then $129/yr.
North Carolina registered agent FAQ
- Who may serve as a registered agent in North Carolina?
- An individual who resides in North Carolina, or a domestic or registered foreign entity whose business office is identical to the registered office. The registered office must be a physical street address in the state (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 55D-30).
- Why is the North Carolina LLC annual report so much more expensive than the corporate one?
- The fee schedule simply prices them differently: LLC annual reports cost $200 ($203 online), while business corporation annual reports cost $25 ($21 online). Budget for the $200 LLC report as a real recurring cost of doing business in North Carolina.
- What happens if I do not file my North Carolina annual report?
- The Secretary of State may administratively dissolve a domestic entity (or revoke a foreign one's authority) for failure to file. The state first sends notice of the grounds, and the entity has 60 days to cure before dissolution is entered (N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 55-14-21, 57D-6-06).
- Can I file North Carolina formation documents online?
- Yes. The Secretary of State's online Business Registration system accepts creation filings, annual reports, and registered agent changes, and online annual reports for corporations are slightly cheaper than paper.
- How much does a North Carolina registered agent cost?
- Commercial registered agents generally run $100 to $300 per year. FreeRegisteredAgent.com provides the first year free through InCorp, then $129/yr.
Further information about North Carolina corporations, corporate law and North Carolina Registered Agent Service:
North Carolina Secretary of state's website | North Carolina Registered Agent Statutes | Compare North Carolina Registered Agents