Registered agent required
Yes
sosnc.gov (read October 2026)
Registered agent guide · North Carolina
North Carolina Registered Agent Rules and Fees (2026): the Official Numbers and the 3 Best Agents
North Carolina fact sheet for 2026: when hiring a registered agent, pick Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), North Carolina Registered Agent.co ($99 a year) and NC Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), in that order. An LLC in North Carolina cannot skip a registered agent. Recurring state fees: $200 a year, number 43rd of 50.
North Carolina at a glance
43rd
on a 50-state list of yearly state cost
Number 1 owes the state the least. Go to the national table
Annual report
$200 / yr
Due date, in the state's own words: April 15. sosnc.gov (read October 2026)
State charges over 1 year
$200
The recurring charges for one year
North Carolina: who to hire
Weights are listed on the method page. Three-year fees and coverage count for the most.
1. Mainstay Filing: best for one provider for the whole country
$149 yearly, then $149 yearly
Number one, Mainstay Filing, for this reason: $149 per year in every state, and the same at renewal.
Three years of provider fees run $150 higher than North Carolina Registered Agent.co. Coverage carries 28% of the score and the added filings it handles outweigh that difference.
What the price takes in
- A real street address in the state
- Scans papers served on the company the same business day, at no charge
- Scans the first three government letters each year, no charge
- Serves nonprofits, corporations, LPs and LLPs as well
In its favor
- Price $149, renewal $149
- The same price in all fifty states
Against it
- A yearly premium of $50 over North Carolina Registered Agent.co
- Report filing belongs to the formation package
2. North Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for people who reside in North Carolina
$99 yearly, then $99 yearly
In second place sits North Carolina Registered Agent.co: a flat $99 yearly price that includes scanned and forwarded papers.
What the price takes in
- A street address for the registered office
- Online copies of served documents
In its favor
- A lower yearly price than Mainstay Filing
- $99 per year, the same at renewal
Against it
- Just North Carolina
- The annual report is not filed for you
3. NC Registered Agent.org: best for North Carolina specialists
$99 yearly, then $99 yearly
In third place sits NC Registered Agent.org: a flat $99 yearly price that includes scanned and forwarded papers.
It ties with North Carolina Registered Agent.co on price.
What the price takes in
- A street address for the registered office
- Online copies of served documents
In its favor
- A lower yearly price than Mainstay Filing
- $99 per year, the same at renewal
Against it
- Just North Carolina
- The annual report is not filed for you
The ranking in numbers
| No. | Provider | Price per year | Renewal price | Provider fees over 3 years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | $149 | $149/yr | $447 | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | North Carolina Registered Agent.co | $99 | $99/yr | $297 | Visit North Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | NC Registered Agent.org | $99 | $99/yr | $297 | Visit NC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
Posted prices as of November 13, 2026. Changing agents does not change what the state bills.
North Carolina registered agent calculator
Agent prices plus the state's recurring charges (the annual report from year 2). Formation fees are not counted.
North Carolina and the states around it in the ranking
| Place | State | Yearly state fees |
|---|---|---|
| 41st | Arkansas | $150 |
| 42nd | Kentucky | $190 |
| 43rd | North Carolina | $200 |
| 44th | Maryland | $300 |
| 44th | Tennessee | $300 |
All fifty rows are in Registered agent rules by state.
What North Carolina law says about the registered agent
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. The address has to be a physical registered office in North Carolina. A P.O. box can be added only as a mailing address.
Who is allowed to serve: A North Carolina resident, or a corporation, nonprofit or LLC on the North Carolina business registry other than the company itself. Statute: N.C. Gen. Stat. § 55D-30.
What North Carolina charges every year
The annual report arrives every year and costs $200 (April 15). Notices are mailed to your registered agent.
The reasoning
Mainstay Filing wins on paperwork inside the price, which counts for 28%, and North Carolina Registered Agent.co follows.
North Carolina Registered Agent.co costs less, and reach across states earned the higher score.
Short answers
Are North Carolina LLCs obliged to keep a registered agent on file?
Yes. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Who can serve as the registered agent for North Carolina LLCs?
A North Carolina resident, or a corporation, nonprofit or LLC on the North Carolina business registry other than the company itself.
What does registered agent service cost in North Carolina each year?
Plan on $99 to $149 a year.
What state fees does an LLC pay every year?
The state collects $200 per year on our yearly measure, which is the annual report at $200 every year.
Which registered agents does this page rank?
Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), North Carolina Registered Agent.co ($99 a year) and NC Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), beginning with the first pick.
Which registered agent would you choose?
The order is Mainstay Filing, North Carolina Registered Agent.co and NC Registered Agent.org.
Where these facts come from
- Check our statements on North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State against sosnc.gov, the official page, which we last read in August 2026.
- Check our statements on North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State against sosnc.gov, the official page, which we last read in August 2026.
- Check our statements on North Carolina report due date against ncleg.gov, the official page, which we last read in August 2026.
- Check our statements on N.C against sosnc.gov, the official page, which we last read in August 2026.
- Check our statements on North Carolina formation fee: Filing fee, official source against sosnc.gov, the official page, which we last read in October 2026.
- Check our statements on North Carolina formation fee: Filing fee, official source against sosnc.gov, the official page, which we last read in October 2026.
- Check our statements on North Carolina registered agent statute against sosnc.gov, the official page, which we last read in October 2026.
- Check our statements on Arkansas yearly filing: Franchise tax report: what and against sos.arkansas.gov, the official page, which we last read in October 2026.
- Check our statements on Arkansas yearly filing: Franchise tax: amount and filing against sos.arkansas.gov, the official page, which we last read in October 2026.
- Check our statements on Kentucky Secretary of State against sos.ky.gov, the official page, which we last read in August 2026.
- Check our statements on Kentucky Secretary of State against sos.ky.gov, the official page, which we last read in August 2026.
- Check our statements on Kentucky other cost: Limited Liability Entity Tax, official against revenue.ky.gov, the official page, which we last read in October 2026.
- Check our statements on Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation against dat.maryland.gov, the official page, which we last read in August 2026.
- Check our statements on Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation against dat.maryland.gov, the official page, which we last read in August 2026.
- Check our statements on Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business Services against tnbear.tn.gov, the official page, which we last read in August 2026.
- Check our statements on Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business Services against sos.tn.gov, the official page, which we last read in August 2026.
- Check our statements on Tennessee yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source against sos.tn.gov, the official page, which we last read in October 2026.
- Mainstay Filing lists North Carolina service page on its own site, read November 13, 2026
- North Carolina Registered Agent.co lists pricing page on its own site, read November 13, 2026
- NC Registered Agent.org lists pricing page on its own site, read November 13, 2026