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Filing Verdict

Rankings of registered agents, LLC formation and foreign registration services in all 50 states.

LLC service verdict · North Carolina

3 Best LLC Services in North Carolina (2026)

Filing Verdict's 2026 verdict on LLC services in North Carolina: North Carolina Registered Agent.co ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and NC Registered Agent.org ($199), in that order. North Carolina Registered Agent.co takes first place: North Carolina formation at $199 over the state's fee, year-one registered agent service included and $99 a year to keep the agent.
The Filing Verdict editorial team
Number one here
Spot 1

1. North Carolina Registered Agent.co: best for a North Carolina LLC that plans to stay local

Formation $199, then $99 a year for the agent, plus the state fee

9.4Editorial score
out of 10

North Carolina Registered Agent.co wins here: a $199 formation fee on top of the state's own, then $99 a year for the agent.

The plan gives the company an in-state street address as its registered office, and papers served on the company are scanned to your online account.

The annual report filing is not in its published prices, so you file it with North Carolina yourself every year.

Over three years it comes in under Mainstay Filing, and cost is one of our two heaviest criteria.

What you get

  • The formation filing
  • A first year of registered agent service

What we like

  • Year-one registered agent service included
  • A $199 service fee plus the filing fee
  • Then $99 a year for agent service

Cons

  • Does not take over the annual report
  • The EIN application is billed separately ($99)
Visit North Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Our full North Carolina Registered Agent.co verdict
All-in price
Spot 2

2. Mainstay Filing: best for formation, agent and annual report for one price

$199 each year plus the state fee

9.0Editorial score
out of 10

Second place goes to Mainstay Filing: the North Carolina formation, your registered agent and the annual report all sit in a single $199 yearly charge.

Mainstay files the annual report for you as part of the renewal. North Carolina charges $200 every year, due April 15; the state's fee is passed through at cost.

Over three years North Carolina Registered Agent.co is $200 cheaper, which puts Mainstay Filing behind it on cost.

What you get

  • Formation paperwork prepared and filed
  • A full year of registered agent service
  • The annual report, prepared and filed
  • The EIN application

What we like

  • $199 at renewal, nothing extra
  • The EIN application comes with it
  • One $199 yearly price that includes the annual report
  • North Carolina's fee is passed through at cost

Cons

  • From year two its agent costs $100 a year more than North Carolina Registered Agent.co's
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Our full Mainstay Filing verdict
Best local option
Spot 3

3. NC Registered Agent.org: best for a local North Carolina filing

Formation $199, then $99 a year for the agent, plus the state fee

8.9Editorial score
out of 10

Third place goes to NC Registered Agent.org: a $199 formation fee on top of the state's own, then $99 a year for the agent.

The plan gives the company an in-state street address as its registered office, and papers served on the company are scanned to your online account.

The annual report filing is not in its published prices, so you file it with North Carolina yourself every year.

On price and features North Carolina Registered Agent.co and NC Registered Agent.org match line for line, which makes this a close call between safe choices.

What you get

  • The formation filing
  • A year of registered agent service up front

What we like

  • The first registered agent year is included
  • Formation at $199 before the state fee
  • Then $99 a year for agent service

Cons

  • Does not take over the annual report
  • The EIN application is billed separately ($99)
Visit NC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Our full NC Registered Agent.org verdict

The 3 verdicts at a glance

No.ServiceVerdict scoreService feeYear twoBest forVisit
1North Carolina Registered Agent.co9.4$199$99/yrA North Carolina-only LLC watching its budget Visit North Carolina Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing9.0$199$199/yrFormation, agent and annual report, one price Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3NC Registered Agent.org8.9$199$99/yrA North Carolina-only LLC watching its budget Visit NC Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
The marks out of 10 are editorial: Filing Verdict sets them from the criteria on How we rank, and customers do not rate anything here.

North Carolina LLC service prices for 2026: year one, renewals and three years

ServiceYear 1Year 2Year 3Total, 3 yearsAnnual report handled for you
North Carolina Registered Agent.co$199$99$99$397No
Mainstay Filing$199$199$199$597Yes
NC Registered Agent.org$199$99$99$397No
Prices were read from each company's own pages on November 12, 2026. North Carolina's $125 filing fee goes on top of every row and is not counted in these totals.

What settled the order

Filing Verdict gives total over three years and paperwork the price handles 35% each, and renewal behavior, match to the state and up-front pricing split the rest. In North Carolina the order was settled by total over three years.

North Carolina Registered Agent.co totals $397 over three years, $200 under Mainstay Filing. Mainstay would also file the annual report, but an owner can file it alone for the state fee, so the lower price carried this page.

The full list of criteria and weights is on How we rank.

North Carolina LLC filing fee and form: official figures

Filing the Articles of Organization (Form L-01) costs $125 at the North Carolina Secretary of State. Each service on this page adds that fee on top of its own price, at cost.

Standard turnaround from the state: Entity creation 5 to 10 business days.

North Carolina LLC upkeep after the filing

The annual report is filed every year, due April 15. The state fee is $200. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

North Carolina LLC service: questions answered

What does it cost to form an LLC in North Carolina?

The state filing fee is $125, and the service fee is $199.

Which form do I file to create the LLC?

You file the Articles of Organization (Form L-01) with the North Carolina Secretary of State.

How long does North Carolina take to approve a new LLC?

The state's standard processing time: Entity creation 5 to 10 business days.

Does a North Carolina LLC have to name a registered agent?

Yes. North Carolina requires every LLC to keep a registered agent on file, and the agent needs a street address in the state.

Which yearly filings does a North Carolina LLC owe?

Just the annual report, every year, due April 15 ($200 state fee).

Does the price include the EIN application?

Mainstay Filing includes it in the yearly price. North Carolina Registered Agent.co and NC Registered Agent.org bill $99 extra. The IRS charges nothing for an EIN.

Which LLC service is the best pick in North Carolina?

North Carolina Registered Agent.co, because $199 plus the North Carolina filing fee, with the first year of registered agent service included, then $99 a year.

See also

Sources and dates

  1. North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division, confirmed August 2026
  2. North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division, confirmed August 2026
  3. North Carolina report due date, confirmed August 2026
  4. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 57D-2-20, confirmed August 2026
  5. North Carolina formation fee: Filing fee, official source, confirmed October 2026
  6. North Carolina formation fee: Filing fee, official source, confirmed October 2026
  7. North Carolina registered agent statute, confirmed October 2026
  8. Processing, official source, confirmed October 2026
  9. Checked November 12, 2026: North Carolina Registered Agent.co, pricing and service pages
  10. Checked November 12, 2026: Mainstay Filing, North Carolina service page
  11. Checked November 12, 2026: NC Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages